
Ask HN: How to get featured on TechCrunch - leejw00t354
Are there any hackers out there who have ever had their startup featured on a website like TechCrunch?
It seems having your startup featured on large website is a great way to boost your chances of success, and as I am soon to launch my own startup I'm really interested in hearing any tips or advise you can offer.
Is it a good idea to offer some kind of promotion? e.g. 10 beta keys for the readers? Or does that kind of strategy take away from your pitch?
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bpm140
As someone who has been on TechCrunch many times, I offer the following
observations:

1) There are a glut of startups. The only time the majority of startups get
coverage is a money event (funding, acquired, dead-pooled). You chances of
launch coverage if you are not funded is pretty low. But fight the good fight!

2) Do your homework on the editors! If you just send an email to
tips@techcrunch.com, you're going to get routed to a random editor who may or
may not be interested in what you do. Take the time to find the most likely
editors and email them in advance.

3) There's an old VC trope: "If you want advice, ask for money; if you want
money, ask for advice." In this case, I would modify it to "If you want
silence, ask for coverage; if you want coverage, ask for advice." Get an
editor interested in what you do before asking for the money shot.

4) Take the time to develop relationships with editors. You're in this for the
long haul, over multiple companies, right? At this point, I can probably get
coverage from Mike, Erick and MG, because they know me and trust me.
Conversely, I only ask for coverage in rare instances.

In the short term, #2 is probably most important. In the long term, it's all
about #4.

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anothertodd
Be active on startup events like startupweekend, etc. I was one of organizers
in sweekend and met and talked to TC writers. Editors are busy and you should
be active to be captured on their eyes. They just start talking, and writing
when they found someone looks really cool. So let them know you're, your
project is sooo cool.

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michaelpinto
Interesting insights here: [http://www.quora.com/TechCrunch/How-do-you-get-
TechCrunch-to...](http://www.quora.com/TechCrunch/How-do-you-get-TechCrunch-
to-cover-your-startup)

