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The Journal — Page 6 of 29

Earlier field notes.

Older guides from the Instant Press team. Newest posts live on page one.

How to Get Published in Scientific American (7 Pitch Rules)

Scientific American publishes 2 of every 100 freelance pitches. The 7 rules to get your pitch published in Scientific American instead of the slush.

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How to Name Your Business or Brand (7-Filter Method)

Most founders name a business in an afternoon and regret it for years. Your 7-filter method to name a business or brand without the rebrand later.

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Press Coverage in a Recession (5 Plays That Land)

When budgets shrink, your competitors go quiet. That is when press coverage in a recession is cheapest to win. The 5 plays are below.

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Personal Brand Newsletter (5 Plays to 1,000 Subscribers)

Most founder newsletters die at 200 subscribers. Five plays to push your personal brand newsletter past 1,000 and turn the list into deal flow.

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Pharma Press Release Writing (The FDA-Safe Playbook)

One unapproved claim turns a pharma press release into an FDA problem. The playbook that keeps your announcement compliant and quotable.

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How AI Search Handles Brand Comparisons (And Who Wins)

When buyers ask ChatGPT to compare your brand to a competitor, who wins? The 3 inputs that decide your AI search verdict.

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How AI Search Handles How-To Queries: 6 Citation Patterns

Most how-to pages get skipped by AI search. The 6 citation patterns ChatGPT and Perplexity actually pull for your readers asking how to do something.

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How AI Search Ranks Service Providers (The 5 Trust Signals)

AI search ranks service providers by signals most local businesses miss. The 5 trust signals your competitors already feed ChatGPT every week.

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Build a PR Strategy From Scratch (The 90-Day Plan)

Most founders treat PR as random pitches. The 90-day plan to build your PR strategy with measurable wins, not press release prayers.

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Get Featured in LGBTQ+ Media (6 Outlets Worth Pitching)

LGBTQ+ editors get pitched 200 times weekly. Six outlets where your brand gets featured in LGBTQ+ media, plus pitch angles that land.

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Optimize Service Pages for AI Search (The 4-Layer Stack)

Your service pages are invisible to ChatGPT and Perplexity. The 4-layer AI search stack that turns them into citation magnets.

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How to Respond to BBB Complaints (The 72-Hour Playbook)

Your BBB rating drops the moment you ignore complaints. The 72-hour playbook to respond fast and protect your accreditation.

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Press Event Planning Guide (5 Steps to a Packed Room)

Most press events draw 4 reporters and zero coverage. The 5-step press event planning sequence that fills your room with media you want.

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Executive Hire Press Release (The 6 Lines That Travel)

Most executive hire press releases get one screenshot and die. The 6 lines that get your new SVP into Reuters and trade press.

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How to Announce a New Service Launch (7 Press Release Plays)

Most new service announcements die in editor inboxes. The 7 press release plays that earn coverage for your service launch in regional and trade press.

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AEO for Cybersecurity Companies (2026 Playbook)

Your CISO buyers ask Perplexity, not Google. The AEO playbook cybersecurity vendors use to be the brand AI cites first.

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Building a Media Portfolio for Authority (5-Tier Stack)

Your media portfolio is the authority signal. One Forbes byline does nothing. Five tiers, layered in a specific order. Here is the stack.

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Build a Speaking Career: The 5-Stage Booking Ladder

Most aspiring keynoters wait for invites that never come. Build a speaking career on your 5-stage booking ladder instead.

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Original Research for Thought Leadership (4 Methods)

Generic surveys produce generic data nobody cites. The 4 methods that produce research journalists pick up and competitors cannot copy.

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Bottom-of-Funnel Content: The 4-Page Conversion Stack

Most bottom-funnel content converts at 0.4%. The 4 pages your prospects need to see before they pull out a credit card.

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LinkedIn Personal Branding for Founders (2026 Plays)

Most founders ship LinkedIn personal branding nobody reads. The 7 plays your audience actually engages with in the 2026 algorithm.

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Media Relations Guide for Founders (No PR Team Needed)

No PR firm? You can still own your category in the press. The media relations guide your founder peers wish they had.

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Press Release for an Industry Report (7 Hooks Editors Read)

Most industry report press release drafts die in the inbox. Here are the 7 hooks your launch should lead with, plus what gets cut.

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