In an era of algorithm-driven headlines, shrinking newsrooms, and increasingly skeptical audiences, securing a positive earned media feature may feel harder than ever. In 2025, the traditional pathways to press—pitch a reporter, get quoted, celebrate—have evolved into something more nuanced, more competitive, and far more strategic.
And yet, earned media remains the holy grail of public relations.
When a respected outlet features your story, innovation, or insight, it offers credibility that paid ads can’t match. A feature is an endorsement. It says: This is worth paying attention to. Whether you’re a startup founder, CPG brand, nonprofit, or thought leader, a well-placed article in Forbes, The New York Times, Fast Company, or a niche industry journal can amplify your message, unlock investor interest, attract talent, and generate long-term brand equity.
So how do you land a positive earned feature in 2025? Here’s what’s changed, what’s working now, and how to position yourself to win in the new mediaenvironment.
The Landscape: What’s Different in 2025
Before diving into strategy, let’s take stock of the new realities shaping earned media today.
1. Journalists are outnumbered and over-pitched.
The number of working journalists has declined by 30% over the past decade, while the number of PR professionals has grown. Reporters now receive hundreds of pitches a day. Most are ignored. Many are deleted without being opened.
2. AI is writing (and spotting) bad pitches.
AI-generated content has flooded inboxes with bland, generic outreach. While some tools help personalize pitches at scale, many others make it easier tochurn out forgettable copy. Journalists are increasingly attuned to cookie-cutter language, exaggerated claims, and impersonal blasts.
3. Relevance beats relationships.
Once upon a time, who you knew mattered most. Now, what you’re offering—and how timely, unique, and audience-aligned it is—matters more. A smart, relevant pitch from a stranger can beat a lazy ask from a contact.
4. News cycles are shorter—and driven by narratives, not announcements.
Product launches, funding rounds, and executive hires aren’t enough. In 2025, stories that get covered are connected to trends, people, and purpose. News needs context to be considered newsworthy.
What Is a Positive Earned Feature?
Let’s clarify terms:
- Earned = media coverage you didn’t pay for
- Feature = a dedicated article, profile, or segment (not just a quote)
- Positive = coverage that strengthens your brand and shapes favorable perception
This is the gold standard. And it requires gold-standard prep.
Step 1: Build a Story Worth Telling
Here’s the hard truth: most pitches don’t get rejected because the pitch is bad. They get rejected because the story isn’t strong enough.
Ask yourself honestly: Would anyone outside your company or industry care? Why now? Why this? Why you?
Strong earned media stories often have at least three of these five traits:
- Novelty – Is this the first, fastest, most creative, or most controversial of its kind?
- Timeliness – Is it tied to a current event, trend, or cultural moment?
- Tension – Does it solve a problem, expose a conflict, or challenge conventional wisdom?
- Human interest – Is there a personal angle? A founder story? A transformation?
- Relevance to the outlet’s audience – Does it help their readers learn something new or valuable?
Example: Instead of “Startup X launches productivity app,” try:
“This former ADHD coach built a productivity app based on her clients’ real behavior—and now 1 million neurodivergent users swear by it.”
Make the story bigger than the announcement.
Step 2: Identify the Right Journalist, Not Just the Right Outlet
A common mistake is pitching Forbes or TechCrunch or The Wall Street Journal as faceless brands. But journalists write stories, not logos. You need toidentify who within the outlet would be most interested—and most likely to care.
How to find the right contact:
- Use tools like Muck Rack, Qwoted, or Hunter.io to research journalists by beat.
- Search Google News for articles on similar topics and note bylines.
- Review the journalist’s X (Twitter) or LinkedIn profile to see what they care about now.
Once you’ve identified them, read at least 3 of their articles. Understand their tone, themes, and triggers.
Pitching is matchmaking. Don’t send a fintech story to a retail reporter. Don’t send your founder origin story to someone who covers quarterly earnings.
