How Do I Get Press Coverage for My New App?

Getting press coverage for a new app is one of the most common questions I get asked—and honestly, its one of the trickiest parts of launching successfully. You see, most people think that if they've built something good, journalists will naturally want to write about it. But here's the thing; journalists get hundreds of pitches every single day, and the vast majority of those emails go straight in the bin without being opened. I've watched brilliant apps launch with zero media attention whilst mediocre ones somehow end up on TechCrunch, and the difference usually comes down to understanding how app PR actually works.

The mobile app space is absurdly crowded right now. There are millions of apps competing for attention, which means the bar for what counts as newsworthy has never been higher. Back when I first started building apps, you could get coverage just by having a well-designed interface or a clever feature—these days that's expected as standard. Journalists aren't interested in "we made an app" stories anymore; they need an angle, a story, something their readers will actually care about.

Press coverage isn't about how good your app is, its about whether you've given journalists a story worth telling to their audience

And that's really the core of what makes app publicity work. You need to shift your thinking from "how do I get journalists to cover my app?" to "what story am I offering that serves their readers?" Once you understand that fundamental difference, everything else starts to fall into place. Sure, having a solid product helps—but the packaging, timing, and targeting of your press outreach matter just as much, if not more.

Why Most Apps Fail to Get Media Attention

Right, let's be honest here—most apps launch into complete silence. No press coverage, no buzz, nothing. And I've seen this happen time and time again over the years, even with genuinely good products. The problem isn't always the app itself; its usually how the story is being told.

Here's the thing—journalists aren't sat around waiting to hear about your new app. They get hundreds of pitches every week, maybe more depending on their beat. Most of those pitches are terrible. Like, genuinely awful. They're basically just saying "we built an app, please write about it" without giving any reason why anyone should care. That's not a story, that's an advert.

The biggest mistake I see? Founders think their app is the story. It's not. The problem you're solving is the story. The weird journey that led to building it might be the story. The gap in the market you discovered could be the story. But "we made an app with these features" is never going to get picked up, no matter how well you write the pitch.

Another issue is timing—so many teams reach out to press after they've already launched. That's too late. Journalists want exclusives, early access, the chance to break news before everyone else has it. If your app's already in the store and anyone can download it? You've lost most of your leverage right there. And don't even get me started on press releases that read like they were written by a robot...nobody wants to publish corporate jargon that says nothing of actual value to readers. You need to give journalists something they can actually use, something their audience will find interesting or helpful or surprising in some way.

Understanding What Journalists Actually Want

Right—here's the thing that most people get completely wrong about journalists. They're not sitting around waiting to write about your app because you think its brilliant. They've got deadlines breathing down their necks and hundreds of emails flooding their inbox every single day, most of which are poorly written pitches about apps that frankly aren't newsworthy. I mean, put yourself in their shoes for a second; would you want to read another generic email about "a revolutionary new social media platform"?

Journalists want stories, not sales pitches. Big difference. They need content that their readers will actually care about—something that solves a real problem, challenges the status quo, or offers a genuinely fresh perspective on an existing issue. If your app helps people save money during a cost of living crisis? That's a story. If it just does what ten other apps already do but with a slightly different colour scheme? That's not going to cut it.

The journalists I've worked with over the years all say the same thing: make their job easier. Give them everything they need upfront—high quality screenshots, a clear explanation of what makes your app different (and I mean actually different, not marketing fluff), real user data if you have it, and a spokesperson who can provide quotes without needing three days and five approval layers. Time is the most valuable thing a journalist has, so don't waste it.

What Makes Your App Actually Newsworthy

You need at least one of these elements to grab a journalists attention, and preferably more than one:

• Your app solves a problem that affects a lot of people right now
• You've got interesting data or research that reveals something new
• There's a human interest angle—real stories from real users
• Your app does something that hasn't been done before (be honest about this)
• You can tie into a trending topic or current event without being forced
• You've secured funding or partnerships with recognisable names

Before pitching any journalist, read at least five of their recent articles. If you cant explain why your app fits their beat in one sentence, you're pitching the wrong person.

The Data and Assets They Need

When journalists are interested in covering your app, they need specific information fast. I've seen so many opportunities lost because someone took two days to send over a simple screenshot or couldn't provide basic usage statistics. Keep these ready to go: download numbers (even if they're modest—context matters more than size), active user data if its impressive, app store ratings and number of reviews, any press coverage you've already received, professional screenshots in multiple formats, and your app icon in various resolutions. And please, don't send massive uncompressed files that clog up their inbox; its annoying and makes you look amateurish. Most importantly, make sure someone can respond to questions within a few hours, not a few days—news cycles move fast and if you cant keep up, they'll move on to a story that can.

