PR tips to keep cybersecurity startups ahead of the curve

For cybersecurity startups, a good tech PR agency is essential. Funding for cybersecurity startups boomed in 2021 as cyberattacks sent VCs rushing towards security companies. Cybersecurity is no less important today, and it’s certainly top-of-mind for some these days. Notably, the Biden administration recently released a cybersecurity strategy exhorting companies to take their security into their own hands, and cybersecurity startups are still some of the fastest-growing in the world. 

With so many amazing cyber security startups on the market, new players in the space have to work harder to gain the same brand recognition as established players. Here are some of our top reasons why cybersecurity startups need PR to set themselves apart.

A direct line to investors 

Attracting investors is a unique challenge for cybersecurity startups without a tech PR agency because so many of their brands rely on integrity, but traditional advertising isn’t the best channel to build an image of integrity.  Reaching investors isn’t like reaching a target audience of consumers because the audiences you’re trying to reach aren’t going to invest in a cybersecurity company because they see a pop-up ad while they’re online shopping. You can’t just take out a marketing campaign and hope people trust you. Ads are paid for by the company it's promoting, so they aren’t entirely credible. People know the burger doesn’t really look that good. They know drinking that drink won’t put them in a state of beatific joy. And that’s fine if your objective is just to sell a product to customers. But for startups—especially for cybersecurity startups—integrity is the magnet that will draw investors in. 

Building integrity is the reason that cybersecurity startups should take the time to develop a real earned media strategy, one that relies on getting the company in front of objective observers (i.e., journalists) who can write an unbiased review of the technology. In fact, certain outlets only publish earned media, which is why an article in, say, TechCrunch is worth more than a paid wire release in the eyes of an investor.

It builds trust

Here’s a thought experiment: who is more likely to be hired as a security guard, a person whom the owner has met or a stranger that the owner has only seen on LinkedIn? Probably the first one, right? Because people trust people they know, and most people aren’t about to let their most valued possessions—be that their company or their business—be guarded by a stranger. 

Cybersecurity startups need a tech PR agency because it can introduce the world to the company’s leadership and share the stories of the people who make up the organization. That way, when potential client wonders who they should hire to protect their most sensitive data, they can feel safe knowing that there are real people behind the company that is guarding their valuables.

Crisis management 

Crisis management is an essential part of any company’s PR strategy. However, it’s especially important for cybersecurity startups, and here’s why: 

Cybersecurity startups typically provide third-party services to other businesses. Security firms protect their clients’ data and the data of their customers. In a perfect world, this paragraph would stop here. Unfortunately, since cyberattacks are at an all-time high, it’s not impossible that a hacker might find their way behind a client’s defenses. 

If a data breach happens, a cybersecurity startup’s clients and their customers will look to the startup for answers. This is when a tech PR agency is vital because while it’s best to be able to respond to inquiries and comments right away in a crisis, doing so without a plan could land a company in even hotter water. Putting together an action plan for a crisis proactively allows companies to jump directly into damage control mode instead of conferring about what the best next step may be. 

Don’t just read about big names, become one 

Cybersecurity startups are in unique need of a tech PR agency because their business is so dependent on earning the trust of investors and customers. By getting their stories into prestigious publications, sharing the human face of the company, and being prepared for a potential crisis, startups can elevate their brand image, attract funding, and join the ranks of established cybersecurity companies.