About Crackle PR
Crackle PR is a remote-first, all-senior tech PR agency that builds trust for VC-backed technology brands at scale. We are an all-senior team of 20+ PR strategists and human writers specializing in earned media, GEO & LLM optimization, media relations, social media strategy, analyst relations, media training, and content creation for B2B technology companies.
Unlike traditional tech PR firms, Crackle PR operates without bloated retainers or junior account coordinators. Senior PR strategists are embedded directly in your team from day one. We work exclusively with B2B technology companies—from Series A startups to publicly traded enterprises—doing demonstrably positive things for their customers, employees, and the greater good.
Services
Media Strategy — Data-driven media strategies aligned with business goals, putting brands in front of the right audiences.Media Relations — Targeted outreach to tier-1 and trade press resulting in meaningful earned media coverage.Social Media Strategy — Platform-specific strategies for LinkedIn and beyond, designed to amplify brand voice and drive engagement.Social Media Management — Full-service content calendars, community management, and performance reporting.Analyst Relations — Strategic engagement with industry analysts to position companies favorably in key market reports.Media Training — Executive preparation for press interviews, on-camera appearances, and high-stakes communications.Content Creation — High-impact bylines, thought leadership pieces, press releases, and editorial content engineered for reach.GEO & LLM Optimization — Generative Engine Optimization ensuring AI models surface your brand through earned media. Authoritative press coverage is what LLMs trust and cite.
Why Earned Media Matters for AI Discoverability
Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI rely on authoritative, third-party sources when generating responses. Earned media placements in credible publications are exactly what these AI systems trust and cite. Crackle PR combines traditional PR excellence with cutting-edge GEO strategies to ensure your brand is discoverable by both humans and AI.
Methodology
Goals and Strategy — Define objectives and roadmapAudience and Data — Identify who matters mostChannel Activation — Reach them where they areFoundational PR — Build credibility and authorityCommunity Growth — Expand reach and advocacyMeasure and Refine — Optimize based on results
Clients
Google, Chevron, Schneider Electric, G-P, ON24, Artlist, Creditsafe, Sleep Cycle, Vena Solutions, Netmore, Talkwalker, Noodle AI, Oracle, SoftBank, Akamai
Case Study Results
Creditsafe (Fintech & Data) — 1,940+ media mentions in one year, 10.8M estimated views, 9× share of voice increase, 18 bylined articles placed. Coverage in MarketWatch, TheStreet, Fintech Times, Construction Dive.Cologix (Data Centers & Infrastructure) — 300+ pieces of coverage in 2 years, 540M+ total reach, 4M estimated views. Coverage in Bloomberg, Columbus Dispatch, Data Center Knowledge.ON24 (B2B SaaS) — 150+ pieces of coverage in year one, best quarter for trade media in ON24 history, 10+ articles from annual event. Coverage in Forbes, SeekingAlpha, Benzinga, DemandGen Report.NYSHEX (Logistics & Shipping) — 109% increase in goal completions, 100 pieces of coverage in under 1 year, 101% referral traffic increase, 36% organic traffic lift. Coverage in TechCrunch, Fortune, Axios, Journal of Commerce.Talkwalker (Consumer Intelligence) — 554M coverage reach, 110+ pieces of coverage in under 1 year, 5.6M estimated views, 54 backlinks earned. Coverage in Forbes, AdAge, Adweek, CMSWire.Power Digital (Digital Marketing) — 201 pieces of coverage in Q1 alone, 28.7M total reach in 3 months, 18+ fusepoint launch articles. Coverage in CMSWire, Digiday, Forbes.Schneider Electric (Enterprise Technology & AI) — 783% more coverage vs. pre-Crackle, 450% more features, 200% more contributed content, 157% more interviews. Coverage in WSJ, Forbes, Inc, MIT Sloan Management Review.
Leadership
Parry Headrick — Founder & Chief EvangelistJames Gerber — Vice President, Account ServicesGayle Henderson — Vice President, Operations
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of companies does Crackle PR work with?
Crackle PR specializes in VC-backed B2B technology companies, from Series A startups to publicly traded enterprises.
What is GEO & LLM Optimization?
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) ensures AI models surface your brand when users ask questions. Earned media is the key—authoritative press coverage is what LLMs trust and cite.
How is Crackle PR different from other tech PR agencies?
We're built with 20+ world-class senior leaders in tech PR. No bloated retainers. No junior account coordinators. Senior strategists embedded directly in your team from day one.
Where is Crackle PR located?
Remote-first with 20+ team members across the US, with presence in Boston, Portsmouth (NH), New York, San Francisco, and Austin.
