Breaking into B2B tech media and maintaining a steady presence can be tough, particularly for a specialist field like cybersecurity. The news cycle is fast and relentless, and there is endless competition to catch a journalist’s attention and secure coverage.

Here are four top tips for resonating with your target B2B tech media.

1. Know your audience

First thing’s first, make sure you have a solid understanding of the right publications to reach your target audience. Research the way the publication covers the kind of story you want to tell, and identify any common trends. It’s also critical to understand the contacts at the publication and their different beats and interests.

Bear in mind that not every story will be relevant to your entire target media list every time. A tailored approach that focuses on specific media for each story can be more successful.

For example, when Code Red was tasked with breaking the news that cybersecurity solutions provide Sapphire was acquiring the Awen Collective, we specifically targeted both IT channel publications and B2B tech media titles, as well as those covering Welsh business news. Thanks to this approach, we secured coverage in key tier-one media, including Microscope, Security Brief UK and Wales Business Insider.

The chief executives of cyber security firms which have been involved with a major deal have spoken about the importance of the acquisition.https://t.co/FQkHrcHx6i pic.twitter.com/bIof5uwNIh

— Insider (@insiderwales) October 27, 2023

2. Offer exclusive content and insight

Journalists are inundated with a constant stream of pitches and press releases. One of the best ways to stand out from the crowd in the B2B tech media is to offer access to some genuinely valuable additional content and insight. This gives the journalists the opportunity to publish more expansive and detailed coverage of the story that goes beyond the publicly available material.

This worked well for Sapphire in combination with our highly targeted approach. Publications like Microscope and Security Brief UK were able to go into more detail about the technical side of the acquisition, while Wales Business Insider gained additional insight into future plans for expanding Welsh business opportunities.

3. Present a strong brand identity

Alongside securing coverage for the story of the day, it’s also important to think about making an impression on the company brand in the long term. The ideal situation is for target tier-one media to be familiar with your company name and even proactively seek you out for opportunities such as breaking news commentary and feature articles.

This process can require a bit of extra consideration at times, such as when it comes to acquisitions and brand changes. For example, after working with Thycotic since 2017, we helped the company navigate its public image during the merger with Centrify in 2021 and the subsequent rebranding to Delinea last year.

Similarly, we helped Trustwave manage its identity over the course of several acquisitions and evolutions, with one of the most pivotal being its elite penetration testing and research division SpiderLabs. It was crucial for the team to be seen by the B2B tech media as an inclusive part of Trustwave rather than giving the impression of being a separate operation.

4. Become a regular touchpoint

Finally, maintaining regular contact with your key publications will help establish your name as a key player in the field. Responding to breaking news is one of the most effective ways of keeping your hand in between planned news announcements.

Balance this with a selective approach – don’t bombard your B2B tech media list with a constant stream of minor announcements and irrelevant comments unless you want to end up in their spam mail or on their blacklist.

Original content, such as research, is particularly useful here. For example, Trustwave’s annual Global Security Report built up a powerful head of steam and became a regular media event in many key titles, earning coverage in SC Magazine, Infosecurity, Computer Weekly through to the Financial Times.

At Code Red, more than two decades of experience in cybersecurity PR and marketing means that we have deeply integrated these four points and many more into the way we work. To find out more about the results we’ve achieved for our clients – and how we can do the same for you – get in touch now.