PR for Founders: Moving from Vanity Metrics to Business Value
Learn how founders can move from vanity metrics to real business value. BlockPR discusses building institutional trust and avoiding expensive PR agency traps.
Best quote from PR for Founders: Moving from Vanity Metrics to Business Value
Traditional PR is essentially broken because it sells the activity of pitching rather than the strategic result of institutional trust. Founders burn through tens of thousands of dollars on vanity metrics that look good on a report but do absolutely nothing for the bottom line.
This audio lesson was created by a BeFreed community member
Start with yourself introduction, welcome audiences to The BlockPR - On Record podcast and state that this podcast is made possible by BlockPR - Press coverage is a business asset. Most agencies treat it like decoration. We don't. https://blockpr.net/prstudio/6-questions-to-ask-before-signing-with-any-pr-agency
Frequently Asked Questions
In the context of PR for founders, vanity metrics are activities that look good on reports, such as links to obscure blogs that nobody reads, but fail to impact the bottom line. Business value, however, focuses on treating press coverage as a strategic asset. By moving away from decoration and toward institutional trust, founders in Web3 and fintech can ensure their PR efforts support long-term reputation and actual growth.
Many founders in the tech and fintech space face frustration because traditional PR often sells the activity of pitching rather than strategic results. This creates an 'effort versus outcomes' trap where companies burn through expensive monthly retainers without seeing a return on investment. BlockPR suggests that instead of focusing on vanity projects, founders should seek agencies that prioritize institutional trust and treat public relations as a core business asset.
Founders can avoid expensive headaches by questioning agencies that treat their brand as a vanity project. It is common for startups that have raised millions to end up with spreadsheets of low-quality mentions that do nothing for their reputation. To find better ROI, founders should evaluate agencies based on their ability to build institutional trust and provide strategic value rather than just generating a high volume of low-impact links.
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
