Here’s the part most people miss: you can’t control whether Forbes covers you. But you can control whether you’re positioned as a credible, high-value source with a story that serves Forbes readers.
How do you get featured in Forbes?
To get Forbes article coverage (earned media coverage, not advertising), you need to:
- Choose a newsworthy angle that matters to Forbes readers, not just to your brand.
- Prove the story with data, traction, or unique insight, not hype.
- Target the right writer who already covers your category and audience.
- Send a concise media pitch that makes the writer’s job easier.
- Show up prepared for interviews with clear talking points and quotable lines.
The rest of this guide is the playbook that makes those steps real, repeatable, and far more likely to work.
Before you pitch: know what “a Forbes article” actually means
One reason people struggle to get Forbes article results is they’re chasing a vague goal. Forbes visibility can happen in several ways, and each one has a different credibility signal.
| Path | What it looks like | Best for | Reality check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earned editorial coverage | You’re quoted, profiled, or included in a story | Trust, authority, long-term brand equity | Not guaranteed, requires a real story |
| Bylined membership publishing | You publish under a membership program | Thought leadership at scale | Different from an independent feature |
| Sponsored content | Paid narrative content, clearly labeled | Campaign distribution and controlled messaging | It’s marketing, not journalism |
| Lists and rankings | Recognition via an official list program | Social proof and brand positioning | Highly competitive and process-driven |
Why Forbes coverage is so powerful right now
When trust is shaky, recognizable credibility becomes a shortcut for decision-makers.
Edelman’s Trust Barometer has repeatedly pointed to trust challenges, including the reality that media is actively distrusted in many contexts (Edelman, 2024). That sounds negative, but here’s the opportunity: when trust is scarce, trusted signals stand out more. A Forbes mention can function like a credibility “receipt” your audience can verify, share, and remember.
The Forbes pitch mistake almost everyone makes
Most people pitch Forbes like they’re pitching a customer.
They lead with:
- “We’re excited to announce…”
- “We are thrilled to share…”
- “We are disrupting…”
And then they wonder why nothing happens.
Journalists are not looking for your excitement. They’re looking for reader value, timing, and proof.
Two stats should permanently change how you approach your media pitch:
- 49% of journalists say they seldom or never respond to PR pitches (Muck Rack, 2024).
- 72% of journalists value press releases as their preferred content from PR professionals, and 87% use multimedia assets supplied with pitches and stories (Cision, 2024).
Translation: your pitch is competing with volume, and you only win by being relevant, easy to use, and immediately credible.
Step 1: Build a Forbes-worthy angle in one page
If you want a writer to say yes, don’t pitch your company. Pitch your point of view.
Here are five angle frameworks that consistently create earned media opportunities in business publications:
1) The “what’s changing and what it means” angle
Example: A travel-tech founder notices corporate retreat budgets shifting from luxury hotels to “work + wellness hybrid” locations, and can quantify the change using booking data.
2) The “hard lesson” angle
Example: A DTC consumer goods CEO shares the three operational changes they made after a costly inventory mistake, and what other founders should do before Q4.
3) The “contrarian take” angle
Example: A cybersecurity leader argues that “AI compliance checklists” are creating a false sense of safety, and lays out a better model.
4) The “unexpected data” angle
Example: A hospitality operator discovers that weekend occupancy is down, but weekday micro-stays are up, and shows the strategy shift that saved margins.
5) The “operator playbook” angle
Example: An entrepreneur reveals a hiring system that cut time-to-hire by 40% in a high-turnover industry.
Your one-page angle brief should include:
- The headline: the story in 12 words
- The trend: what’s happening in the market
- The proof: numbers, data, or credible observations
- The tension: what most people are getting wrong
- The takeaway: what a Forbes reader can do Monday morning
This is the single best way to stop “hoping” and start building a real strategy to get Forbes article results.
Step 2: Create a Press Kit that makes writers feel safe saying yes
Writers and editors are protecting their credibility. Cision reported that maintaining credibility was cited by journalists as a major challenge (Cision, 2024). That means your job is to remove friction and reduce risk.
Your Press Kist should include:
- One-sentence positioning: “I help X achieve Y without Z.”
- Two short founder credentials: operator experience, outcomes, or research background
- 3 data points: traction metrics, industry benchmarks, survey results, or anonymized customer insights
- 1 visual asset: headshot + one clean chart or infographic
- 2 customer proof lines: credible outcomes, not gushy praise
- Availability: “I can do a 15-minute call this week” is powerful
Remember, journalists need multimedia assets for their articles (Cision, 2024). If you show up with a clean chart and a high-resolution headshot, you are quietly doing what most people do not.
Step 3: Find the right Forbes writer the smart way
Your best pitch is useless if it lands in the wrong inbox.
Do this instead:
- Search Forbes for your exact topic and list 10 articles similar to the one you want.
- Identify 3 writers who repeatedly cover that theme.
- Read their last 5 articles and note patterns: what sources they quote, what tone they use, what angles they avoid.
- Build a micro-fit statement: “I saw you cover X, here’s a clean angle on Y that adds Z.”
Forbes’ own help content makes it clear that pitches should be directed to editorial staff, not sent to the generic PR email address (Forbes, 2024). Act like a professional source, not like a marketer looking for a favor.
Step 4: Write a pitch that earns a reply
This is where most leaders either over-explain or over-sell.
Your pitch should feel like a shortcut to a strong story, not an obligation.
