4 PR Tips for AR and VR Startups

Times are great for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) startups. As the industry’s global revenue is expected to surpass $67 billion by 2024, the future looks bright. No matter your field of activity, your AR or VR startup has a tremendous opportunity to generate revenue and grow your customer portfolio.

But there’s a little secret that every AR and VR company should know. Every success story starts with great public relations. Entrepreneurs can leverage the power of tech PR to not only tell their stories to the right audiences but to also boost their credibility and brand recognition. Here are four ways your AR or VR startup can do just that. 

Stand out with strong key messages

AR and VR startups raised a record $7.2 billion in 2021. As competition is getting stiff, investing in public relations remains one of the most powerful marketing tools for AR and VR startups to differentiate themselves. To stand out in a fast-growing market, your startup will need to put together a tech PR strategy that identifies the company’s technological strengths and unique selling points.

Before reaching out to media, you need to understand your startup’s mission, vision, and values – and translate them into key messages that will resonate with the audiences you want to reach. These messages should focus not only on your value proposition, but also on the points that differentiate you from your competitors. One word of caution: these are messages for journalists, so be sure they do not sound like advertisements. They should be factual and light on the jargon, because journalists want to know what value you bring to the tech scene and why your startup’s news should be covered.

Ensure you’re targeting the right journalists

Not every tech announcement is right for every editor or publication. Spamming every reporter you can find an email for is a sure-fire way of getting on a journalist’s bad side. Even within tech publications, there will be journalists who specialize in certain types of announcements. For example, no matter how exciting your product launch may be, you won’t get far reaching out to a reporter who only covers funding or IPO stories.

To make sure you’re reaching out to reporters who will be the most receptive to your news, your startup’s PR team needs to research who’s covering the AR and VR space for each publication. Following them on social media will help you understand the kinds of stories they are drawn to and the kinds of angles that resonate with them.

Position your execs as thought leaders in the space

If your startup is struggling to make a name for itself in the AR and VR space, becoming known as a thought leader is a great way to build credibility. Journalists are always on the lookout for expert insights on the industry’s hottest topics, and responding to calls for commentary is a great way to get your name in the news, even if your startup has no news to share.

Contributing guest posts to tech publications is another way to boost visibility for your startup. Many tech publications welcome contributions from top-level executives and founders who have engaging opinions and “hot takes” on trends in the AR and VR industry. Timely tips and lessons learned are also great topics for execs to expound upon in a guest post.

Podcasts are another great venue where founders and startup leaders can get extra visibility and share their knowledge and expertise with the community. Don’t be afraid to approach non-tech podcasts. Many industries are being transformed by AR and VR technology, such as healthcare, retail, and manufacturing. Podcast hosts in these spaces will appreciate the insights you can bring to their listeners.

Explore speaking opportunities 

Not all of a tech startup’s PR activities will involve getting the company’s name into the media. A great way for AR and VR leaders to get noticed is through speaking opportunities. There are lots of great tech conferences, summits, and expos happening around the globe. Many of these have virtual components that will allow you to participate without having to spend precious time traveling. 

Of course, there will be AR and VR related events that are exactly the space you want to be known in, but don’t be afraid to check out speaking opportunities at events where your potential customers are.

There’s no one way to tell a great story, but there are certainly best practices in knowing what to say and who to say it to. Sharing messages the right way, securing press mentions via a solid PR outreach strategy, following key reporters, and becoming a thought leader are activities that will help AR and VR startups conduct effective public relations campaigns. The above PR tips are sure to raise the awareness you need to make your business success dreams a reality.