Building Your Press Kit and Materials

Right—so you've decided you want press coverage, but now you need something to actually send to journalists. And here's where a lot of app developers mess up, they either send nothing at all or they send a 47-page PDF that nobody has time to read. Journalists are busy. Really busy. They get hundreds of pitches every week, so your press kit needs to be clear, quick to digest, and contain everything they need without making them work for it.

Your press kit should live on a simple webpage—not a PDF attachment that someone has to download. I mean, its just easier for everyone that way; journalists can access it on any device and share the link with their editors quickly. This page needs to load fast (under 3 seconds) and work perfectly on mobile because guess what? Most journalists will check it on their phone first.

What to Include in Your Press Kit

Here's what you absolutely need in there—no more, no less. A short description of your app (2-3 sentences max), a longer description (one paragraph), the problem it solves and who its for, key features in bullet points, high-resolution screenshots and app icons, and your logo in different formats. You'll also want a short founder bio, company background if relevant, download links, and your contact details. Oh, and this is important: include a demo video if you've got one, but keep it under 90 seconds.

The screenshots need to be proper quality—at least 1080px wide. I've seen so many developers send blurry, low-res images and then wonder why tech blogs dont feature them. Publications need images they can actually use without making their site look rubbish. Include 5-8 screenshots showing your apps best features, not just the login screen and settings page.

Creating Your Media Assets

Beyond screenshots, you need a few other visual elements ready to go. Your app icon in PNG format at multiple sizes (512px, 1024px minimum), your company logo on both white and transparent backgrounds, and if you've got any graphs or data that show your apps impact or growth, include those too. Journalists love data—it makes their articles more credible and interesting.

One thing people forget is to include quotes. Pre-write 3-4 quotes from yourself about the app, why you built it, what makes it different. This saves journalists time and increases the chance they'll use your exact words, which means your key messages get across properly. Make sure these quotes sound natural though, not like corporate speak that nobody actually says out loud.

Keep everything organised in clearly labelled folders or sections. When a journalist lands on your press kit page, they should find what they need in under 30 seconds—otherwise they'll just move on to the next pitch in their inbox.

• Short app description (2-3 sentences)
• Detailed description (one paragraph)
• Problem and solution statement
• Key features list
• High-resolution screenshots (5-8 images, 1080px minimum)
• App icon (512px and 1024px PNG)
• Company logo (white and transparent background)
• Founder bio (2-3 sentences)
• Demo video (under 90 seconds)
• Pre-written quotes (3-4 quotes)
• Press contact information
• Download links for iOS/Android

Finding and Researching the Right Journalists

Right, so you've got your press kit sorted and you know what makes a good story—but now comes the bit that actually takes time. Finding the journalists who'll care about your app. Not just any journalists, mind you, but the ones who write about apps like yours and have an audience that matches your target users.

I always start with the publications themselves rather than going through PR databases straight away. Look at where your competitors have been featured, check out the tech sections of newspapers you read, browse app review sites. Its tedious work, I'll admit, but theres no shortcut here. You need to actually read what these journalists write about, understand their beat, get a feel for their style. Some writers only cover big-name apps with massive funding; others love finding hidden gems from indie developers. You want the latter if you're just starting out.

Once you've found publications that cover apps in your category, dig into individual writers. Twitter is brilliant for this—most tech journalists are active there and you can see what topics get them excited. Read their last ten articles. Do they focus on consumer apps or B2B? Are they interested in the business side or the technology? Do they prefer features or quick news hits? This research tells you whether its worth reaching out and, more importantly, how to pitch them.

The journalists who'll give your app the best coverage aren't necessarily at the biggest publications—they're the ones who genuinely care about what your app does and who it helps.

Build a spreadsheet (yeah, I know) with journalist names, their publication, email addresses, what they typically cover, and any recent articles relevant to your space. Keep notes about their interests. This becomes your goldmine when it's time to send pitches because you're not just mass-emailing strangers—you're reaching out to people whose work you actually know.

Crafting Your Pitch Email That Gets Opened

Right, lets talk about the actual email you're going to send—because this is where most people completely mess it up. I've sent hundreds of these over the years and I can tell you the difference between an email that gets opened and one that gets deleted is often just a few small details. Nothing fancy, just smart thinking about what actually works.

Your subject line needs to do one job: get them to open the email. Thats it. Forget being clever or witty—journalists get 200+ emails a day and they're scanning subject lines in about half a second. I usually go with something like "New app solves [specific problem] for [specific audience]" or "[Interesting data point] about [relevant topic]". Keep it under 50 characters if you can. And for gods sake, don't use all caps or excessive punctuation...it screams spam.

