This post was originally published in October, 2013 and completely updated in May, 2020.
Your well-crafted press release is sizzling and ready to see the world.
There’s just one more hurdle to leap over before the job is done: who (and where) should you send it to?
There are two main tactics for how to release a press release. The first stems from the old days. It involves subscribing to a syndication service. The second is a modern approach: developing personal relationships with journalists. Both are valid options, depending on the needs and budget of your brand.
We’ll explore both methods, as well as best practices for releasing your news so you can make a solid press release plan. Let’s dive in!
[bctt tweet=”Your well-crafted press release is sizzling and ready to see the world. There’s just one more hurdle to leap over before the job is done: who (and where) should you send it to? Find out via @JuliaEMcCoy:” username=”ExpWriters”]
The Traditional Method: Distributing Via the Wire
Want to read thousands of journalists, influencers, bloggers, reporters, and editors in one shot? Consider using a press release syndication service. Here are a few of the top service providers:
While this method is fast and easy, it isn’t free. Leading distributor Newswire costs between $150 to $800 for a single PR, which may push it out of the price range of up-and-coming brands.
If your brand has the budget and is looking for a wide reach, the time-saving investment may be worth it. However, it’s worth noting that professionals report high ROI from relationships with journalists, and caution against sending too many cold, impersonal PRs via the wire.
Let’s say you’re still growing your media list, though, and you’re not sure where to pitch. Using a syndication service can quickly reveal which publications are interested in your news, allowing you to skip the step of in-depth research in your quest to build lasting relationships with journalists. That’s why using distribution services are part of a balanced PR strategy.
The Modern Strategy: Building Your Media List on Relationships
Beyond saving time, the biggest benefit of investing in big-name syndication services is that they build a media list for you and track your results. If it’s your first rodeo, that simplification can seem like a boon. But it comes at a cost: By relying on press release distribution services rather than building a personalized media list, your brand will grow to depend on those same services.
However, it’s possible to construct a valuable media list on your own and start building relationships right away. According to Gil Eyal from the Forbes Agency Council, this improves PR results because you’re pitching to people who are genuinely interested in your news. It’s a more personal approach, and it’s the way the PR industry is moving.
It isn’t hard to future-proof your brand’s media outreach and drive down your PR budget. It all starts with building your own media list. Here’s how.
1. Find Your Target Audience
Consider who you’re trying to reach with your press release: customers, investors, or industry leaders?
Ask yourself a few simple questions:
How old is my audience?
What background demographic do they come from?
Where do they get their news?
Here’s an example of how to find your target audience.
Let’s say you’re writing a press release for a portable blender brand. Your goal is to increase sales for the newest model and spur brand awareness, so your audience is potential customers.
Your audience includes:
Health-conscious people
Fitness-minded people
Gym owners
Eco-friendly people
People who enjoy tech and gadgets
Retailers who sell cooking gadgets
Based on this target audience, your media list should start here:
Fitness and health magazines
Food and cooking magazines
Home and lifestyle magazines
Fitness and health influencers and blogs
Eco-friendly, yoga, and vegan influencers
Trade press publications targeting retailers
Journalists regularly curating kitchen gadget lists and smoothie recipes
Stumped on which publications to pitch to? A quick Google News search with your keyword or topic will help you brainstorm.
2. Zero In On Your Goal Publications
Always read a few articles, posts, or blogs first. This will save a TON of time in the long run, and prevent you from making the reputation-damaging blunder of barking up the wrong tree.
Short on time? Here’s a quick checklist.
A. Check the publication’s reach. For blogs, check the Alexa ranking. A score 100,000 or below means they have a wide reach. For social influencers, look at their follower count. For news publications, check out their social media activity as well as the average comments per article.
B. Watch out for low activity. Any online publication, influencer, or blog that posts less than once a month (a snail’s pace on the internet) is likely not reaching enough people to warrant sending a PR. The exception: monthly print publications like trade journals.
C. Look for articles or posts in your niche. If you can’t find any, it’s probably not the right publication for you.
D. Click on the byline and read the bio. Most writers include social handles in their bios. Jumpstart your online relationship by sharing one of their articles on your brand’s social media page.
E. Reach out on Twitter. Many journalists include a work email in their Twitter bio. If they don’t, try sending a professional direct message.
F. No luck on Twitter? Try LinkedIn. If you’re looking to pitch to a large news outlet, you can often find their roster in the “People” section of their company LinkedIn page.
G. If you can’t find who you’re looking for, call. Dust off your landline and look for the editor’s phone number of the section you’re pitching to.
3. Create Your Media List
Use a simple, easy-to-edit spreadsheet. Journalists change publications often, so the focus of the media list should be on specific publications interested in publishing your news.
