Get featured on Collaboration Media Outlets in 48 hours

Yes, you can absolutely handle your own PR, but it's important to understand the trade-offs. Manually emailing your press release to journalists is effectively free, but the chances of getting it published are extremely low. Journalists at major outlets receive hundreds of pitches a day. Using a wire service yourself is another option, but it can be complex and expensive, often without the detailed reporting or directory placements included in a service package. A self-serve platform like MediaBoost is a middle ground, offering the control of DIY with the reach and guarantees of a professional service.

Once your press release is submitted and passes our editorial review for publisher compliance, the process is very fast. For media outlet packages, publications begin appearing within 24 to 48 hours. You will receive a full PDF report with live links to your articles, backlink data, and outlet metrics within 3 business days of publication starting. For packages that include startup directory submissions, those placements can take up to 2 weeks to be fully processed and appear.

The cost varies widely based on the approach. Doing it yourself by emailing journalists is free but rarely effective. Hiring a traditional PR agency is the most expensive option, typically costing $5,000 to $15,000 per month on retainer with no guaranteed results. Press release distribution services offer a more affordable, one-time payment model. Instead of a monthly retainer, you pay a flat fee for a specific package of guaranteed placements. This is designed for startups that need to show traction and build credibility without a large, recurring PR budget. You can see our current one-time package pricing on our packages page.

Announcements that signal market validation and tangible progress perform best. This includes securing a new round of funding, as it's a strong signal of investor confidence. Major product launches, especially those incorporating trending technology like AI, also attract attention. Other strong topics are strategic partnerships with well-known companies, achieving significant user milestones (e.g., '1 million messages sent' or '50,000 active teams'), or releasing a data report based on your platform's usage that reveals insights about the future of work. The key is to have a specific, credible news hook.

Publishers reject press releases that read like advertisements or lack a genuine news angle. To avoid this, write in a neutral, third-person tone and adhere to the standard press release format. Start with a strong headline that summarizes the news, and make sure the first paragraph covers the who, what, when, where, and why. Most importantly, your announcement must be actual news. A new feature, a funding round, a partnership, or a user milestone are all valid. A release that just says your product is "great" or "innovative" without any new information will be flagged as advertising and rejected. Our AI-powered editor helps guide you through this process to ensure compliance.

It helps indirectly by removing friction and building trust. A potential user visiting your landing page for the first time is looking for signals that your tool is credible and reliable. Seeing "As Seen On" logos from recognizable names like MarketWatch or Business Insider provides instant social proof. This coverage makes teams more likely to start a trial and makes it easier for a champion inside a company to get budget approval from their manager. It's not a direct lead generation tool, but a crucial asset that supports your entire conversion funnel by answering the unspoken question: "Can I trust this new tool?"