press-and-pr▌
eronred/aso-skills · updated Apr 8, 2026
MDX-style export adds YAML metadata + attribution linking explainx.ai and this canonical listing URL.
You help indie developers and app teams get genuine media coverage — which drives installs, backlinks, and App Store credibility.
Press & PR for Apps
You help indie developers and app teams get genuine media coverage — which drives installs, backlinks, and App Store credibility.
Why Press Still Matters
- Web referral in App Store Connect directly tracks installs from press links
- Backlinks from high-authority sites (TechCrunch, The Verge) improve web presence
- Social proof — "As seen on…" on your product page improves conversion
- Apple editorial — press coverage increases editorial featuring consideration
- Organic amplification — articles get shared, creating discovery beyond the original publication
Target Media Tiers
Tier 1 — High impact, harder to get
| Publication | Focus | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| TechCrunch | Consumer tech, startups | Exclusives preferred |
| The Verge | Consumer tech | Curated; quality bar is high |
| Wired | Tech culture | Long-form, unique angle needed |
| Fast Company | Innovation, productivity | Strong business angle |
| 9to5Mac | iOS/macOS apps | App-specific, accessible |
| MacStories | iOS apps | Very accessible for indie devs |
Tier 2 — Accessible, meaningful reach
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| App review blogs | AppAdvice, TouchArcade (games), AppShopper |
| Niche newsletters | App-specific verticals (health, productivity, finance newsletters) |
| YouTube channels | AppFind, MKBHD (for significant apps), niche channels |
| Podcasts | App podcast appearances, niche shows |
Tier 3 — Start here
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| r/iphone, r/androidapps, r/productivity (category-specific) | |
| Product Hunt | Launch day visibility |
| Hacker News | Show HN post for technical/productivity apps |
| Indie hackers | For indie developer community coverage |
What Makes a Story
Press doesn't cover apps — they cover stories. Find your angle:
| Angle | Example |
|---|---|
| Numbers | "App hit 100K downloads in 7 days with no marketing" |
| Problem solved | "Solo dev built X because no existing tool did Y" |
| Unique data | "Our app analyzed 10M habit logs — here's what we learned" |
| Category creation | "We invented a new category of [type] app" |
| David vs Goliath | Indie beating a Big Tech competitor |
| Timely | Tied to a current news trend or cultural moment |
| Human story | Founder's compelling personal motivation |
Test your angle: Can you explain the story in 1 sentence that would make someone say "interesting"?
Press Kit
Create a presskit/ folder on your website or a Notion page with:
Press Kit Contents:
- [ ] App name, one-liner, category
- [ ] 3 founder photos (high-res, print-quality)
- [ ] App icon (1024×1024px, PNG)
- [ ] 5–10 screenshots (phone mockups, high-res)
- [ ] App preview video (optional but impactful)
- [ ] 3-sentence company/founder bio
- [ ] Key stats (downloads, ratings, notable users)
- [ ] Press quotes / prior coverage (if any)
- [ ] App Store link + website
- [ ] Press contact email
Host at: yoursite.com/press or a publicly shared Notion/Google Drive link.
Press Release Structure
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Headline — most newsworthy fact as a statement]
[Subheadline — supporting detail]
[City, Date] — [Hook sentence: what happened and why it matters]
[Paragraph 1: The news — who, what, when, where]
[Paragraph 2: The why — problem being solved, backstory, unique approach]
[Paragraph 3: A quote from the founder]
"[Quote that adds voice, not just restates facts]" — [Name], [Title], [Company]
[Paragraph 4: Key features or data points — 3 max]
[Paragraph 5: Availability, pricing, platforms]
[App Name] is available on [iOS/Android/both] for [free/price]. Download at [App Store link].
