The best way to do PR for a tech company is to stay aligned with its constant pace of innovation. Technology firms operate at the cutting edge, bringing genuinely new ideas to life. This is exciting, but it also presents unique challenges. Innovation naturally sparks conversations—and sometimes controversies. Some of the most promising tech brands find themselves at the center of discussions on ethical AI, the carbon footprint of high-powered processing, and the imperative for strong cybersecurity.
Why a comprehensive PR strategy matters
A solid public relations strategy is essential for tech companies to navigate these challenges. A comprehensive tech PR approach helps to:
- Define the Brand Identity – Develop and articulate what the brand stands for—where it is as a company and where it aims to go.
- Craft Compelling Stories – Translate core values into stories that resonate with stakeholders and engage relevant audiences.
- Choose the Right Channels – Identify the channels your target audiences use most and determine the best ways to reach them.
- Build Key Media Relationships – Connect with influential media outlets, ensuring they capture and communicate your brand’s ethos in all coverage.
Focus on what truly matters
A strong PR strategy is not just about generating coverage for product launches or boosting executive profiles. Instead, it is about building and maintaining a company’s reputation, positioning it as a thought leader, and being prepared to handle unexpected crises. To achieve this:
- Stay updated with current affairs to incorporate tech companies into discussions around AI, cybersecurity, and sustainability.
- Demonstrate the company’s expertise in these fields to highlight that its brand extends beyond its immediate products or services.
By embedding a tech company within these broader discourses, PR can showcase the company’s values and commitment to responsible innovation.
Reach the media that can tell your story authentically
Genuine relationships and connections provide the foundation that makes actions like pitching feature articles, promoting product launches, and sharing thought leadership pieces effective. Without these connections, public relations efforts are likely to fall flat.
When handling public relations for a tech company, tech PR consultants must identify relevant media outlets to target. The key three steps are to narrow down the company’s target market, identify any wider groups that would find the brand or product interesting, and pinpoint the media outlets where you can reach them. Even the most newsworthy press release will fall on deaf ears if the reader doesn’t care about it. To avoid this scenario, conduct thorough research to streamline a list of relevant journalists and publications with which a tech company should connect.
Positioning executives as thought leaders and pitching feature articles is an effective approach for tech public relations. This approach demonstrates that a company has tech expertise beyond its initial product and engages the widest possible audience.
An example: Crowdstrike
Tech is rarely far from the headlines. For example, the CrowdStrike outage in July 2024 made global headlines when the American cybersecurity company distributed a faulty update to its Falcon Sensor security software, which caused widespread problems with Microsoft. The resulting chaos affected flights, banking, and healthcare services, drawing massive media attention worldwide.
This CrowdStrike incident offers a prime example of how a cybersecurity firm could pitch expert commentary or a byline idea in response. Firms could seize the opportunity to provide insights as the event unfolds in the media or even after it concludes. Reflecting on these events offers a perfect chance for cybersecurity firms to establish themselves as experts in the field.
Here’s how Akami, a web security firm, commented on the CrowdStrike outage in Computer Weekly. They wrote: “It is likely we will see more phishing attempts associated with this issue beyond the time when every device is remediated. A simple scroll through social media can provide an attacker with a sense of which brands generate the most heightened emotions and which are ripe to impersonate for malevolent gain.
Press releases also matter
Despite what you may have heard, press releases still matter in tech PR. While wire services are less frequently used for everyday news, a written release is still the best way to reach a large number of journalists at the same time. Any press release, regardless of subject matter, should explain how this new product or person will solve or enhance an existing problem or procedure.
Broadridge Financial Solutions recently announced its ClearFi platform. The title of the press release – Broadridge Launches New Digital Asset Information Platform to Help Financial Intermediaries Comply with Regulatory Guidelines – immediately draws attention to what this product launch is solving.
The announcement has a purpose and context, and calls attention from relevant audiences who are impacted by these regulatory guidelines. The aim of a press release is to not just announce, but to engage audiences and slot a company into an ongoing industry discussion.
When looking for a tech PR firm, look for someone who both understands your unique proposition and also is ready to be a partner with you for the journey ahead. Together you can both succeed.
