Press Releases for Startups vs Established Small Businesses

If you have ever read press release advice online, you may have noticed a problem: a lot of it assumes you are either a venture-backed startup with a runway and a buzzword budget, or a massive brand announcing a quarterly report.

Most real businesses are neither. They are startups with scrappy momentum, or established small businesses quietly growing year after year.

Press releases can help both, but the strategy should look different. A startup is trying to prove it exists and is gaining traction. An established small business is trying to reinforce trust and document growth. Same tool, different job.

Here we break down how press releases differ for startups versus established small businesses, what counts as news in each stage, and how to write releases that actually match your reality.

The Biggest Difference: What You Need To Prove

Press releases are about credibility. But what “credibility” means changes depending on your stage.

Startups Need To Prove Traction

A startup’s biggest challenge is skepticism. People wonder: is this real, is it stable, and will it still exist next month? Your press release strategy should focus on traction and direction.

Traction does not always mean revenue. It can include customers, users, partnerships, waitlists, pilot programs, awards, accelerators, or funding milestones. The goal is to show movement, not just ambition.

Established Small Businesses Need To Prove Reliability

An established small business has the opposite challenge. You are real, but you may be invisible outside your community or industry. Your press release strategy should focus on reliability and impact: growth milestones, community contribution, expansions, recognitions, and long-term value.

In other words, startups need “proof of life.” Established businesses need “proof of strength.”

What Counts As News For Startups

Many startups avoid press releases because they think they do not have “real news.” The trick is learning what reporters and niche outlets consider newsworthy at the early stage.

Launches With A Clear Hook

A startup launch can be news when it solves a clear problem for a specific audience, and when you can explain why now.

Funding, Grants, And Accelerator Acceptance

Funding announcements are classic startup press releases. Even a grant or accelerator acceptance can be meaningful, because it signals outside validation.

Partnerships That Change Your Capabilities

A partnership is news when it expands what you can offer or who you can reach. “We are partnering” is vague. “This partnership enables X outcome” is news.

Traction Milestones

Early traction is compelling when it is specific. Examples include user counts, pilot results, waitlist size, or growth percentages, as long as they are accurate.

New Product Releases Or Major Updates

Startups iterate quickly. Major releases, feature launches, and platform expansions can be news when they change the customer experience meaningfully.

What Counts As News For Established Small Businesses

Established small businesses often have more news than they realize. The challenge is that they are used to steady progress, so milestones feel normal. The press does not see it that way, especially local and niche outlets.

Expansions And New Locations

New locations, expanded space, added services, and new markets are strong press release topics because they signal growth and local impact.

Major Hiring Or Job Creation

Job creation is a newsworthy angle. It tells a community that your business is contributing economically.

Awards, Certifications, And Recognitions

Third-party recognition is a credibility signal. It is useful for press and it is useful for customers making decisions.

Milestones With Community Impact

Anniversaries, customer milestones, and impact initiatives can be news when you add specifics: people served, funds raised, volunteer hours, and local partnerships.

New Offerings That Solve A Clear Problem

Established businesses can launch new offerings too. The difference is that you can frame the launch with experience: “After serving X customers, we built Y to solve Z.” That is a powerful authority angle.

How To Frame The Story: Startup vs Established

Two businesses can announce the same thing and create very different stories depending on their stage.

Startups Should Lead With The Vision And The Evidence

Startups can include a bit more “why” in the opening, as long as it is grounded in facts. A good startup release often connects:

• The market problem
• The new solution
• The early proof that it is working

The vision matters, but the evidence is what makes it news.

Established Businesses Should Lead With The Milestone And The Impact

Established businesses usually win by leading with the concrete change and its impact on customers or the community. Less “we believe,” more “we did.”

If you want a simple rule: startups should prove they are becoming something. Established businesses should prove they already are something.

Distribution Choices: What Makes Sense At Each Stage

Distribution is where many businesses either overspend or under-invest. Stage matters.

For Startups

• Prioritize relevance: niche industry outlets, startup publications, and local business coverage can be high value.
• Consider a hybrid approach: distribute broadly, then pitch a short list of perfect-fit outlets with a personalized hook.
• Do not chase vanity: broad reach is nice, but your ideal customers and partners matter more than big logos you cannot convert.

For Established Small Businesses

• Prioritize credibility: professional distribution can support the “we are established” message.
• Focus on local and regional outlets: many established businesses get the best ROI from local business journals and community coverage.
• Use releases as documentation: releases can strengthen proposals, partnerships, and sales processes over time.

Common Mistakes Startups Make With Press Releases

Announcing Ideas Instead Of Outcomes

“We plan to” is rarely news. “We launched” or “we achieved” is stronger.

Using Hype Words Without Proof

Words like “disrupt,” “revolutionary,” and “game-changing” make editors suspicious unless you back them with specifics.

Burying The Hook

Startups often write long backstories before stating the news. Put the news first, then add context.

Common Mistakes Established Small Businesses Make

Underestimating Their Own News

Established businesses sometimes skip press because milestones feel routine. To the outside world, growth and longevity are impressive.

Writing Too Modestly

You do not need to brag, but you do need to be specific. If you have served 10,000 customers, say it. If you created jobs, say it.

Not Using Releases As Assets

A release is not just a one-day announcement. It is a credibility asset. If you do not reuse it, you leave value behind.

A Practical Press Release Plan For Each Stage

A Simple Startup Plan

• 1 to 3 releases per year tied to major milestones: launch, funding, partnerships, meaningful traction
• One strong landing page for each release with a clear next step
• Targeted pitching to a short list of niche outlets that reach your buyers

A Simple Established Business Plan

• 2 to 6 releases per year tied to expansions, awards, milestones, and community impact
• A press or news page that collects releases and mentions
• Reuse in sales: proposals, partner outreach, and credibility messaging

Neither plan requires you to become a PR machine. They simply make your progress visible.

The best press release strategy is the one that matches your stage. Startups should focus on traction and validation. Established small businesses should focus on reliability and impact. When you align your releases with what your audience needs to believe about you, press becomes less of a gamble and more of a long-term advantage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Startups Need Press Releases?

Not always, but they can help when tied to meaningful milestones like launches, funding, partnerships, or traction. The key is to focus on evidence, not just ideas.

What Is Newsworthy For An Established Small Business?

Expansions, new locations, job creation, awards, certifications, major service additions, anniversaries with impact, and community initiatives are common newsworthy topics.

Should Startups Or Established Businesses Pitch Journalists Directly?

Both can. Startups often benefit from pitching niche outlets that cover their space, while established businesses can benefit from local and regional outlets. A hybrid approach can work well for both.

How Often Should Each Type Of Business Send Press Releases?

Only when there is real news. Many startups send 1 to 3 per year, while established small businesses often have enough milestones to justify 2 to 6 per year.