People have been claiming the press release is dead or dying for as long as I can remember. The reality is that it never died. Instead, it’s continuously evolving as we adapt to new online platforms, changes in the media landscape, and new technologies.
Press releases, news releases, media advisories, media statements and the like are still important in 2023 for myriad reasons, which we’ll cover in this blog post.
First, let’s talk briefly about how the press release has evolved since its inception — specifically over the past couple of decades. *For the backstory on how press releases came to be, see the Wikipedia entry for Press Release – History
Evolution of the press release
As the media landscape changed, so has the press release. Press releases remained relatively the same for nearly 100 years until the ‘Internet Age’ of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Press releases first began to integrate digital features in 1997 with the addition of audio, video, and images.
The early 2000s saw the addition of social media features. Multimedia releases, including social media components, have become more popular (especially with wire services). Now, it’s not at all unusual to see a company announcement first posted on their own blog or newsroom (including being optimized for search engines), promoted on social media and pitched to the media with an accompanying release.
The primary goal of a press release— to gain public attention — hasn’t changed much, but our methods and formats have advanced in recent years with emerging and new technologies.
Why press releases are still important
While the media landscape continues to evolve, press releases remain a valuable tool for public relations professionals. They offer a structured and formal way to share news, increase visibility, and shape the narrative surrounding an organization.
When a news outlet publishes like Trade Brains Portal News or airs your story, you’ve earned that coverage (earned media) which lends credibility over advertising (paid media). Earned media is the lifeblood of media relations, a core component of public relations.
“Press releases are multipurpose, multifunctional documents. They are the Swiss Army knife of public relations,” said Stephen Waddington in a recent issue of Influence (magazine for CIPR members). He went on to say that the press release is still a fundamental part of organizational communication, and that isn’t going to change anytime soon.
By continuing to adapt press releases to match the current media landscape and leveraging digital channels, PR professionals can continue to harness their power for effective communication in 2023 and beyond.
Related read: Importance Of Press Releases During Crises
Press releases best practices
Keeping in mind that press releases are just one component of a comprehensive public relations strategy, here are 10 best practices for developing and employing press releases:
- Clear and Concise Messaging: Craft your press release with a clear, concise message that grabs attention. Start with a strong headline and opening paragraph that effectively communicates the most important information.
- Newsworthy Angle: Ensure your press release offers a newsworthy angle or hook. Journalists receive numerous press releases daily, so your content should be compelling and relevant to their audience.
- Timeliness: Timing is crucial. To make the most of the news cycle, you should issue press releases after significant events or announcements as soon as possible. Breaking news and trending topics can also be leveraged to generate interest free slide templates, high-quality images, videos, infographics, or audio clips. These types of digital assets can make your release more engaging and shareable.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Incorporate relevant keywords and phrases in your press release to improve its visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). This can help journalists (and the general public) find your release when searching for related topics.
- Quotes and Subject Matter Expert Statements: Include quotes or statements from key executives or subject matter experts (SMEs) within your organization. When done right, these quotes can provide valuable insights and lend credibility to your press release.
Contact Information: Including your contact information for media inquiries, including the name, title, phone number, and email address of a designated media spokesperson, is a crucial component. Make it easy for journalists to reach out for further information or interviews, and always respond immediately to such requests.- Mobile-friendly Formatting: Optimize your press release for mobile devices. This should probably go unsaid by now, but many journalists and readers access news content on their smartphones or tablets. Use shorter paragraphs, subheadings, and bullet points for easy readability.
- Targeted Distribution: Identify the most relevant media outlets, journalists, and influencers for your press release. Tailor your distribution list based on their coverage areas and interests to increase the likelihood of pickup and coverage. No ‘spray-and-pray’ allowed!
- Follow-up and Relationship Building: Don’t rely solely on the press release distribution — craft tailored pitches highlighting the news hook for specific journalists. Then, follow up with journalists to gauge their interest, offer additional information, and/or arrange interviews. Building strong relationships with media professionals can lead to future coverage opportunities.
Contact Information: Including your contact information for media inquiries, including the name, title, phone number, and email address of a designated media spokesperson, is a crucial component. Make it easy for journalists to reach out for further information or interviews, and always respond immediately to such requests.Related read: Media Relations in 2023: What Journalists Have to Say
A good press release follows this layout: headline, dateline, contact information, lead paragraph (hook), quotes, and boilerplate. As the image below shows, the most important information goes first, followed by secondary details, additional information and any digital assets.
[Image Source: CoSchedule]
One of the most valuable pieces of advice I remember receiving as a young PR professional was to learn to write as reporters do. Press releases should be written in proper AP style (like journalists write). This is one of the reasons I tell PR students that a minor or emphasis in multimedia journalism and journalistic writing is a solid choice.
Ragan Communications recently published an article on a new book by Roy Peter Clark (dubbed ‘America’s writing coach’), “Tell It Like It Is.” In the book, Clark writes, “The purpose of a story is not to convey information but to capture experience. You are not creating a story unless you are helping the reader or viewer or listener feel what it is like to be there. That effect can only be produced from tested strategies: details that define character; action delivered in a sequence of scenes; dialogue, rather than simple quotes or sound bites; a purposeful variety of points of view.”
Remember, stories are powerful. Everyone loves a good story, so don’t forget to inject a dose of storytelling into the process.
AI for press releases, media pitches
I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge and address all the recent news of artificial intelligence (specifically, generative AI) around press release creation and media pitching.
Early this year, Burrelles’ platform partner, Agility, launched a time-saving tool called PR CoPilot to help write press releases and media outreach emails. PR CoPilot leverages ChatGPT technology but was built in-house and integrated directly into the platform for both Agility’s and Burrelles’ clients. It is not designed to replace media relations and public relations professionals; rather, it’s an assistant to help speed up the process.
When using the AI assistant, you are warned that “PR CoPilot™ provides AI-generated text in response to your inputs to assist with the drafting of your press releases and other media announcements. It is provided as a drafting aid only and should not be used in lieu of your own independent contributions. All text generated using PR CoPilot™ must be reviewed, edited and validated by you for accuracy prior to its release and distribution.”
Numerous other PR software vendors are now touting AI-generated releases and pitches; however, many promote their iteration as the product itself (rather than a tool to employ), and some are fully automated.
There’s a big difference between taking advantage of AI-assisted shortcuts and allowing AI to take over your media outreach process! It’s a risk that should be carefully considered and weighed.
Conclusion
You can deploy many complementary tactics to drive awareness and boost your messaging, such as sharing snippets, key points or quotes from your press release across your social channels. Other complementary tactics include offering media interviews to key journalists, pitching your subject matter expert (SME) as a podcast guest, creating informative blog content based on your release, and collaborating or partnering with influencers.
Integrating these best practice tips with other tactics, such as media outreach, social media engagement, and content marketing, can amplify your message and maximize the impact of your announcement or campaign.
As part of the Burrelles Media Outreach suite, our AI-assisted writing tool, PR CoPilot, helps you quickly produce the first draft of press releases and media pitching emails. Enter key messages and quotes; select tone, length, and format. Within seconds, you have a high-quality draft.
Pair that with the ability to pinpoint specific journalists and topics, and you’ll have a winning media relations strategy! Click the ‘get a free demo’ button below or contact us here for answers to your questions.