The actual email body? Short. Seriously, keep it under 150 words maximum. Start with one sentence explaining why you're reaching out to them specifically—reference an article they wrote, show you've done your homework. Then get straight to what your app does and why their readers would care. Not why you think its great, but why their audience needs it.

What Your Pitch Email Must Include

Here's what I always put in every pitch email, in this order:

• Personal opening that shows you've read their work (one sentence)
• What your app does in plain English (one sentence)
• Why their readers care—the news angle (two sentences max)
• One compelling stat or fact that proves your point
• Clear call to action—do you want coverage, an interview, or for them to try the app?
• Link to your press kit and any demo videos

Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances

Don't attach anything unless they ask for it. Attachments get emails flagged as spam or just make journalists suspicious. Everything should be accessible through links. And please, no generic "Dear Sir/Madam" rubbish—if you haven't got their name, you shouldn't be emailing them yet. I also see people writing these long backstory emails about how they came up with the idea...nobody cares at this stage, honestly. Save that for the actual interview if you get one.

One thing that really works is including a single screenshot or GIF in the email body itself (not as an attachment). People are visual and seeing your app in action—even just one screen—can make them curious enough to click through. Just make sure its a good one that clearly shows what makes your app different.

And timing matters more than you'd think. Tuesday through Thursday, between 10am and 2pm tends to work best based on what I've seen. Avoid Mondays when everyone's drowning in weekend emails, and Fridays when people are mentally checked out. Send your pitch when journalists are most likely to be at their desk and actually thinking about stories.

Timing Your Launch and Press Outreach

Getting your timing right can honestly make or break your entire media campaign—I've seen brilliant apps get completely ignored because they launched at the wrong moment, and I've seen average ones get loads of coverage simply because they picked their timing well. Its not just about having a great product and a solid pitch; you need to think strategically about when you reach out to journalists and when you actually launch your app to the public.

Here's the thing—journalists work on editorial calendars and they're planning their coverage weeks or even months ahead. If you send your pitch the day before you launch, you've basically guaranteed that you wont get covered by any major publications. They need time to test your app, write their article, and fit it into their publishing schedule. I typically recommend reaching out to journalists at least two to three weeks before your official launch date, sometimes even longer for bigger publications. This gives them enough time to actually look at your app properly and decide if its worth covering.

Best Days and Times for Outreach

The day of the week matters more than you might think. Tuesday through Thursday mornings are generally your best bet for sending pitch emails—journalists are usually planning their week on Monday and winding down by Friday, so midweek is when they're most receptive to new story ideas. Avoid sending pitches late in the day or over the weekend; they'll just get buried under everything else that comes in. And whatever you do, dont launch during major tech events like Apple's WWDC or Google I/O unless your app directly relates to announcements being made there. You'll be competing with massive news stories and you simply wont get noticed.

Seasonal Considerations

Think about the calendar when planning your launch. December is generally terrible for getting press coverage because journalists are either covering year-end roundups or they're on holiday. The same goes for August in many countries. But here's where it gets interesting—certain times of year are perfect for specific types of apps. Fitness apps do brilliantly in January when everyone's making resolutions; shopping apps get loads of attention in the run-up to Black Friday; education apps should aim for back-to-school periods. You need to match your launch timing to when journalists are actively looking for stories in your category.

Create a "soft launch" period where you release your app to a limited audience or in specific markets first. This gives you real user feedback and app store ratings before you approach journalists, making your app more credible and reducing the risk of negative coverage due to bugs or issues.

One mistake I see all the time is people confusing their launch timing with their press outreach timing. These are two separate things that need to be coordinated but they're not the same. Your press outreach should start weeks before launch; your launch is when the app becomes publicly available. Many successful apps actually operate under embargo—they give journalists early access to the app with an agreement not to publish until a specific date and time. This means everyone can publish their reviews simultaneously on launch day, creating a wave of coverage that's much more powerful than scattered articles appearing randomly over several weeks. If you're going to use an embargo (and I'd recommend it for bigger launches), make sure you clearly state the embargo date and time in your pitch email.

Weather and current events matter too, even though you cant always predict them. If there's a major news story dominating headlines, tech journalists will be pulled onto other stories or their app coverage will simply get less attention from readers. Sometimes you need to be flexible and willing to push your launch back if something big happens. I mean, you've already put months into building your app—waiting an extra week or two for better timing isn't going to kill you, but launching into a news cycle dominated by something else absolutely could kill your chances of getting noticed.

Using App Store Optimisation to Support PR Efforts

Here's something most people miss—your PR efforts and your app store presence need to work together, not separately. I've seen far too many apps get brilliant media coverage only to lose potential users because their app store listing didn't back up what the press was saying. Its a waste of all that hard work, honestly.

