Top 3 PR tips for metaverse startups

Since the end of 2021, news about the metaverse has been practically inescapable. Although plenty has been written about how people can use the metaverse for PR purposes, how can a metaverse startup put together a PR strategy to stand out among all the buzz in the media? 

Facebook’s rebrand to Meta sucked all the air out of the room for other metaverse startups, and celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Paris Hilton seem to be eating up a lot of the hype. This doesn’t mean that a metaverse startup can’t get its name – and its executive team – into the conversation, but it does mean you have to be strategic to do so. The following are some tips for how one can earn great media coverage amidst the avalanche of news about this emergent industry.

The language you use is key

Due to the major uptick in companies shoehorning themselves into the metaverse, it’s become a buzzword that journalists are already sick of hearing. Just inserting the word metaverse into your pitches to tech reporters is not enough, and it could turn them off from reporting on your company altogether if you’re not thoughtful about how you talk about what your company does.

When crafting key messages within an overarching PR strategy for your business, focus on the real-world impact your company’s technology will have on its users, the general public, and the metaverse. In your strategy, you’ll also want to define your unique selling point (USP) – and no, the fact that you are a metaverse startup is not a USP. What is your company working on that’s different from what other metaverse startups are doing? 

Another thing to be aware of is how technical your PR materials are. Your metaverse startup might be focused on deep tech, but you should seek to use as much plain language in your press releases and pitches as possible. That said, plain language does not mean boring language. Which brings us to our next point…

Tell a story

Rattling off a bunch of technological features may impress developers, but when it comes to reaching out to journalists, a metaverse startup needs to focus on storytelling. Press releases can talk about features, but they should also always walk the reader through a use case. What does the user journey look like? How will this make their lives better?

The metaverse is ripe with use cases. It’s a parallel digital space that has the potential to touch every single industry – from retail to sports, music to logistics training, medtech to banking, and more. Ultimately, a reporter’s job is to convey information to their readers in the best way possible, to keep them coming back to the news platform. Explaining the benefits your company is bringing to this new space by way of a story is the best way to help these reporters do their job more easily.

Reach out to multiple industry verticals

As we noted earlier, the metaverse has the potential to transform every aspect of people’s lives. Thus it’s very likely that your startup will be relevant to other industries outside of the technology space. Don’t limit yourself by thinking you can only reach out to journalists interested in the metaverse.

A metaverse startup positioned at the intersection of multiple tech sectors can approach journalists and publications across all those areas. Do some research about journalists in a variety of related verticals who are also covering metaverse issues. Follow them on Twitter and develop relationships with them, or find a tech PR agency that has already established a solid network of connections with journalists covering this space.

In addition to reaching out with news announcements, you should consider writing thought leadership pieces explaining the metaverse’s relevance to related tech sectors. Finally, keep your eyes open for commentary opportunities that will enable you to share your expert insights, based on your experiences with your company and your technology. Ultimately, the point of PR is not just about pushing your story onto journalists. It’s also about helping the reporters by being a reliable source for their other stories.

Positioning your startup for the future

The metaverse is an exciting realm of possibilities. Startups in the space are jostling not only for recognition, but also for credibility. Effective PR for a metaverse startup will entail communicating technical details in a way that enables the general public to envision the scope of how this will improve their daily lives.

Through use of storytelling techniques and clear language, as well as the sharing of your expertise through commentary and thought leadership pieces, you’ll be able to position your metaverse startup as a leader in this space as it progresses into its bold future.