As Austin grew to become one of the major tech start-up hubs in the world, the Austin tech media scene grew with it.
“A world class tech scene deserves world class tech journalism,” started the announcement on a panel conversation regarding Austin’s tech media at SXSW in 2016 and who would not agree with the statement? As Austin grew as a major tech hub, its tech media grew with it, which helped consolidate and galvanize its expansion.
I always recommend that start-ups in Austin treat their local tech media well. Your local business media will always be your first champions… and your last defenders. Through their local tech media, Austin-based tech companies can reach out to prospective customers, investors, business partners and of course also employees.
Let’s take a look at the Austin tech media scene.
Silicon Hills News
Silicon Hills News is a venerable institute in Austin as it is the oldest tech media outlet in town. Silicon Hills News was founded in 2011 (nothing in Austin’s tech ecosystem is very old) by Laura Lorek who is still the editor-in-chief today. Silicon Hills News covers technology news (“stories about entrepreneurs, companies, technology events and issues and creative people”) from both San Antonio and Austin.
Reach: 35,000+ unique monthly visitors
Best known for: the Austin Tech Calendar which is presented each year at the popular Austin Tech Calendar Party
Austin Business Journal
The Austin Business Journal covers the typical hard local business news (hiring, M&As, funding, relocations, etc.) of Austin’s technology (and non-technology) companies.
Reach: 410,144 unique monthly visitors
Best known for: the Austin Business Journal Fast 50 awards, which honors companies that have shown net revenue growth during the last three years
Built In Austin
Built in Austin offers local technology news, news on job openings and also has a community that serves up content tailored to readers’ interests. Next to hard news, there is also room for insightful content for professionals on marketing, sales and many other topics.
Reach: unknown
Best known for: its Best Places to Work awards which rates companies based on their employer benefits and employee submitted compensation data
Austin Inno
The Inno franchise came to Austin in 2015. Austin Inno covers Austin start-ups and the technology scene. Today, Austin Inno content is folded into the Austin Business Journal.
Reach: unknown
Best known for: the Austin Inno on Fire Awards that highlight local startups that had a remarkable year
Austin American-Statesman
The Austin American-Statesman is Austin’s local newspaper, and in the technology pages of the paper, all the big technology news is covered that impacts the city and its citizens. Until recently, the paper branded its tech section “512 Tech” and gave it its own website, but today the technology content of the newspaper is folded back into the regular newspaper site.
Reach: 5M monthly visitors
Best known for: the Austin American-Statesman Top Workplaces program that recognizes good employers. The evaluations for the list are based on employee opinions, which the newspaper gathers through the Energage employee survey.
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