When a journalist writes about your app or a reader clicks through from an article, they're often going to check your app store listing before downloading. If your screenshots don't match what was described in the article, or your description doesn't expand on the features that got you coverage in the first place, you're going to lose them. Simple as that. Think of your app store listing as the second half of your pitch—the journalist got them interested, now you need to seal the deal.

Aligning Your Messaging Across Channels

Your app title and subtitle should reinforce the angle that's getting you press attention; if journalists are covering your app because it solves a specific problem, make sure that problem is front and centre in your app store copy. Don't get clever with different messaging for different platforms. Consistency builds trust.

I always tell clients to update their app store screenshots right before a major PR push. Use the same language, highlight the same features, show the same benefits. When someone reads about your app in TechCrunch and then visits the App Store, it should feel like a natural continuation of the same story.

Keyword Strategy That Supports Discovery

Think about how people might search after reading about your app. If the press coverage mentions specific features or use cases, those should be in your keyword list. But here's the thing—dont stuff keywords unnaturally into your description. The App Store algorithms are smarter than they used to be and they can spot that rubbish a mile away.

Your ratings and reviews matter more than ever when you're getting press coverage. New users coming from articles will check what existing users are saying, so make sure you're actively managing that feedback and responding to concerns. A 4.5+ star rating makes all the difference when someone's deciding whether to download.

And look, this goes both ways—good app store performance can actually help you get more press. Journalists often check app rankings and reviews before deciding to cover something, so keeping your ASO tight makes you a more attractive story.

• Update screenshots to match your press materials and messaging
• Include keywords related to features mentioned in media coverage
• Keep your app description consistent with how journalists describe your app
• Monitor and respond to reviews during PR campaigns to maintain ratings
• Use your subtitle to reinforce the main benefit that's getting press attention
• Add press quotes to your app description after coverage goes live

Measuring and Following Up on Media Coverage

Right, so you've actually got some press coverage for your app—brilliant work getting this far. But here's where most people drop the ball; they get their article published and then...nothing. They just move on. That's a missed opportunity if I've ever seen one.

First things first—you need to track what's happening. Set up Google Alerts for your app name and your own name too. Use tools like Mention or Brand24 if you've got budget for it, but honestly Google Alerts works fine for most startups. Check your app store rankings daily because press coverage should impact your downloads. Monitor your website traffic using Google Analytics and watch for referral traffic from the publications that covered you. Its actually quite exciting to see the spikes roll in!

What the Numbers Tell You

Look at your download numbers before and after each piece of coverage. Not all press is equal—a mention in TechCrunch might drive 500 downloads whilst a local news site drives 20. That's not saying the local coverage is worthless, just that you need to understand what works. Track your cost per install from press efforts versus paid advertising; sometimes organic press gives you users at basically zero cost per install which is mad when you compare it to paid channels.

The real value of press coverage isn't just the immediate downloads—it's the credibility that compounds over time when potential users Google your app and see legitimate publications talking about it

And here's something people forget—follow up with journalists who covered you. Wait a few weeks then email them with a quick update about download numbers or new features. Keep it short. Don't be pushy. You're building relationships here, not just chasing one-off articles. If your app hits a milestone (50,000 downloads, expansion to a new market, whatever) they might cover you again because they've already invested time in understanding your story. I've seen apps get three or four follow-up articles from the same journalist simply because they stayed in touch and had genuinely interesting updates to share.

Conclusion

Getting press coverage for your app isn't something that happens by accident—it takes planning, patience, and a genuine understanding of what makes your app worth writing about. I mean, journalists get hundreds of pitches every single day, so if yours doesn't stand out or offer real value to their readers, it's just going to get ignored. Simple as that.

The biggest mistake I see app developers make is treating press coverage like a checkbox they can tick off once and forget about; they send out a few emails, get no response, and then wonder why nobody cares about their app. But here's the thing—PR is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. You need to keep building relationships with journalists, keep finding newsworthy angles for your story, and keep showing up even when it feels like nobody's listening.

Actually, some of the best press coverage I've seen my clients get hasn't come from their initial launch at all—its come months later when they hit a meaningful milestone, when they released a feature that solved a real problem, or when they had data that contributed to a bigger conversation happening in their industry. Those stories are often more interesting than "hey, we made an app" anyway.

Remember that your press kit, your pitch, and your timing all need to work together. Miss one element and the whole thing falls apart. But get them right? You'll start seeing your app mentioned in places you never thought possible, and that exposure can genuinely change the trajectory of your business. It's not easy, but nothing worth doing ever is.