###
About [Company]:
[2–3 sentences]
Media Contact:
[Name] | [email] | [phone optional]
Pitching Journalists
The Cold Pitch Email
Subject: [App Name] — [your angle in 8 words]
e.g., "Habitica clone reached #1 Health with zero ad spend"
Hi [First name],
[1 sentence: why you're reaching out to them specifically]
e.g., "I read your piece on [recent article] — [App Name] is related."
[1 sentence: what the app does]
[1 sentence: the story angle / most interesting stat or fact]
[1 sentence: why now / why timely]
Happy to send a promo code, press kit, or get on a quick call.
[Your name]
[App Store link]
[Press kit link]
Rules:
- Max 5 sentences in the pitch
- Personalize the first line for each journalist — no mass blast
- Don't attach files — link to your press kit
- Send Tuesday–Thursday, 8–10am recipient's timezone
- Follow up once after 5 business days — then move on
Finding the Right Journalists
- Search the target publication for recent app reviews in your category
- Note the byline — pitch that specific writer
- Check their Twitter/X bio for DM preference
- Use tools like Hunter.io for email guessing (format: [email protected])
Embargo Strategy
For major launches, offer an embargo:
- Contact journalists 1–2 weeks before launch
- Offer exclusive access under embargo (story publishes on launch day)
- One journalist per tier (don't offer the same exclusive to two competing outlets)
- Provide TestFlight / Play beta access
Exclusives dramatically increase pickup from Tier 1 publications.
Product Hunt Launch
| Step | When | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Create coming soon | 2 weeks before | Enable "coming soon" to collect followers |
| Find a hunter | 1 week before | Ask an influential PH user to "hunt" you |
| Prepare assets | 3 days before | Gallery, tagline, description, first comment |
| Launch day | Tuesday–Thursday | Ship at 12:01am PST; all-day community engagement |
| Follow-up post | Launch + 1 week | Share results as a Show HN or maker story |
Output Format
PR Plan
Story angle: [one sentence]
Media targets:
Tier 1: [publication + journalist name]
Tier 2: [2–3 blogs/newsletters]
Tier 3: Product Hunt, Reddit r/[category], HN
Timeline:
T-14: Press kit ready, press release drafted
T-10: Embargo pitches sent to Tier 1
T-7: Follow-ups + Tier 2 pitches
T-0: Launch + Product Hunt + Tier 3 posts
T+3: Thank reporters who covered, share articles
Press kit: [link]
Press contact: [email]
Related Skills
app-launch— Full launch strategy (PR is one channel within it)app-store-featured— Press coverage supports Apple editorial considerationua-campaign— Complement PR with paid UA on launch week
How to use press-and-pr on Cursor
AI-first code editor with Composer
Prerequisites
Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:
- ›Cursor installed and configured on your development machine
- ›Node.js version 16.0+ with npm package manager (verify with
node --version) - ›Active project directory or workspace where you want to add press-and-pr
Execute installation command
Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:
The skills CLI fetches press-and-pr from GitHub repository eronred/aso-skills and configures it for Cursor.
Select Cursor when prompted
The CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor:
Verify installation
Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:
Reload or restart Cursor to activate press-and-pr. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., /press-and-pr) or your agent's skill management interface.
Security & Verification Notice
We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.
Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment.
List & Monetize Your Skill
Submit your Claude Code skill and start earning
Use Cases▌
User Story & Requirements Generation
Create detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, and feature specs
Example
Generate user stories for 'password reset feature' with acceptance criteria, edge cases, and test scenarios
Reduce spec writing time by 50%, ensure comprehensive coverage
Competitive Analysis
Research competitors, compare features, identify gaps
Example
Analyze 5 competitor products, create feature comparison matrix, suggest differentiation opportunities
Complete competitive research in 2 hours instead of 2 days
Roadmap Prioritization
Evaluate features using frameworks (RICE, ICE, Kano) and create prioritized backlogs
Example
Score 20 feature ideas using RICE framework, generate prioritized roadmap with rationale
Make data-driven prioritization decisions faster
Stakeholder Communication
Draft PRDs, status updates, and stakeholder presentations
Example
Create executive summary of Q3 roadmap, monthly progress report, feature launch announcement
Save 3-5 hours/week on communication overhead
Implementation Guide▌
Prerequisites
- ›Claude Desktop or compatible AI client
- ›Access to product documentation and roadmap tools (Jira, Notion, etc.)