Use this pitch structure:
- Subject line: 6 to 10 words, clear angle, no hype
- First sentence: why this is relevant to what they cover
- Second sentence: your data point or proof
- Third sentence: your offer (quote, interview, quick data)
- Close: availability + one link to Proof Pack
Pitch template you can copy today
Subject: Data: Why mid-market brands are pausing influencer spend
Hi [Name],
I’m reaching out because you’ve been covering performance marketing shifts, especially where founders are being forced to defend CAC and margins.
We’re seeing a measurable pattern across 42 campaigns: mid-market brands are cutting influencer spend, then reallocating to fewer, higher-trust partnerships that convert better over 60 days.
If helpful, I can share the 3 metrics that predicted the shift and a one-page breakdown of what actually worked for a consumer goods CEO who reversed declining ROAS in 8 weeks.
If you’re working on anything in this space, I’m available for a quick 15-minute call this week.
Best,
[Your name] [One link to Press Kit]
Why this works: it’s built for the journalist’s workflow, and it respects the fact that many pitches never get a response (Muck Rack, 2024).
Step 5: Use follow-up without burning the relationship
Follow-up is not harassment. It’s a reminder.
But it needs to add value, not pressure.
Follow-up rules that protect your reputation:
- Wait 4 to 7 business days before your first follow-up.
- Send one new asset (a chart, a new stat, a timely hook), not “bumping this.”
- Stop after 2 follow-ups unless the writer engages.
Think long game. The best media relationships often start with one good exchange, then grow into recurring press coverage over time.
Two alternate routes: Forbes Councils and sponsored content
Sometimes your goal is not an earned feature. Sometimes your goal is consistent thought leadership distribution. That is a different strategy, and it can work well when you label it honestly.
Option A: Forbes Councils membership publishing
Forbes Councils is a membership organization with a selection process and stated qualification minimums. For example, the Forbes Business Council lists a minimum annual revenue requirement of $500,000, and other councils list $1M revenue or $1M financing requirements (Forbes Councils, n.d.).
Forbes Councils also describes member benefits that include the ability to submit bylined articles to be published on Forbes.com, with editorial collaboration (Forbes Councils, n.d.).
Use this route when:
- You want a scalable thought leadership engine.
- You have a strong point of view and can publish consistently.
- You are clear that this is a membership path, not an independent profile.
Option B: Sponsored content and native advertising
Forbes has operated BrandVoice as part of its native advertising ecosystem, which has been covered as a marketer-driven program in industry media (Sass, 2014).
Use this route when:
- You need guaranteed distribution for a major campaign.
- You want full message control and clear labeling.
- You have the budget and you treat it like advertising, not “earned press.”
What to avoid if you care about your reputation
If you’re serious about credibility, these are the traps that cost founders the most time and money:
- Guaranteed placements: real earned media cannot be purchased like a menu item.
- Mass email pitches: writers can smell a copy-paste pitch instantly.
- “Backlink insertion” offers: they can damage trust and create long-term SEO issues.
Even Google has explicitly targeted “site reputation abuse,” which includes publishing third-party content on established sites to exploit ranking signals (Google Search Central, 2024). If someone is selling you a shortcut, ask yourself: will I be proud of this story and how I got it, one year from now?
A 21-day plan to get Forbes article-ready
If you want to move fast without breaking trust, follow this sprint.
Days 1 to 3: Build your angle brief
- Pick 1 angle framework from earlier.
- Write your one-page brief.
- Collect 3 proof points.
Days 4 to 7: Build your Media Kit
- Update your bio and headshot.
- Create one chart or graphic.
- Write 5 “quotable” lines you can say on record.
Days 8 to 14: Build your media target list
- Identify 3 writers and 2 backup writers.
- Read their last 5 articles each.
- Draft a micro-fit statement for each one.
Days 15 to 21: Pitch and follow up like a professional
- Send 3 tailored pitches (one per writer).
- Track responses and timing.
- Follow up once with a new asset.
Do this sprint well and you will not just chase one story. You’ll build an engine for earned media that keeps paying dividends.
Make your story global, credible, and impossible to ignore
Getting featured is not about begging for attention. It’s about earning attention by showing up with a story that is bigger than you. If you want to get Forbes article coverage, you need a positioning strategy, a proof strategy, and a pitch strategy that aligns with how journalists actually work.
That’s exactly where Insite Strategy comes in. We’re a global strategic communications and events partner across consumer goods, tech, travel, and hospitality. You bring the story, we bring you the world.
Sources
- Forbes. (2024, February 9). Journalists working on a story about Forbes. Forbes Help Center. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://help.forbes.com/support/solutions/articles/73000602668-journalists-working-on-a-story-about-forbes-
- Forbes Councils. (n.d.). Qualifications and application. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://councils.forbes.com/qualify
- Forbes Councils. (n.d.). Forbes Councils. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://councils.forbes.com/
- Cision. (2024, May 7). Cision’s 2024 State of the Media Report: Journalists battle misinformation, embrace data, and seek PR partnership. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://www.cision.com/about/press-releases/2024-press-releases/cisions-2024-state-of-the-media-report-journalists-battle-misinformation-embrace-data-and-seek-pr-partnership-302137052/
- Muck Rack. (2024, May 5). Pitching preferences, AI and more: What journalists and a PR pro say about Muck Rack’s latest State of Journalism survey. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://muckrack.com/blog/2024/05/06/state-of-journalism-2024-webinar-recap/
- Edelman. (2024). 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://www.edelman.com/trust/2024/trust-barometer
- Google Search Central. (2024, November 19). Updating our site reputation abuse policy. Google for Developers. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2024/11/site-reputation-abuse
- Sass, E. (2014, October 8). Forbes launches BrandVoice home pages. MediaPost. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/235761/None