Here’s a sample media list I built from the brainstorm above:
Don’t forget to regularly update the contact details for your target journalists, influencers, and bloggers. Now your media list is ready for action!
Double-Check Submissions Guidelines
You’re well on your way toward sending your red-hot press release. Before submitting, pore over the submissions guidelines to ensure you haven’t forgotten any important steps.
This quick but critical step can be the difference between your PR getting published or getting trashed. Don’t skip it!
[bctt tweet=”It isn’t hard to future-proof your brand’s media outreach and drive down your press release budget. It all starts with building your own media list. Learn how to do it here:” username=”ExpWriters”]
How to Send an Email Introducing a Press Release to Journalists
Nail your first impression by following email etiquette for press releases. Etiquette 101: write your PR in the body of your email. In-body PRs allow for more personalization while simplifying your target journalist’s job, which in turn will increase your chance of getting published.
Before you hit “send”, make sure your submission email has all of these elements:
Subject – Don’t use the phrase “press release”. Instead, use the topic of your PR.
Greeting – Do your homework: address the person you’re pitching to directly. Skipping this step can make your message seem cold and out of touch.
First Paragraph – If it’s the first time you’re reaching out, this is where you should introduce yourself.
Second Paragraph – Elaborate on the purpose of your email here.
Third Paragraph – Your call-to-action should go here.
Closing – Thank your contact, and open the door for them to follow up.
Signature – Provide your full contact information here.
Here’s a sample press release email from Prowly:
Send your press release to all relevant contacts on your media list. If you don’t get a response, don’t take it personally. Instead, follow up your press release with photos. Even better: if you didn’t include one initially, now’s the time to send a press kit. For inspiration, check out Kickstarter’s press kit.
A press kit should include:
An about section
Bios of important company figures who are available for interview
Recent, important press releases
Fact sheets for products or services
Case studies, surveys, stats, or testimonials
Notable press coverage
Notable awards
Multimedia, including high-quality images
Contact information for your marketing team
Notable FAQs
[bctt tweet=”Press release etiquette 101: Write your PR in the body of your email. This allows for more personalization while simplifying your target journalist’s job, which increases your chance of getting published. ” username=”ExpWriters”]
Send a Story That’s Ready to Publish
Make it easy for reporters to envision your story as a published piece by submitting a PR that’s copy-paste friendly.
What makes a PR ready to publish? Here’s your DIY press release format.
Style – Learn the voice your target publication uses and parrot it. For example, influencers often use a conversational 2nd person, so a blog-style PR will likely see more success.
Format – What kind of font and subtitle style does your target publication use? What color palette do they prefer?
Multimedia– Consider the media they regularly post, and emphasize that media type.
Social media optimized – Don’t forget to include all of your social media handles for easy sharing.
Press kit– As mentioned above, a press kit will make it easier for the journalist to craft a story.
For more guidance, check out our sample press release template.
Always Follow Up
Immediately after sending your submission email, reach out directly via email, Twitter, or LinkedIn. If you have a standing relationship, consider calling. In a brief message, let them know you’ve just sent a PR and share a few intriguing teasers. Provide your contact information for further questions and exit gracefully.
Even if your original PR isn’t published, following up can establish a cordial line of communication, improving your chances of publishing PRs down the line.
Leverage Social Media
Before publication, optimize your headline and intro for different formats. Think about how each social platform best serves the message of your PR, and what kinds of engagement you’re looking to push forward.
Here’s an example of what happens when a brand misses the mark:
Between 2 identical posts, the topic garnered only 7 likes. With so little interaction, the wording wasn’t relevant enough to hook their Facebook audience.
Here’s an example of a press release optimized for social media:
Reebok’s #PermissionToPause press release was primed for Twitter from the get-go.
By reworking the headline, too, Reebok stimulated engagement, which drove their posts to the top of the trending hashtag.
Make it Shareable
Many brands craft shareable versions of their press releases for their websites to show transparency.
If your brand decides to go this route, be careful not to use the exact same PR, especially if it was published as-is. Google will demote it, which could cost your website valuable SEO.
Some brands get around this by creating an investor portal and fan portal, with formal press releases and blog versions of PRs, respectively. Others have a news section of their website that includes PRs published by major publications, which works as a credibility-booster.
No matter which method you choose, adding social buttons for easy sharing will boost the reach of your PR.
Ready to spread the word? Leap from sideshow to main stage with the help of our expert on-staff journalists.
Hit “Send”
By now, you’ve got the tools you need to know how to distribute a press release. By building a tailored media list and sticking to submission guidelines, you’ll have a publish-ready piece at your fingertips. You’re ready to email your press release to journalists with confidence. Now it’s time to hit “send”.
