Publication Fit Matrix

Match your story type to the right publication for realistic coverage

Emilie Gerber
The ultimate guide to PR | Emilie Gerber (founder of Six Eastern)

Publication Fit Matrix

"No one ever gets this tactical in PR. There's just so much theoretical conversation and examining the big blunders, but at the end of the day, if you're a startup that wants to get coverage for your company, you need to know actually the steps to take to do it." - Emilie Gerber

What It Is

Every publication has a specific focus, format, and appetite for different types of stories. Founders often pitch the wrong story to the wrong publication—sending product news to Axios (who only cover deals), or funding news to Forbes features (who want established companies).

The Publication Fit Matrix maps story types to the publications most likely to cover them, based on patterns from hundreds of successful PR campaigns.

How It Works

Primary Publications for Tech Startups

TechCrunch

  • Best for: Funding announcements, startup launches, product news
  • Sweet spots: Most tech verticals, especially AI, SaaS
  • Gaps: Health tech, MarTech (limited beat coverage)
  • Bonuses: TechCrunch Disrupt (speaking → coverage), The Found Podcast (founder stories), Equity Pod (investment advice)
  • Key advantage: No paywall, strong traffic on announcement day
  • Note: Recently stopped accepting op-eds

Axios

  • Best for: Deals-focused news (funding, acquisitions, partnerships with monetary component)
  • Sweet spots: FinTech, healthcare
  • Don't pitch: Product announcements (they'll get annoyed)
  • Expansion: Local editions launching—good for region-specific stories

Business Insider

  • Best for: Pitch deck stories (funding with deck), entrepreneurial journey pieces, lists
  • Sweet spots: Companies willing to share metrics (revenue, spending)
  • Note: Very metrics-hungry—push for hard numbers
  • Lists opportunity: Constant lists of top startups, professionals—easy submissions

VentureBeat

  • Best for: AI news of any kind
  • Sweet spots: AI capabilities, AI product features, AI company news
  • Pitch here: Any client building AI capabilities or offerings

Fast Company

  • Best for: Future of work, design, media
  • Sweet spots: Leadership op-eds, culture pieces
  • Note: Open to op-eds with leadership advice

Forbes

  • Best for: Awards (FinTech 50, AI 50, Under 30)
  • Sweet spots: Established companies for main reporter features
  • Alternative: Contributor network for earlier-stage companies

Premium Publications

Wall Street Journal / New York Times

  • Reality check: Early-stage companies rarely get features here
  • Requirements: Valuation on record, revenue or hard business metrics
  • Typical path: Build relationships with beat reporters, appear in larger trend pieces
  • Harsh truth: "If you want those, just have a crisis and they'll write about it"

CNBC

  • Focus: Public markets audience
  • For private companies: CNBC Disruptor 50 list (almost-public scale)
  • Not for: Early-stage companies

Alternative Channels

Podcasts

  • More accessible than traditional media
  • Match spokesperson to audience (don't pitch CEO if show hosts practitioners)
  • Start with lightweight outreach: "Love the show—open to guest ideas?"

Newsletters (Substack)

  • Part of any modern PR program
  • Often more engaged audiences than traditional media
  • Lower bar for coverage than major publications

Awards & Lists

  • Business Insider lists (constantly publishing)
  • Forbes awards (FinTech 50, AI 50, Under 30)
  • Morning Brew Coworking series (simple Google form submission)

How to Apply It

Step 1: Identify your story type

  • Funding announcement
  • Product launch
  • Company launch/stealth exit
  • Founder/culture story
  • Industry commentary/op-ed

Step 2: Match to realistic publications Use the matrix above to identify 3-5 publications where your story fits their actual coverage patterns.

Step 3: Find the right beat reporter Within each publication, find the reporter who covers your vertical. Don't spray and pray.

Step 4: Sequence your outreach Offer exclusives to top choice first. If no response after 3-4 days, move to next target.

When to Use It

Use this matrix when:

  • Planning PR strategy for an announcement
  • Deciding where to invest limited PR resources
  • Evaluating whether an announcement is newsworthy
  • Building media target lists for ongoing PR

The matrix helps set realistic expectations:

  • Nine funding stories on TechCrunch per week vs. 50+ actual rounds
  • NYT/WSJ require metrics most founders won't share
  • Product news rarely gets coverage without incumbent positioning

Source

  • Guest: Emilie Gerber
  • Episode: "The ultimate guide to PR | Emilie Gerber (founder of Six Eastern)"
  • Key Discussion: (00:17:28) - Detailed breakdown of which publications cover what types of stories
  • YouTube: Watch on YouTube

Related Frameworks

Back to Communication