Step 3: Craft a Pitch That’s Useful, Not Just Promotional
In 2025, journalists want pitches that do their job for them. That means:
- A compelling subject line (“This startup uses fungi to build bricks faster than concrete”)
- A quick intro with social proof and newsworthiness
- Bullet points that outline the hook, stats, people involved, and why it’s timely
- Links to assets: founder bio, product photos, website, other coverage
- A clear offer: “Happy to offer an interview with our founder or share an exclusive stat”
Keep it under 200 words. Avoid hype words (“revolutionary,” “game-changing”). Let the story show the impact.
What works: specific numbers, real users, timely hooks
What doesn’t: jargon, vague vision, “We’d love coverage!”
Step 4: Offer the Exclusive (When It Matters)
Journalists want to break news, not follow it. If you have a major announcement—funding, rebrand, celebrity partnership—offer it as an exclusive to a top-tier journalist who’s covered you or your space before.
Make it time-bound:
“We’re offering this as an exclusive for 48 hours. Happy to hold if interested.”
Exclusives signal trust and give the journalist a reason to act fast. Don’t blast the same story to 20 people and hope for the best—that’s how you burn bridges.
Step 5: Be a Great Source Before You’re a Great Story
Earned media doesn’t start with a pitch. It starts with being useful.
If you want coverage in Q4, start building relationships in Q2 by:
- Sharing relevant, respectful comments on journalists’ LinkedIn or X posts
- Sending helpful research or tipoffs with no ask
- Offering fast, clear quotes on trends in your industry
Journalists remember who made their lives easier. Be one of those people. Then, when your story is ready, your email gets opened.
Step 6: Nail the Interview
If a journalist bites, don’t blow it. A feature isn’t a transcript—it’s shaped by what you say and how you say it.
Prepare by:
- Clarifying your 2–3 key messages
- Having data and anecdotes ready to support your claims
- Keeping quotes tight, colorful, and on-point
- Respecting the journalist’s time and deadlines
Be honest. Be human. Be quotable.
And remember: “Off the record” isn’t real unless agreed upon in advance. Never say anything you wouldn’t want printed.
Step 7: Share and Amplify (Without Overhyping)
Once the story runs:
- Share it across your owned channels (social, email, site)
- Tag the journalist and outlet with gratitude
- Avoid saying “Check out this amazing piece about us!” Instead, say:
“Loved speaking with @JaneDoe at @FastCompany about how local manufacturing could power the next wave of climate startups.”
Position yourself as a collaborator, not a self-promoter.
Bonus: Repurpose quotes and visuals from the story into LinkedIn content or media kits.
Case Studies: Earned Features That Worked in 2025
GoodRx’s AI-Driven Drug Transparency Initiative
GoodRx earned a Wall Street Journal feature by tying its new AI-powered pricing tool to broader healthcare debates. The hook? “Why your prescriptions might cost more—or less—this summer.”
Why it worked:
- Clear public impact
- Real user stories
- Timely, relevant topic (rising healthcare costs)
- Exclusive early access to the platform
Athena Club’s Menstrual Equity Campaign
Athena Club landed a feature in Vogue Business for funding free period care kits in underserved communities.
Why it worked:
- Social mission + commerce angle
- Strong visuals and emotional storytelling
- Aligned with Women’s Health Month
An Indie Game Developer in Wired
A two-person studio got a Wired profile after sending a pitch that linked their game’s theme—burnout and isolation—to remote work culture post-pandemic.
Why it worked:
- Cultural relevance
- Personal story
- A journalist who already covered gaming and labor
The Real ROI of Earned Media
Positive earned features are not vanity trophies. They’re digital assets that fuel:
- Investor confidence
- Organic search traffic (high-authority backlinks)
- Recruiting and retention
- Event invitations and speaking opportunities
- Customer trust
A single article can be cited in pitch decks, used in email onboarding, featured in funding rounds, and repurposed for years.
Don’t Just Pitch—Position
At the heart of successful earned media in 2025 is one guiding principle:
Don’t pitch a product. Position a perspective.
Reporters aren’t in the business of selling your stuff. They’re in the business of informing and engaging their readers. Your job is to help them do that—by offering not just news, but meaningful narrative.
That’s what gets you featured.
That’s what gets people to care.
