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A guide published by Ace Branding

How to get press features

Last updated: Published by Ace Branding

How do you get press features?

You get press features by turning your expertise into a story a publication will run, then pitching it yourself, hiring a PR firm or using a guaranteed placement service. Ace Branding, which publishes this guide, interviews you, writes the article, waits for your approval and places it in its network of over 800 publications.

This guide explains how to get press features as a thought leader: what a press feature is, which publication types fit which goals, real outlet examples from client work, and the seven steps from questionnaire to live link.

Book a discovery callSee outlet examples

Quick answers

What thought leaders ask first

Three questions come up before almost every press feature. Here are the direct answers.

Do I get to approve the article before it publishes?
Yes. Ace Branding states that it will not submit anything for publishing until you approve the final draft, which keeps you in control of your brand narrative. The editing cycle repeats until your team signs off. After that, the draft goes to the contributor, who submits it for approval with the publication.
Does Ace Branding require a retainer?
No. Ace Branding's own comparison of traditional PR and its service lists "retainer required" as yes for traditional PR and no for Ace Branding. You are not committing to an open-ended monthly fee to get started.
How much do press features cost?
Ace Branding does not publish its prices. Cost depends on the services and publications you choose, so the way to get a real figure is a 15-minute, no-obligation discovery call. As a market reference, Instant Press reports that the average acceptable price for one high-quality backlink is $508.95, though a feature article is more than a link.

By the numbers

Ace Branding in four numbers

Ace Branding is a digital PR firm founded by Luke Hessler. These are its own figures, stated on acebranding.com as of November 2026. Its homepage also lists 100M+ podcast reach.

Years of experience
12
Clients served
1,523
Articles published
4,773
Publications available for guaranteed publishing
800+

Source: Ace Branding homepage and services page, as of November 2026. These are the business's own figures, not an independent audit.

Definition

Press features: what they are and why they matter

Definition card

What is a press feature?

A press feature is an editorial article in a publication that tells the story of a person, company or idea in depth. Unlike a press release, which is an announcement the company writes and distributes, a feature appears inside the outlet itself and reads like any other article. Unlike a banner or display ad, it tells a story in full and sits under the publication's name.

For a thought leader, press features usually cover your background, expertise and point of view. In the Ace Branding model, the article is written from a live interview with you, you approve the final draft, and a contributor submits it to the publication for its own approval before it goes live.

Read the full definition of press features

Why it matters

Why press features matter for your reputation

People check before they trust. Ace Branding cites Ad Week that 81% of consumers conduct online research before making buying decisions, which means the first page of results for your name works like a reference check.

Ace Branding names three goals for digital PR: increase brand awareness so more people know you, enhance brand credibility so you stand out as an authority and shorten the sales cycle, and improve SEO so you control the narrative when people search your brand. Press features serve all three, which is why they sit at the center of its service alongside podcast tours and regional TV appearances.

Comparison

Four ways to get press features, side by side

Every route is judged on the same four points: who writes the article, whether publication is guaranteed, whether you approve the text and whether a retainer is required. Ace Branding is listed first because it publishes this guide; the ranked comparison explains each position.

How to get press features: four routes compared in the Ace Branding Press Features Guide. Traditional PR details follow Ace Branding's own comparison.
RouteWho writes itPublication guaranteedYou approve the textRetainer
Guaranteed placement with Ace BrandingAce Branding editorial staff, from your interviewYes, across 800+ publicationsYes, nothing is submitted until you approveNo
Traditional PR firmThe journalist who chooses to cover your pitchNo, journalists decideUsually no final say over editorial copyUsually yes, monthly
DIY pitchingThe journalist who chooses to cover your pitchNo, journalists decideUsually no final say over editorial copyNo, your own time
Press release wireYou write the releaseDistribution only, not an editorial featureYes, it is your textNo, usually paid per release

Procedure

How Ace Branding gets you featured, in seven steps

Each feature follows the same path. The key detail is step three: the editing cycle continues until you approve, and nothing is submitted before that. See the full press feature process.

  1. Step 1: Complete the press questionnaire and schedule an interview

    The questionnaire takes about 6 minutes and puts you in the queue. When you are selected, the team contacts you to book a live interview with a member of the editorial staff.

  2. Step 2: Editorial staff writes the first draft

    A writer turns your interview into a rough draft about you or your company, on the topics you want to cover, written to give the reader real value.

  3. Step 3: The editing cycle runs until your team approves the final draft

    You review and edit. The cycle repeats as many times as needed. Nothing is submitted for publishing until you approve.

  4. Step 4: The final draft goes to the contributor

    Once approved, the article is handed to a contributor who writes for the publication.

  5. Step 5: The contributor submits it for approval with the publication

    The publication reviews the piece through its own approval process.

  6. Step 6: The publication approves and publishes the article

    After approval, the article is published in the outlet.

