WorkShield’s Contrarian Path to Scale: Why They Said No to Paid Ads and Yes to PR

In early 2018, WorkShield faced a critical decision that would shape their entire go-to-market strategy. As a new HR tech platform entering the sensitive space of workplace misconduct reporting, they needed to build awareness. The conventional wisdom was clear: pour money into paid advertising. They did the opposite.

“Our approach was if we’re going to start paid advertising you have to be committed to continually doing paid advertising,” Jared Pope shares in a recent episode of Category Visionaries. “And that was an approach that we just said hey you know what, we’re going to make a strategic bet that we’re not going to do that.”

Instead, they made a bold move: investing in PR with a monthly retainer that exceeded their mortgage payment. This wasn’t just about saving money – it was a fundamental bet on how trust is built in sensitive B2B categories.

The Strategy Behind the Strategy

WorkShield’s approach wasn’t based on gut feeling. They recognized three key dynamics in their market:

1. Trust matters more than reach. In workplace misconduct reporting, companies need to trust their provider completely. PR offered third-party credibility that ads couldn’t match.
2. The commitment trap of paid advertising. As Jared notes, once you start paid advertising, you’re committed to continuing it. Their organic approach gave them more strategic flexibility.
3. The compounding value of organic content. While their competitors spent on ads that stopped working the moment they stopped paying, WorkShield focused on LinkedIn posts, blogs, and SEO – assets that continue delivering value.

The ROI of Trust Over Traffic

The results validate their approach. Without spending on ads, WorkShield has grown to protect over 160,000 employees across 300 clients. Their PR investment delivered in unexpected ways:

Their PR firm became a long-term strategic partner. “They got who we are, they got our message, they got our branding,” Jared explains. This institutional knowledge proved invaluable as they scaled.

Instead of constantly reeducating new marketing partners, they built deep relationships. “It’s been successful in that way because there’s not a lot of things we have to tell them that they don’t already know.”

Building a Marketing Engine Without Paid Ads

WorkShield’s organic strategy focused on three key channels:

1. PR for third-party credibility
2. LinkedIn content for thought leadership
3. SEO-optimized content for sustainable traffic

This approach required patience but created defensible advantages. While competitors fought over ad inventory, WorkShield built relationships with journalists and industry influencers.

The Real Cost of “Free” Growth

However, their strategy wasn’t without costs. Organic growth requires significant investment in:

• High-quality content creation
• Relationship building with media
• Consistent thought leadership
• SEO expertise

The difference is these investments build long-term assets rather than temporary visibility.

Lessons for B2B Tech Founders

WorkShield’s experience offers valuable insights for founders choosing growth strategies:

1. Consider your category dynamics. In sensitive B2B spaces, trust often matters more than reach.
2. Calculate the true cost of paid channels. Factor in not just the ad spend, but the ongoing commitment required.
3. Invest in compound growth channels. Focus on marketing assets that appreciate rather than depreciate.

Today, WorkShield continues evolving their organic strategy while maintaining their no-paid-ads stance. Their story demonstrates that in B2B tech, sometimes the best growth strategy isn’t about spending more – it’s about earning trust through consistent, thoughtful execution.