Need to sharpen your news before sending it to the press? Check our Content Shop.
That’s what one big brand was spending per month on press release distribution, according to a study by marketing agency owner Tim Grice, posted on Moz in 2012.
That’s a huge number.
For the past year now, at Express Writers, we’ve offered syndicated online press release distribution to all of our customers, at rates well below what our former news partner charged on their own site. Our clients got a good deal—and we felt happy to offer it to them.
That is, until this October—when we stood back and looked at the actual benefit of online, syndicated news. I even got two experts on the line to help me dig up solid truths about this industry. (I’m indebted to Steve Rayson at BuzzSumo for pulling metrics and data for me, and Tim Grice at Branded3 for an updated quote.)
Our findings weren’t good, by any means.
That’s why we’re calling our findings the wicked witch of online press syndication and turning it into a Halloween post.
Here’s the (in the spirit of Halloween—cold, dead) truth: if you’re paying for syndicated news, you might just be wasting every single dollar you sink into that channel.
Don’t just be frightened by the witch: know the facts and make an informed decision the next time you choose to put your money into syndicated news (or not).
The Story Behind the Study: What Inspired Me to Take a Deeper Look at Press Release Distribution
I’d noticed a pattern: in 2012, when we started offering distribution, I saw amazing, fast results in Google. For instance, one press release we did back then was about a stuffed toy. Their keyword, a solid, low competition long-tail, ranked #3 in Google in just days—the #3 result was their actual PRWeb release. Now thatwas value!
But I haven’t seen this happen since that day. And we’re talking out of dozens to hundreds of press releases that our team has written and distributed by now. On average, we distribute 6-10 press releases for clients in a month. We have so many clients that complain about the reports we send them. “This is all the data and results we get?” And the truth is: we didn’t really have an answer for them. The quality of the news results online was finicky. I’d see an online Fox station pick it up—and then it would be gone the next day, when I was ready to send the link to the client. Results weren’t permanent. And nothing showed in the first page of Google for their (great) long-tail news keywords.
The more I saw this happening, the more I realized I needed to research syndicated distribution. A bad feeling in my gut drove me to do it before we renewed our contract this year. And sure enough, what I found was pretty dire.
To make my research and findings official, I got in touch with my friend Steve Rayson, Director at BuzzSumo, for an exclusive study: and even got in touch personally with Tim Grice from Branded3.com, the author of the Moz piece, for some updated findings.
Let’s dive in to the findings.
Interview with Tim Grice: The Cold, Hard, Dead Truth of Syndicated Online Press Release Distribution
Here’s what Tim Grice had to say, when I sat down with him to discuss his Moz post and what he’d say about online press syndication currently as it stands in 2016.
Julia: You shared your findings on how budgets are being wasted with online press release syndication, back in 2012. Would you say it’s become an even bigger waste of budget in 2016? Or have you seen brands adapting, and investing less in online PR?
Tim: The Moz post is specifically referring to online PR syndication (PR Newswire, etc). SEO agencies and in-house teams were using them as a primary link building channel, firing out boring stories that got absolutely no pick up and the online links created were from low value directories.
In 2008, it worked really well to game Google’s rankings: but by 2012, it should have been on its way out. Not so much. Link building was becoming difficult and it was the easy go-to option for many agencies.
Here’s the thing: if anyone is using syndication for links today, they should be fired.
[clickToTweet tweet=”There is no value in press release syndication for SEO purposes. – @Tim_Grice” quote=”There is no value in press release syndication for SEO purposes. – @Tim_Grice”]
Journalists are already inundated with companies offering up information for free, and there is no need to check a press wire.
Julia: Why is online PR a bad idea for a link building investment?
Tim: Online PR done right is not a bad idea, syndicating crap stories around the web for a handful of links on press wires is a terrible SEO strategy; no relevance, no authority, no trust. Creating genuinely insightful content or offering up unique data and selling it indirectly to journalists and bloggers is the right approach to online PR (done right, you can generate hundreds of high authority links from a single campaign).
Julia: Is there any good form of online syndication?
Tim: Not that I am aware of.
[clickToTweet tweet=”Anything designed to create quick, easy links is almost always a waste of time and money. -@Tim_Grice” quote=”Anything designed to create quick, easy links is almost always a waste of time and money. -@Tim_Grice”]
Julia: What is a much better way to invest revenue to boost your online marketing, instead of online PR?
Tim: Done right, online PR can return good ROI as well as high authority links, however the fact is that where you invest will depend purely on the gaps in your strategy.
