A single article in Economic Times, YourStory, or Mint can do more for brand credibility than months of advertising. “As seen in” is one of the most powerful trust signals in Indian business marketing — because it implies third-party validation that can’t be bought (unlike ads).
PR in India doesn’t require a large budget or agency retainer. It requires understanding how Indian journalists work, what they cover, and how to make their job easier.
The Indian Media Landscape
Major business and startup publications in India:
National business media:
- Economic Times (print + digital): Largest business daily
- Mint / HT Mint: Business-focused, urban professional readership
- Business Standard: Serious business journalism
- Business Today: Magazine format, executive audience
- Forbes India: Premium business features
Startup and tech media:
- YourStory: India’s largest startup media platform
- Inc42: Startup ecosystem focus, funding news, founder stories
- Entrackr: Startup financials and funding analysis
- The Ken: Long-form investigative business journalism (subscription)
- TechCrunch India / TechCircle: Tech startup coverage
Regional business media:
- Deccan Herald (South India)
- Free Press Journal (West India)
- Tribune (North India)
- Multiple regional language business publications
Digital-first publications:
- The Morning Context
- Moneycontrol
- LiveMint.com
Understanding editorial focus: Each publication serves a different audience. Economic Times reaches senior corporate India. YourStory reaches the startup ecosystem. Mint reaches urban financial professionals. Match your story to the audience the publication serves.
What Makes a Story Newsworthy in India
Journalists receive hundreds of PR pitches daily. Stories that get covered:
1. Funding announcements: Any meaningful fundraise (seed ₹1Cr+, Series A ₹10Cr+) is automatically newsworthy in Indian startup media. These are published as news pieces.
2. Significant revenue/growth milestones: “Crossed ₹100Cr ARR,” “1 million customers,” “profitable after 3 years” — milestone stories are reliably covered.
3. Industry research/data: Original data about Indian market conditions. “We surveyed 500 Indian SMEs on their digital marketing spend” — if the data is interesting, media will cover it.
4. Controversy or countercultural take: A contrarian position backed by evidence. “Why Indian startups are wrong about [popular assumption]” from a credible voice with data.
5. Human interest / founder story: Personal transformation, adversity overcome, unusual background. Economic Times and YourStory actively seek compelling founder narratives.
6. Consumer trend story: Being the expert source on a trend that affects Indian consumers or businesses. “The rise of [category] in tier 2 India.”
7. Partnership with a major brand: Announcement that you’re working with a recognized Indian or global brand provides validation and is newsworthy.
What doesn’t get covered:
- Generic product launches without unique differentiation
- “We are excited to announce” press releases
- Anything that reads like an advertisement
- Stories without data, specifics, or proof
How to Pitch Indian Journalists
Build the Journalist Database First
Identify 20-30 journalists who cover your beat:
- Search your category on target publications: “startup marketing india” on YourStory
- Note which journalists wrote the relevant articles
- Follow them on Twitter/X and LinkedIn
- Read their recent coverage to understand their angle and interests
Before pitching, engage:
- Comment meaningfully on their articles or tweets (not just “Great piece!”)
- Share their work with a genuine comment
- Reply thoughtfully to their takes
- This warms the relationship before you ask for coverage
The Pitch Email
Subject line: Specific and news-driven, not promotional
- Good: “Data: 68% of Indian SMEs increased digital ad spend in 2026 despite economic uncertainty”
- Bad: “Company X launches revolutionary new product”
Pitch structure:
Opening hook (1-2 sentences): The news angle. What would be in the headline? Lead with it.
Why it matters (1-2 sentences): Why should their readers care? Connect to a broader trend or issue.
Supporting evidence (2-3 bullet points): Data, specific examples, quotes. The journalist needs these to write the story.
Your angle/credentials: Why are you the right source? Your expertise, data, or experience.
What you’re offering: Exclusive interview? Access to data? Introduction to a customer who can be quoted?
CTA: One clear ask: “Can I send you the full report?” or “Would you have 15 minutes for a call?”
Total length: Under 200 words. Journalists are busy. Long pitches get deleted.
Timing and Persistence
Pitch timing:
- Tuesday–Thursday mornings (10 AM–12 PM IST) highest response rates
- Avoid Monday mornings (catch-up from weekend)
- Avoid Friday afternoons (winding down for weekend)
- Time-sensitive pitches: Send within 2-4 hours of the news hook (e.g., funding announcement)
Follow-up: If no response in 5 days: one follow-up email. “Following up on my pitch from Tuesday — let me know if this is relevant.”
If no response to follow-up: move on. Don’t spam journalists.
Press Releases for India
When to write a press release:
- Funding announcements
- Major partnerships with recognizable brands
- Significant product launches that affect a meaningful market
- Industry reports or research publications
- Leadership appointments (CXO level)
Indian press release format:
Headline: News-forward, not promotional. “AdsMG AI Raises ₹15Cr Seed Round to Automate Digital Advertising for Indian SMEs”
Dateline: “New Delhi, April 25, 2026 —”
Opening paragraph: The complete news in one paragraph. Who, what, when, where, why.
Quote from founder/CEO: Human perspective on the news. Should add insight, not just restate the news.
Second paragraph: Context — why this matters, what problem it solves.
Quote from investor/partner: (If applicable) Third-party validation.
Company boilerplate: Standard 4-6 sentence company description for the end of every release.
Contact: Media contact name, email, phone.
Distribution channels:
- BusinessWire India or PRNewswire India: Paid wire distribution (₹15,000–₹50,000) for major announcements
- Direct pitch to journalists: More effective for feature stories
- Publish on company website/blog: Indexed by Google, found by journalists researching
Building Long-Term Media Relationships
The most valuable PR asset is relationships with journalists, not press releases.
Become a reliable source: When journalists are writing about your industry, they need expert sources for quotes. If you’ve built a relationship, they’ll call you. This gets you quoted regularly without pitching — far more valuable than a single article.
How to build source relationships:
- Respond to journalist queries on Twitter/X (many journalists post “HARO-style” source requests)
- Sign up for ResponseSource or Help a Reporter Out (HARO) — journalists post source requests
- Share genuinely useful industry data with journalists without asking for coverage
- Invite journalists to exclusive industry events you’re hosting
HARO / Qwoted for India: Help a Reporter Out (HARO) has Indian journalists using it. Daily email digest of journalist queries. When relevant to your expertise, respond quickly (within 1-2 hours) with 2-3 clear paragraphs.
Measuring PR Impact
PR is notoriously difficult to measure compared to paid advertising. Practical metrics:
Coverage volume: Number of articles published (track via Google Alerts for your brand name)
Media tier: Tier 1 (ET, Mint, Forbes India) vs. Tier 2 (YourStory, Inc42) vs. Tier 3 (niche/regional)
Reach estimate: Publication’s monthly readership × estimated article readership (typically 1-5% of total readership for non-homepage stories)
Branded search lift: Track Google Search Console for branded search volume before and after major coverage. Significant coverage creates measurable branded search spikes.
Inbound leads from coverage: Tag all inbound leads who mention “I read about you in [publication]” or use UTM-tagged links in digital articles
Backlink authority: Media coverage provides high-authority backlinks that improve domain authority for SEO — measurable in Ahrefs or Semrush
AdsMG AI builds brand authority through performance — when your paid advertising shows consistent presence, it reinforces the credibility that earned media creates. See the platform.
Turn the ideas in this article into live campaigns, content, and creative tests.
AdsMG AI helps growth teams move from strategy to execution without stitching together separate tools for copy, optimization, and reporting.