Public relations is not a one-size-fits-all approach, it evolves as a company does. What works for a startup in its early stages may no longer be effective once the company starts to scale. As a business grows, the complexity of its communications, the expectations from the media and the level of scrutiny it faces changes. As such, PR tactics must adapt to fit the needs of the company at every stage of growth. 

Getting noticed

For a startup, PR is about getting noticed, brand awareness, the “wide end of the funnel”. At this stage, the company is introducing itself to the world and the challenge is making people care. Storytelling is key, often focusing on the founder’s journey, the problem they’re solving, and the mission behind the company. Media coverage tends to come from specialised outlets like Sifted, The Register, and The Stack, often through a combination of reactive efforts, responding to trends, and proactive news, such as product updates or new partnerships. The goal is visibility and credibility, with even one well-placed feature boosting investor confidence and customer acquisition.

Transitioning from startup to scale-up

As a startup grows into a scale-up, PR evolves from just creating visibility to managing reputation and establishing authority. For startups, reputation management is certainly important, but the focus is often on establishing credibility and trust in a competitive market. Early-stage companies need to earn the confidence of investors, customers, and the media, which can be more challenging when resources are limited. However, as the company scales, the importance of reputation management becomes even more pronounced. A scale-up must now navigate greater public scrutiny and manage a more complex reputation, often across multiple stakeholders, with higher expectations for accountability and consistency.

At this stage, the press narrative expands. It’s still about the founder’s story, the unique product, and the company’s mission, but it increasingly highlights the company’s impact on the industry, how it’s tackling emerging challenges, and how it differentiates itself from competitors. While both startups and scale-ups focus on shaping the industry, the scale-up’s narrative tends to be more developed and focused on long-term vision and growth. The company now looks for coverage in major media outlets, national newspapers, and high-profile business magazines, as journalists seek to understand how the company is contributing to the larger industry landscape.

Controlling the narrative

Scale-ups often work with PR agencies to handle media relations more strategically – with increased visibility comes increased scrutiny. A growing company can’t just seek attention whenever it wants, it has to be mindful of when and how it engages with the media. Crisis management becomes a crucial part of the PR function. Negative press, regulatory challenges, public controversies or even just negative social media attention can have a much bigger impact on a scale-up than on an early-stage startup. Reputation management becomes just as important as media coverage.

Another key difference is the addition of thought leadership. Instead of media strategies being purely about the company, PR at the scale-up stage focuses on positioning executives as industry leaders. Founders and key team members become sought-after speakers at conferences, contributors to major publications, and go-to sources for commentary on industry trends. Media opportunities become more proactive and strategic, whether it’s securing a keynote spot at a global event, or getting featured in a high-impact interview.

From breaking in to owning the conversation

Ultimately, PR for startups is about breaking into the conversation, while PR for scale-ups is about controlling the narrative. In the early days, the challenge is simply getting people to pay attention. But as a company grows, PR becomes about managing how that attention is shaped, making sure the brand remains trusted, authoritative and resilient in the face of increased public scrutiny.