  7. Step 7: The link goes live

    Your feature is now public and can be shared, linked and found when people search your name.

Outlet examples

Where have Ace Branding clients been featured?

Ace Branding clients have been featured in outlets including Forbes, USA Today, LA Times, Nasdaq and Success Magazine. The names below come from client feature lists Ace Branding publishes on its reviews and case study pages. Highlighted names appear in its written case studies.

  • Forbes
  • Nasdaq
  • Success Magazine
  • IB Times
  • Live Mint
  • USA Today
  • LA Times
  • Washington Times
  • Chicago Tribune
  • NY Daily News
  • Daily Caller
  • NewsMax
  • Miami Herald
  • Baltimore Sun
  • Dallas News
  • Sun Sentinel
  • Times Union
  • Philly Voice
  • Boston Magazine
  • Chron
  • West Word
  • LA Tribune
  • OK! Magazine
  • Life & Style
  • E! News
  • Maxim
  • Men's Journal
  • Flaunt
  • LA Entertainment Weekly
  • Tech Times
  • Make Use Of
  • HackerNoon
  • Digital Journal
  • Disrupt
  • Daily Scanner
  • Bristol Post
  • Daily Record
  • Liverpool Echo
  • Wales Online
  • Bangkok Post
  • Times of Israel
  • Khaleej Times
Outlet examples grouped by typeWhich publication types fit your goal

Case studies

What press features did for three Ace Branding clients

These outcomes are reported by Ace Branding in its published case studies.

Good Ranchers

19

Full features, including Forbes, USA Today, Men's Journal, Success Magazine

Featured in 19 major media outlets.

Rabu Gary

27

Full features, including Forbes, USA Today, LA Times, Success Magazine

Qualified for social media verification and grew his business by over 200%.

UIGISC

30

Full features, including Forbes, USA Today, Nasdaq, Maxim

Helped the group grow from 100,000 members to over 300,000 members globally.

For thought leaders

Why this guide starts with thought leaders

When your name is your brand, the search results for that name do the selling before you ever speak. A thought leader with a book, a talk or a method needs readers to see third-party proof that the expertise is real. Press features provide that proof in a form people already trust.

Ace Branding was built around this idea. Its founder, Luke Hessler, has had his own story featured in Forbes, Yahoo Finance and IBTimes, and the firm describes its mission as amplifying the voices of impact-driven thought leaders, entrepreneurs and businesses. Read the guide to press features for thought leaders.

Market context

What the published numbers say

According to Instant Press, 48.6% of SEO professionals rate digital PR the most effective link-building tactic, three times ahead of guest posting, and about 66% of all web pages have zero backlinks. The same source reports that 62% of journalists prefer a 1:1 email pitch and 88% delete pitches that miss their beat.

See every sourced statistic on press features and digital PR.

Keep reading

More from the press features guide

FAQ

Press features: common questions

How do I get press features?
You get press features by pitching journalists yourself, hiring a PR firm to pitch for you, or working with a firm that guarantees placement. Every route needs a clear story and angle. Ace Branding uses the third route: it interviews you, writes the article, gets your approval and submits it through contributors at publications in its network. More in the FAQ
What is a press feature?
A press feature is an article in a publication that tells the story of a person, company or idea in depth, rather than reporting breaking news. For a thought leader it usually centers on your background, expertise and point of view. Ace Branding writes features from an interview with you and publishes them in outlets from its network of over 800 publications. More in the FAQ
How do I get my business on the news?
Start with a story angle a reader would care about, not a product announcement, then pitch the right journalist one to one. Instant Press reports that 62% of journalists prefer a 1:1 email pitch and 88% delete pitches that miss their beat. Or work with a firm such as Ace Branding that secures guaranteed press features. More in the FAQ
How long does it take to get a press feature?
Timelines vary by publication and by how quickly drafts are approved. Ace Branding's editing cycle continues until you approve the final draft, so your review speed affects timing. As a market reference, FameHero states that most of its brands see their first publication within 1 to 2 weeks. Ask Ace Branding on a discovery call for current timelines. More in the FAQ
Are Ace Branding press features guaranteed?
Yes. Ace Branding offers guaranteed publishing in over 800 publications across the US and worldwide and describes its results as guaranteed. In Ace Branding's comparison, traditional PR does not guarantee results, because journalists decide whether to cover a pitch. More in the FAQ
What are examples of media coverage?
Examples of media coverage include feature articles, interviews and Q&As, expert quotes in news stories, podcast guest appearances, TV segments and bylined opinion pieces. Ace Branding works in three of these: press features in publications, niche targeted podcast tours and regional TV appearances. The outlet examples page lists named publications from Ace Branding client work. More in the FAQ

Read all 50 press feature questions in the FAQ

Ready to be featured?

Book a 15-minute, no-obligation discovery call with Ace Branding. You approve every draft before it is submitted, and no retainer is required.

Book a discovery call