How to get your press release covered

Ask one question first: is this news to someone outside your company? If only your team would care, it's an announcement for your own channels, not a release.

• Angles that work: a launch, a milestone, a local impact (jobs, a new location, a community project), new data or a survey you ran, an event, a partnership, an award, or a new hire who leads something.
• Tie it to the reader: what changes for the outlet's readers, listeners, or viewers?
• Numbers and specifics make news. "Opens a second location with 12 new jobs" beats "is excited to grow".

Reporters skim the top and decide in seconds. Put the news first, the details after.

• Headline: the news itself, in active voice. Not a slogan.
• Subhead: one line with the second most important fact.
• Dateline: city, state, and date at the start of the first paragraph.
• Lede: who, what, when, where, and why in one or two sentences.
• Inverted pyramid: each paragraph matters less than the one before it, so an editor can cut from the bottom.
• One real quote from a named person that adds a view or a reason, not a repeat of the facts. They approve their own words.
• Boilerplate (a short About your company) and a media contact with a name, email, and phone.
• Length: about 400 to 600 words. Shorter is fine when the news is simple.

A short, well-chosen list beats a big blast. Coverage comes from relevance.

• Pick 5 to 20 outlets and the specific reporter at each who covers your topic. Read a few of their recent stories first.
• Start with local press and trade publications for your industry. They're the most likely to care.
• Send on a weekday morning; Tuesday through Thursday usually works best. Avoid holidays and big news days.
• Use an embargo ("not for publication until…") when you want reporters to prepare ahead. Only send embargoed news to people you trust to honor it.
• Follow news hooks and seasons: tie your story to something already in the news, a local event, or a time of year.

Sending the release is only half the job. Each of these gives it another way in.

• Pitch each reporter with a short personal email: 2 to 4 lines on why their readers care, the news in a sentence, and an offer of an interview or photos. Paste the release below your note. No attachments.
• Follow up once, 3 to 5 days later, with one new detail or angle. Then let it go.
• Post it on a newsroom or news page on your own website, so reporters and customers can find it and link to it.
• Share it on your social accounts, tag partners and people mentioned (with their OK), and email it to your customers.
• Wire services, honestly: they're paid, they put the release on many sites at once and can help with search, but most of those pickups are automatic reposts, not stories a reporter chose to write. Use one for wide reach, not instead of pitching.

A reporter on deadline uses the story that comes with everything they need.

• Photos: high resolution, with a caption and who to credit for each one.
• Your logo, in a version that works on light and dark backgrounds.
• The facts and data behind any number you mention.
• One short, ready-to-quote line a reporter can lift as is.
• Links: your website, the product or event page, and a folder with the photos.

Most releases that go nowhere make one of these.

• Hype words (revolutionary, world-class, game-changing) and "we're excited to announce". Let the facts do the work.
• No real news, or the news buried in the third paragraph.
• Too long, or no media contact anyone can reach.
• Blasting a bought list or mass-emailing strangers. Besides getting ignored, bulk unsolicited email can break anti-spam rules such as CAN-SPAM in the US and GDPR in Europe. Send one-to-one, to people whose work fits your news.

Coverage keeps working long after the day it runs.

• Track mentions: search for your company name and set up a news alert for it.
• Thank every reporter who covers you, and keep their details for next time.
• Reuse the coverage: add an "As seen in" line or a press page to your site, share the stories, and use them in sales emails and proposals.

The checklist on the press release screen has these items. Tick each one as it's done.

• It's news to someone outside the company
• The headline says the news, not a slogan
• The first two sentences answer who, what, when, where, and why
• Every number, date, and name is checked
• Each person quoted approved their words
• The media contact has a name, email, and phone
• Photos, logo, and links are ready
• A short list of reporters who cover this topic
• A personal pitch for each, with the release pasted below
• A follow-up date 3 to 5 days out
• The release is on your website's news page