Is the Press Release Dead? Not if You Know How to Use it!
In addition to guest posting on the UpCity blog, Social Media Relations is featured as one of the Top Social Media Agencies in the United States. Check out their profile!
With the advances in technology and a myriad of ways to disseminate information, some could argue that using a press release to get the word out may seem a bit obsolete, old school, and even antiquated. After all, it’s a communication tool that originated in 1906 when public relations expert Ivy Lee created a record of accounts for his client, the Pennsylvania Railroad, to document and share the tragedy of 50 lives lost when one of their trains derailed. This pioneering thinker’s recorded communication was picked up and published by The New York Times, birthing what would become a decades-old information distribution practice called a press release.
So you ask, how can a relic of a tool that is over one hundred years old still be considered relevant and useful, especially in a day and age of such advanced technology? Its staying power can only be attributed to its simplistic standard. Press Releases, when done correctly, are designed to provide the mere facts. The Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How ensure the media are informed with necessary information to write stories objectively. While it is not unusual for some to take liberties and draft releases to be more colorful, persuasive, and emotion-driving, a press release in its purest form forgoes the temptation to embellish and instead clearly states the message or story in fact form. Simplicity in this regard does not negate the power behind the tool. Instead, it primarily puts the author in control of the narrative that is being communicated. Which, from a broader perspective, is how history is told.
A few critical components of the press release that made it so useful to media was its consists structural elements:
- Headline: An attention-grabbing title
- Dek: Subtitle offering more specifics and details further elaborating on the headline
- Dateline and Location: The release date and city the release content originated
- Introduction Paragraph: Contains the who, what, when, where, why, and how
- Body: Detailed explanation including links, statistics, quotes, and relevant details
- Close: Sums up the previous paragraphs
- Boilerplate: A short about section on the company or entity for which the release is covering
When releases were the primary source of reaching media, the goal was to write and grab the journalist’s attention striking enough interest to spark a buzz. When we think of them only in this form, it’s true, the original use of the press release is, in fact, dead because there are now a plethora of ways to capture media attention and share our stories. In many cases, we no longer need what can appear to be overly verbose tactics to capture their attention and get the word out.
When social media began to gain traction about 15 years ago, Twitter, in particular, seemed to rapidly shake the very foundation for which the press release was built. Suddenly, the 300 – 800 word document required for individuals to be taken seriously by journalists could be reduced to using a 280 character Tweet and still arrest the attention of prestigious media agencies worldwide. This shift earnestly beseeched the relevance of the once renowned publicity vice. Simultaneously, advances within the digital space worked in favor of its evolution as the impact of having a press release online with keywords supported it becoming a tool that enhanced search engine optimization (SEO), thus, broadening online presence.
While press releases can still be sent directly to media, a big part of what has allowed it to maintain its value is the ability to skip the hurdle of pitching media and use a wire distribution service for a nearly immediate online presence that is reputable and searchable.
Platforms such as Businesswire and PR Newswire are among the most popular and allow for highly targeted distributions with a specific focus on markets that include influencers, bloggers, TV, radio networks, print, and online publications. These services also allow distributors to be intentional about the geographic reach and range from local and regional to national and international media markets.
Wire services can be somewhat pricey, but they guarantee online placement with news outlet portals that undoubtedly magnify reach. They also provide analytical data from distributed press releases that can be profoundly useful in determining story interest by open rates, click data, geographic interest, and information that can be hard to glean from traditional press coverage.
By law, the SEC requires publicly traded companies to disseminate information to their stakeholders and the general public via press releases. Other entities can use them for a variety of reasons and ways. Whether structuring a narrative, sharing thought leadership, shifting messaging, building or managing reputation, or inserting voice and opinion into industry dialogue, the one-sheeter still holds its own as a highly credible resource for information. Any company or individual can use them for sharing announcements, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, expert tips and practices, industry-related hot topics, new hires, and milestones. When housed in the About or Press section on a company website, they can demonstrate a company’s timeline and provide a broad perspective for company history.
