This Type of Press Generated 13x More Leads — And It’s 100x Easier to Get
If you’re a startup founder, marketer, or content creator, chances are you’ve fantasized about landing a big feature on TechCrunch, Mashable, or Entrepreneur Magazine.
It’s the kind of press that feels like a dream come true. The logos look great on your homepage, the traffic spike is exciting, and hey — it gives you bragging rights.
But here’s a truth that could save you thousands of dollars and years of effort:
The type of press you think you want might not be the press that actually grows your business.
Let’s break down what Neil Patel — one of the most well-known digital marketers in the world — discovered from years of hands-on testing.
🧠 Neil’s Experiment: Which Type of Media Brings the Most Leads?
Over the years, Neil had content featured everywhere:
TechCrunch
Mashable
Business Insider
Entrepreneur
And dozens of niche blogs and industry-specific media outlets
Eventually, he asked a very smart question:
“Where are all these leads actually coming from?”
So he ran an analysis, comparing lead generation performance across every outlet that had ever published or syndicated his work.
And the result was eye-opening.
📈 The Winner: Niche Blogs Beat Big Media — By 13x
Neil found that niche blogs — small, focused websites serving a specific industry, community, or audience — drove 13 times more leads than the big-name publications.
Yes, you read that right.
A niche blog with 10,000 readers often outperformed a TechCrunch feature read by hundreds of thousands.
Why? Because:
Niche blogs have targeted, highly engaged audiences
Readers are more aligned with your product or service
The traffic may be smaller, but conversion rates are dramatically higher
It’s easier to build long-term relationships and repeat exposure in niche spaces
💡 And Here’s the Best Part…
Getting featured on TechCrunch or Mashable?
→ Difficult. Competitive. Often requires a PR firm or insider connection.
Getting featured on a niche blog?
→ 100x easier.
You can simply:
Reach out personally to the editor
Offer high-value content or a case study
Guest post, collaborate, or sponsor a piece
Deliver value tailored to their audience — which they’ll love
🎯 So Where Should You Focus Your PR Efforts?
If your goal is vanity traffic, aim for the giants.
But if your goal is leads, conversions, and revenue, focus on the channels that deliver.
🚀 Niche press wins — every time.
🧭 Actionable Next Steps:
Identify 10 niche blogs in your space — ones your ideal customers read.
Reach out with a value-first pitch — think tutorial, insights, or data.
Track performance: UTMs, signups, clicks — treat niche press like a growth channel, not just PR.
Build relationships with blog editors and writers — they’re always looking for great content.
🧠 Final Thought:
Sometimes the most powerful visibility doesn’t come from being everywhere — it comes from being in the right place.
If you want leads, don’t chase the biggest crowd. Find the most relevant one.