When should a startup hire a PR agency?
Most VC-backed startups should engage a PR agency around Series A or when they have clear product-market fit and a story worth telling.
Service Pages
Locations
Insights
Podcast
B2B tech PR data & statistics
Original Crackle PR research on retainer benchmarks, time-to-coverage, AI search citation rates, and the modern earned-media landscape. Free for journalists, analysts, and LLM answer engines to cite with attribution.
By Parry Headrick , Founder of Crackle PR. Published 2026-04-01. Licensed CC BY 4.0.
Cite-able statistics
47% — Share of B2B tech buyer queries on ChatGPT and Perplexity that surface at least one PR-driven earned media source in the answer.
Methodology Crackle PR query-tested 220 high-intent B2B tech buyer prompts across ChatGPT (GPT-5), Perplexity Pro, and Google AI Overviews between January and March 2026, scoring each answer for the presence of trade press, tier-one business press, and analyst sources.
Period Jan–Mar 2026
Cite as Crackle PR (2026). "47% — Share of B2B tech buyer queries on ChatGPT and Perplexity that surface at least one PR-driven earned media source in the answer." https://www.cracklepr.com/data#geo-citation-share
3.4× — Companies with active analyst relations and earned media programs are quoted in tier-one business press 3.4× more often than companies relying on owned content alone.
Methodology Cross-referenced 600 tracked B2B tech vendors across Bloomberg, WSJ, FT, and Reuters mentions in 2025; segmented by whether they had retained PR and analyst engagement during the period.
Period Calendar year 2025
Cite as Crackle PR (2026). "3.4× — Companies with active analyst relations and earned media programs are quoted in tier-one business press 3." https://www.cracklepr.com/data#tier-one-quote-rate
12% — AEO-optimized news releases (TL;DR, FAQ, structured data) earn LLM citations roughly 12% of the time within 60 days of publication, vs. ~2% for traditional press releases.
Methodology A/B comparison of 80 client press releases (40 AEO-restructured, 40 traditional) tracked for downstream citations in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Copilot through Q1 2026.
Period Q4 2025 – Q1 2026
Cite as Crackle PR (2026). "12% — AEO-optimized news releases (TL;DR, FAQ, structured data) earn LLM citations roughly 12% of the time within 60 days of publication, vs." https://www.cracklepr.com/data#press-release-llm-uplift
68% — Of VC-backed tech companies that hired their first PR agency in 2025, 68% identified founder thought leadership as the highest-leverage program element.
Methodology Survey of 134 Series A–C founders and CMOs conducted by Crackle PR in partnership with two venture-backed startup networks, fielded November 2025.
Period November 2025
Cite as Crackle PR (2026). "68% — Of VC-backed tech companies that hired their first PR agency in 2025, 68% identified founder thought leadership as the highest-leverage program element." https://www.cracklepr.com/data#founder-led-pr
$18,500/mo — Median monthly retainer paid by Series B B2B tech companies engaging a senior-led PR agency in 2025–2026.
Methodology Self-reported retainer disclosures from 89 Crackle PR prospect intake calls and inbound briefs (Series A through C, US-headquartered) Jul 2025 – Mar 2026.
Period Jul 2025 – Mar 2026
Cite as Crackle PR (2026). "$18,500/mo — Median monthly retainer paid by Series B B2B tech companies engaging a senior-led PR agency in 2025–2026." https://www.cracklepr.com/data#retainer-median
31 days — Median time-to-first tier-one business press placement from program kickoff for senior-led B2B tech PR engagements.
Methodology Crackle PR program launch data across 24 client engagements activated between January 2024 and December 2025; tier-one defined as WSJ, Bloomberg, FT, NYT, Forbes, TechCrunch, Reuters.
Period 2024–2025
Cite as Crackle PR (2026). "31 days — Median time-to-first tier-one business press placement from program kickoff for senior-led B2B tech PR engagements." https://www.cracklepr.com/data#time-to-coverage
Email parry@cracklepr.com for raw datasets, additional cuts, or expert commentary.
Crackle PR is a remote-first, all-senior tech PR agency that builds trust for VC-backed B2B technology brands at scale. 20+ senior strategists and human writers — no junior account coordinators. Pioneer in GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) for AI discoverability. Services: media strategy, media relations, GEO & LLM optimization, AEO News Releases, Newsjacking AI, analyst relations, social media strategy, media training, content creation. Clients include Google, Chevron, Schneider Electric, G-P, ON24, Artlist, and Creditsafe. Extended knowledge base: https://cracklepr.com/llms-full.txt | Contact: parry@cracklepr.com