Hear From Industry Experts
Read the latest tips, research, best practices, and insights from our community of expert B2B service providers.
A few rules of engagement when utilizing press release to maximize your brand awareness, share your message, and expand your online footprint:
- Create headlines and a subheadline that will grab attention similar to that of press headlines
- Include keywords in your headline and throughout the body of your release
- Provide as much pertinent information in the opening paragraph as possible
- Include quotes that make for great shareable soundbites and make them socially shareable
- Include videos and images that visually help tell the story
- Include statics, data, and facts where possible and the site where the information originated
- Be sure to include contact information such as email, phone number, social handles, and website
- Include hyperlinks to additional information where possible as they too are great for SEO
- Try to keep the press release to 400 words or less as the prices increase beyond that limit with wired distribution
- Please avoid using a press release as an ego trip to sing personal praise as it is designed to inform others with factual information and winning insight
Although not as commonly used as it once was, the press release can definitely still be a tool to pitch stories to the media. Yet, its brilliance and evolution have put even more value, control, and use in the hands of its subjects, which is proof that it is absolutely not dead.
About the author
Toni Purry
With over 50 business awards to her name, Toni Purry is a public relations veteran known for garnering the level of exposure that builds brand confidence. Her work has landed clients on Good Morning America, The Today Show, The View, Food Network, and in The New York Times, LA Times, and Conde Nast, to name a few. For 10-years, Toni ran her LA-based PR agency representing destinations, airlines, high-end shopping plazas, and the luxury brands for Starwood, Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, and InterContinental and understands how to leverage PR to drive business goals. As the consulting PR director for Social Media Relations and its PR division, Toni also coaches entrepreneurs and founders on brand positioning and visibility strategy. After inking My Hype Book, Toni can be found keynote speaking and facilitating workshops and retreats for corporations, small companies, and private and professional network groups on the power of individual and brand confidence.
In addition to guest posting on the UpCity blog, Social Media Relations is featured as one of the Top Social Media Agencies in the United States. Check out their profile!
With the advances in technology and a myriad of ways to disseminate information, some could argue that using a press release to get the word out may seem a bit obsolete, old school, and even antiquated. After all, it’s a communication tool that originated in 1906 when public relations expert Ivy Lee created a record of accounts for his client, the Pennsylvania Railroad, to document and share the tragedy of 50 lives lost when one of their trains derailed. This pioneering thinker’s recorded communication was picked up and published by The New York Times, birthing what would become a decades-old information distribution practice called a press release.
So you ask, how can a relic of a tool that is over one hundred years old still be considered relevant and useful, especially in a day and age of such advanced technology? Its staying power can only be attributed to its simplistic standard. Press Releases, when done correctly, are designed to provide the mere facts. The Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How ensure the media are informed with necessary information to write stories objectively. While it is not unusual for some to take liberties and draft releases to be more colorful, persuasive, and emotion-driving, a press release in its purest form forgoes the temptation to embellish and instead clearly states the message or story in fact form. Simplicity in this regard does not negate the power behind the tool. Instead, it primarily puts the author in control of the narrative that is being communicated. Which, from a broader perspective, is how history is told.
A few critical components of the press release that made it so useful to media was its consists structural elements:
- Headline: An attention-grabbing title
- Dek: Subtitle offering more specifics and details further elaborating on the headline
- Dateline and Location: The release date and city the release content originated
- Introduction Paragraph: Contains the who, what, when, where, why, and how
- Body: Detailed explanation including links, statistics, quotes, and relevant details
- Close: Sums up the previous paragraphs
- Boilerplate: A short about section on the company or entity for which the release is covering
When releases were the primary source of reaching media, the goal was to write and grab the journalist’s attention striking enough interest to spark a buzz. When we think of them only in this form, it’s true, the original use of the press release is, in fact, dead because there are now a plethora of ways to capture media attention and share our stories. In many cases, we no longer need what can appear to be overly verbose tactics to capture their attention and get the word out.