From an SEO stand point, if you rank in the top five you’ve probably got enough links to be position one, and you should work on the technical side of it, CTR’s, mobile and great content.
Final word…
[clickToTweet tweet=”Syndication is never a good investment, and I would opt for any other tactic. – @Tim_Grice” quote=”Syndication is never a good investment, and I would opt for any other tactic. – @Tim_Grice”]
BuzzSumo: What Is The ROI Of Press Release Distribution (Syndication)?
To further dig into the reality of how ugly the press release syndicated world is, I asked my friend Steve Rayson over at BuzzSumo to get some exclusive findings. He was happy to accommodate, and here’s what we found. Ready?
To wrap up our findings…
On average, press releases on the top two syndication sites get a measly 24 shares–total. Fact: 24 shares don’t equate to people actually reading, yet alone someone clicking a link in a release. Over 50% of URLs shared on Twitter are never clicked (BuzzSumo).
Big ticket question:
Are shares inflated by syndicated press release distribution networks?
Using Moz’s Open Site Explorer, we found out that the press release with 149k shares has only 1 backlink with a Domain Authority well below quality (19 on a scale of 100).
Investigating further, the backlink itself has 4 spam flags.
As we end, if you’re still choosing to go with PR syndicated distribution, I ask you to ask yourself:
If the highest shared press release in existence has only one backlink, which is spammy, what real value are you getting out of your syndicated press release distributions?
Are we still doing press release writing? Yes!
We still offer press release writing from expert journalists! A PR in and of itself, as Grice said, holds much value (as long as you’re using something a little better quality than the syndicated online network.) As of October 31, we no longer offer distribution only. Get your written press release here.
Press releases are pretty straightforward. They only deal with facts and you don’t have to worry about convincing people to buy a product that they’re not really interested in.
So, writing a PR shouldn’t be any trouble at all, right? Wrong.
Here you go!
Why You Need To Follow Press Release Examples
A lot of writers that happen to be brilliant creative writers can still struggle with Press Releases. One of the main problems that some writers come across when writing press releases is trying to keep everything concise. A lot of writers might be used to padding out their work and looking for extra little tidbits that will help them reach their target word count. The press release is a completely different beast though. Sometimes the best idea is for a writer to look at a press release example to get a feel of how a good PR should look and feel.
The Search Is On
Now, you would think that looking for press release examples would be fairly easy. Uncle Google provides plenty of answers to more complex questions every day. But then when you type those three small words in to the little box and hit enter — you get more than you bargained for.
Which Example Is Best?
There are small press releases and large press releases. There are press releases by industry and press releases by date. With all these examples, how do you know which one will suit your specific needs?
In order to figure this out, you’ll need to know what your needs are. How much do you really know about writing a press release? What kind of questions do you need to have answered before you can write the perfect PR? Let’s start from the beginning.
What Do You Need to Consider?
Press releases are solely for newsworthy events. This is an extremely strict rule (although one that many people break regularly); but that doesn’t mean that PRs can’t cover a whole host of subjects. They could be about anything from a merger between companies to a business offering a discount for some reason.
1. What’s it about? Make a note of the news that you need to write about in the press release. If a company is opening its doors for the first time in a while, look for similar PRs by typing in search terms that might be used for your company.
2. How should it read? The examples that are thrown out from this search will more than likely give you an idea on the style and tone of a press release (hint: it’s not conversational like a blog, PRs are serious stuff!) as well as how the press release should be presented. Generally speaking, a PR should be made up of around 4 paragraphs that give details of a company’s news to interested parties.
3. What should it include? You’ll notice that PRs won’t use any more words than necessary to tell the facts of the story. This is for two reasons. One: the structure of a press release is designed to give all the major details at the very start of the article to make sure the reader gets all the important information even if they don’t finish reading the full piece. And two: to make sure the important information isn’t cut off if the editor decides to shorten the article.
Templates
Because the basics of press release writing follow the same rules, the structure of PRs can be quite uniform. So it stands to reason that as well as studying a live version of a press release example for content ideas, many writers like to use templates to write their news releases as well.
There are a number of good programs that utilize press release templates:
Word – As part of the Microsoft Office suite, Word is a popular choice for many writers. Typing “press release” in the search box for online templates will give several options for PR templates that the user can fill their own details in for a quick and professional look.
Microsoft Publisher – Writers can follow step by step instructions from one of the thousands of ‘How To’ articles online and make their own template using a program like Microsoft Publisher. They can then save the template and use it every time they need to write a press release. Due to the uniformity of PRs, writers should be able to use the same template each time with minimal amount of tweaks.