- ›Understanding of product management frameworks (RICE, Jobs-to-be-Done, etc.)
- ›Stakeholder contact information and communication channels
Time Estimate
30-60 minutes to see productivity improvements
Installation Steps
- 1.Install product management skill
- 2.Start with user story generation for known feature
- 3.Progress to competitive analysis: research 2-3 competitors
- 4.Use for roadmap prioritization: apply RICE/ICE scoring
- 5.Draft stakeholder communications and refine based on feedback
- 6.Build template library for recurring PM tasks
- 7.Share effective prompts with product team
Common Pitfalls
- ⚠Not validating competitive research—verify facts before sharing
- ⚠Accepting user stories without involving engineering team
- ⚠Over-relying on frameworks without qualitative judgment
- ⚠Not customizing outputs to company culture and communication style
- ⚠Skipping stakeholder validation of generated requirements
Best Practices▌
✓ Do
- +Validate research and competitive analysis with real data
- +Collaborate with engineering when generating technical requirements
- +Customize frameworks and templates to your company context
- +Use skill for first drafts, refine with stakeholder input
- +Document successful prompt patterns for PM tasks
- +Combine AI efficiency with human judgment and intuition
✗ Don't
- −Don't publish competitive analysis without fact-checking
- −Don't finalize user stories without engineering review
- −Don't make prioritization decisions solely on AI scoring
- −Don't skip customer validation of generated requirements
- −Don't ignore company-specific context and culture
💡 Pro Tips
- ★Provide context: company goals, constraints, customer feedback
- ★Ask for alternatives: 'Show 3 ways to prioritize this roadmap'
- ★Request stakeholder-specific formatting: 'Executive summary vs. engineering spec'
- ★Use skill for 70% generation + 30% customization to company needs
When to Use This▌
✓ Use When
Use for user story writing, competitive research, roadmap prioritization, stakeholder communication, and PRD drafting. Best for reducing repetitive documentation and research work.
✗ Avoid When
Avoid for strategic product vision (requires deep customer empathy), pricing decisions (needs market and financial expertise), or when face-to-face customer discovery is more valuable than speed.
Learning Path▌
- 1Basic: user stories, feature specs, status updates
- 2Intermediate: competitive analysis, prioritization frameworks, PRDs
- 3Advanced: product strategy, go-to-market planning, OKR setting
- 4Expert: product vision, market positioning, business model innovation
Discussion
Product Hunt–style comments (not star reviews)- No comments yet — start the thread.
Ratings
4.6★★★★★42 reviews- ★★★★★Min Shah· Dec 20, 2024
Keeps context tight: press-and-pr is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.
- ★★★★★Chaitanya Patil· Dec 16, 2024
We added press-and-pr from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.
- ★★★★★Ira Abbas· Dec 16, 2024
I recommend press-and-pr for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.
- ★★★★★Rahul Santra· Nov 27, 2024
press-and-pr fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.
- ★★★★★Sophia Okafor· Nov 11, 2024
press-and-pr is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.
- ★★★★★Piyush G· Nov 7, 2024
press-and-pr reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility.
- ★★★★★Ira Li· Nov 7, 2024
Useful defaults in press-and-pr — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows.
- ★★★★★Shikha Mishra· Oct 26, 2024
press-and-pr is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.
- ★★★★★Amelia Liu· Oct 26, 2024
Registry listing for press-and-pr matched our evaluation — installs cleanly and behaves as described in the markdown.
- ★★★★★Pratham Ware· Oct 18, 2024
press-and-pr has been reliable in day-to-day use. Documentation quality is above average for community skills.
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