When social media began to gain traction about 15 years ago, Twitter, in particular, seemed to rapidly shake the very foundation for which the press release was built. Suddenly, the 300 – 800 word document required for individuals to be taken seriously by journalists could be reduced to using a 280 character Tweet and still arrest the attention of prestigious media agencies worldwide. This shift earnestly beseeched the relevance of the once renowned publicity vice. Simultaneously, advances within the digital space worked in favor of its evolution as the impact of having a press release online with keywords supported it becoming a tool that enhanced search engine optimization (SEO), thus, broadening online presence.
While press releases can still be sent directly to media, a big part of what has allowed it to maintain its value is the ability to skip the hurdle of pitching media and use a wire distribution service for a nearly immediate online presence that is reputable and searchable.
Platforms such as Businesswire and PR Newswire are among the most popular and allow for highly targeted distributions with a specific focus on markets that include influencers, bloggers, TV, radio networks, print, and online publications. These services also allow distributors to be intentional about the geographic reach and range from local and regional to national and international media markets.
Wire services can be somewhat pricey, but they guarantee online placement with news outlet portals that undoubtedly magnify reach. They also provide analytical data from distributed press releases that can be profoundly useful in determining story interest by open rates, click data, geographic interest, and information that can be hard to glean from traditional press coverage.
By law, the SEC requires publicly traded companies to disseminate information to their stakeholders and the general public via press releases. Other entities can use them for a variety of reasons and ways. Whether structuring a narrative, sharing thought leadership, shifting messaging, building or managing reputation, or inserting voice and opinion into industry dialogue, the one-sheeter still holds its own as a highly credible resource for information. Any company or individual can use them for sharing announcements, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, expert tips and practices, industry-related hot topics, new hires, and milestones. When housed in the About or Press section on a company website, they can demonstrate a company’s timeline and provide a broad perspective for company history.
Hear From Industry Experts
Read the latest tips, research, best practices, and insights from our community of expert B2B service providers.
A few rules of engagement when utilizing press release to maximize your brand awareness, share your message, and expand your online footprint:
- Create headlines and a subheadline that will grab attention similar to that of press headlines
- Include keywords in your headline and throughout the body of your release
- Provide as much pertinent information in the opening paragraph as possible
- Include quotes that make for great shareable soundbites and make them socially shareable
- Include videos and images that visually help tell the story
- Include statics, data, and facts where possible and the site where the information originated
- Be sure to include contact information such as email, phone number, social handles, and website
- Include hyperlinks to additional information where possible as they too are great for SEO
- Try to keep the press release to 400 words or less as the prices increase beyond that limit with wired distribution
- Please avoid using a press release as an ego trip to sing personal praise as it is designed to inform others with factual information and winning insight
Although not as commonly used as it once was, the press release can definitely still be a tool to pitch stories to the media. Yet, its brilliance and evolution have put even more value, control, and use in the hands of its subjects, which is proof that it is absolutely not dead.
About the author
Toni Purry
With over 50 business awards to her name, Toni Purry is a public relations veteran known for garnering the level of exposure that builds brand confidence. Her work has landed clients on Good Morning America, The Today Show, The View, Food Network, and in The New York Times, LA Times, and Conde Nast, to name a few. For 10-years, Toni ran her LA-based PR agency representing destinations, airlines, high-end shopping plazas, and the luxury brands for Starwood, Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, and InterContinental and understands how to leverage PR to drive business goals. As the consulting PR director for Social Media Relations and its PR division, Toni also coaches entrepreneurs and founders on brand positioning and visibility strategy. After inking My Hype Book, Toni can be found keynote speaking and facilitating workshops and retreats for corporations, small companies, and private and professional network groups on the power of individual and brand confidence.
