How to Get Featured on Forbes
Forbes coverage is one of the most recognizable credibility signals a founder can put on a website, pitch deck, or LinkedIn profile — a Forbes byline still carries a specific kind of weight that most other outlets can’t match. Forbes runs both staff-written features and a large network of vetted Forbes contributors covering entrepreneurship, leadership, finance, and industry-specific beats, and each path has its own editorial bar. Landing genuine business credibility here means matching your story to the right contributor’s beat, not blasting a generic pitch to the masthead. Here’s exactly how we identify the right Forbes contributor or staff writer for your story, shape the angle they respond to, and pitch it — honestly, with no promise of a guaranteed editorial feature.
How Forbes placement actually works
Earned media (pitched)
Earned media only — we never claim guaranteed placement in Forbes. Coverage comes from a pitch a Forbes contributor or staff writer chooses to run, based entirely on their own editorial judgment about newsworthiness and fit for their beat. No agency, including ours, can buy, guarantee, or manufacture a Forbes feature.
Why founders want this specific outlet
- A recognizable trust badge for your website
- Credibility slide for a pitch deck or investor update
- A real, citable link for marketing and social
Whether you’re a startup founder building an investor narrative, a SaaS brand courting enterprise buyers, an e-commerce brand building consumer trust, or a consultant establishing authority, a Forbes link does real work in each of those contexts.
What Forbes editors actually look for
Forbes contributors and staff writers are looking for a specific kind of value-add: actionable insight, a contrarian data point, or a genuine expert perspective — not a company announcement dressed up as a trend piece. The strongest pitches connect your news to a broader theme a Forbes audience already cares about, such as leadership, resilience, or an industry shift, and offer the writer something they can’t get from a press release alone.
What tends to fail: pitches that read like a company’s own marketing copy, pitches sent to the wrong contributor’s beat, and pitches with no angle beyond “we launched something.” What tends to succeed: a founder with a clear, defensible opinion on where their industry is headed, backed by real numbers from their own business.
How we pitch your story to Forbes
Angle development
We shape your news into the specific angle Forbes editors respond to.
Targeted pitch
Direct outreach to the right contributor or desk — not a mass email blast.
Follow-through
Interview prep, quotes, and assets ready on the journalist’s schedule.
Live link delivered
You get the published URL to use everywhere you need proof.
Editorial fit check
Before we pitch, we check your story against Forbes’s actual recent editorial patterns — not just its stated beats — so we only send pitches with a realistic shot.
Amplification
Once the piece is live, we help you turn the Forbes link into a website badge, deck slide, and social asset that keeps working long after it publishes.
The value of Forbes coverage for your audience
For startup founders and SaaS brands raising capital or closing enterprise deals, a Forbes feature does something a homepage testimonial can’t: it signals that an independent, name-brand outlet found your story credible enough to run. Investors skim decks quickly, and “Forbes” next to your name buys a few extra seconds of attention before a term sheet conversation even starts.
For consultants and service-based businesses, the effect is similar but more personal — a Forbes byline under your own name becomes a durable, linkable piece of business credibility you can point to in every future pitch, proposal, or client conversation, long after the original placement is no longer new.
Common questions about Forbes placement
Is Forbes coverage guaranteed?
No. No agency can guarantee a Forbes feature. We pitch a genuine angle to the right contributor or staff writer, and the decision to publish is entirely theirs.
How long does a Forbes pitch take?
Timelines vary by contributor and topic — some respond within days, others take weeks or don’t run the story at all. We’ll give you a realistic estimate based on your specific angle.
What’s the difference between a Forbes staff feature and a Forbes contributor piece?
Staff-written features go through Forbes’ newsroom; contributor pieces are written by vetted independent contributors covering a specific beat under Forbes’ editorial guidelines. Both produce a real forbes.com URL.
Can I write the Forbes piece myself?
Sometimes — some Forbes contributor relationships work as bylined guest pieces. We’ll tell you which path fits your story and existing connections.
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Want to pitch your story to Forbes?
Tell us what you’re announcing — we’ll tell you honestly if it’s a fit.
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