Maximizing the Success of Your Next Product Launch

Launching a new product or platform update can be an exciting time for technology companies, signaling growth, innovation, and progress to clients, investors, competitors, and other key audiences. However, while product launches can be major moments for internal stakeholders, they can often fall short with the press. To stand out in a saturated media landscape, companies should aim to reframe how they approach public relations around their product launches by effectively tying their news into larger industry narratives, offering clear and quantifiable data, and expanding creatively beyond earned media.

Why Product Announcements Fall Flat

There are a few key reasons some product announcements tend to fall flat once pitched widely to the media:

Self-Serving Content

A product announcement is, unfortunately, not hard-hitting news unless there’s clear evidence that the product breaks new ground or solves a recognized industry problem in a novel way. Too often, these announcements are packed with self-serving, promotional language that reads more like an advertisement than a potential story that will touch on meaningful industry themes.

Overly Technical Language

Journalists value straightforward language rather than an onslaught of industry jargon. Presenting clear, succinct information, rather than overly technical, buzzword-heavy language, is far more likely to be communicated to wider audiences.

Lack of Broader Industry Relevance

At the heart of it all, reporters care about context: Why now? Why does it matter? How does it connect to industry trends I’m already covering, and beyond? Reporters, especially those at top-tier publications, can spend weeks thoroughly covering macro-level topics that require multiple sources and deep industry analysis rather than standalone product updates. If your product lacks broader industry relevance, it may be more challenging to garner coverage.

So, how can you maximize the public relations success of your next product launch? Here are a few strategies that can help your announcement break through:

Anchor to a Trend or Current Headline

Tie your launch to a relevant, macro-economic trend, such as the impact of AI on your industry, return-to-office mandates, tariffs, or similar themes. For example, rather than simply stating you’re launching a new tenant engagement feature, frame it within the current office landscape and the demand for enhanced amenities and tenant experiences post-pandemic. This will give the reporter both an expert source and a story about the industry, with your product as a supporting example of how the industry is shifting.

Show, Don’t Tell - Lead with Quantifiable Impact

Share a real-world example of how your product solves a glaring industry problem. Supplement your announcement with success metrics, before and after data, and customer testimonials that demonstrate your product’s impact to date. Quantifiable results tell a story and give reporters valuable information and data that is credible and concrete, rather than anecdotal.

Expand Beyond Earned Media

There are instances where product updates may not be newsworthy enough on their own, and that’s okay. There are other avenues for promoting your launch that can have just as meaningful an impact. This could include bylined thought-leadership articles (published independently or via sponsored content), webinars with clients, email campaigns, or exclusive LinkedIn content. These channels allow you to speak directly to your target audience with controlled messaging and build momentum over time, with or without traditional earned media coverage.

Public relations for product launches can be challenging, but it is not impossible. The key is to have a strong understanding of the “why now” and communicate that clearly. Ensure that your media-facing materials such as press releases, pitches, and social copy tell a story that is relevant, timely, and easy to grasp. Your product launch is just the starting point. How you tell the story is what determines whether it resonates.