PRWeb: PRWeb is one of the top leading sites to distribute press releases online. It has the highest amount of traffic and the most-shared news stories in terms of press releases. Here’s an example of a press release we wrote for PRWeb (note the correct title, subtitle & formatting overall):
Anyone Can Write a Press Release
This is absolutely true. Anyone can have a go at writing press releases — in the same way that anyone could have a go at driving a car or walking a tight rope; not everyone can be successful at it.
Anyone trying to write a press release and knows how to follow good press release examples needs to remember some fundamental points about how it should look, how it should read and what it needs to contain. Looking at one press release example can help with this. But looking at a number of examples that show both ends of the spectrum will give an even better idea.
Things to Remember
Press releases don’t have to be the most complicated thing in the world. Remember to:
Use a bold headline to grab attention
List the news first and tell people everything they need to know in detail
Look at other PRs for a similar event within the same industry. Make notes on what does and doesn’t work
Answer the main questions that everyone needs to know “who, where, what, why, when and how?”
DO NOT sell anything to anyone. A press release is always objective and only offers the facts
If you can remember these points and learn from other press release examples then you might well be able to write a useful, informative press release that gets noticed.
Modern Press Releases
In today’s world, the way the press release is actually released is slightly different — actually a lot different. People can skip the pitch part of the process and go right to publication. For example:
1. The client requests a PR
2. The writer writes the PR
3. Client sends the PR to an online press release distributer
4. The PR will be sent to journalists and bloggers relevant to the particular industry of the press release, but it will also become live on the Internet exactly as it’s been written.
What Does This Mean?
Press releases must be written exceptionally well so that they could actually be an editorial story. In the past, the only people who saw press releases in their raw form were the journalists and the editors who were being asked to run the story. Now, online press releases mean everybody gets a shot at being seen. While this might sound nice, the harsh reality is that people might have stood a better chance of their PR being read with the old way. As harsh as the journalists might be on a PR, at least the ones that made it would have gone to press in the best light possible. Now, it’s up to companies and their marketing team to come up with a PR that wows the public all on their own. That might sound like a fairly easy task to a writer who hasn’t had much experience with writing press releases, especially with some good press release examples to follow, but the fact of the matter is that press releases are written in a very particular way.
Press Releases in a Nutshell
When it comes to writing effective press releases that people want to read, there are a few things to remember:
Use an attention-grabbing headline that tells the reader exactly what to expect in the PR itself. It’s best to be direct here and get right to the point. Press releases aren’t about leaving people guessing.
Lead with the news. The most important factors should be right at the top of the PR. Taking three paragraphs to let people know the purpose of the press release just won’t cut it. In fact, if a writer waits three paragraphs to explain the news in a PR it’s unlikely that they’ll even have a reader by that point.
Keep everything factual. It’s not a personal account or a fictional story. You’re reporting a news event for a business or company. The PR should answer the “who, what, where, when, why and how?” questions. Once you have the answers to these questions, you’ll be able to get an idea of the structure of the piece. Once the basic structure is down with the answers to the 5 “W” questions, it’s a matter of putting the story together in a logical order.
Check and re-check your work. Any PRs that show potential for being legitimate news stories still have the opportunity to be picked up by journalists, editors and bloggers of various publications. However, if the PR is full of errors, poorly-written and generally tosh, then nobody will want to touch it with a barge pole. Not the public, not the media, not even your own grandmother who’s always been your biggest fan.
Write for your audience. You might not be selling anything, but you still want people to read your work. You need to think about the information that the reader will want. Part of this will come from the 5 “W” questions, but it will also come from the details that you use to answer the questions.
If you get stuck at all, there are plenty of press release examples online that will show you what you should be aiming for. Just make sure you pick a good example though, because there are plenty of horrendous press release examples that are enough to make your toes curl.
Some of the Worst Press Release Examples Ever
To understand the worth of something, sometimes you have to see the worst example ever to truly understand.
Examples of Bad Press Releases
You know when you’re in class, everyone’s reading from the same book and there’s always that one kid that’s on a different page than everyone else? That kid gets every project slightly off skew because they’re always using the wrong information. In school, this can lead to bad marks. In a press release, it can lead to a writer being black listed in the media.
If you’re wondering what bad press releases look like, then here are a few real life examples of press releases where the author has clearly been reading from the wrong page of the ‘how to write a good press release’ book.
Content Marketing Today revealed the incredibly gripping PR about the ‘ACME PRIVATE BANK MOVES TO SEVENTH FLOOR’ that is a real headline for a real press release. Wow. Just wow. The most obvious question here is, “who cares?” Under no circumstances is this considered news to anybody on the planet, which is why this PR can be classed as a fail.
Another site revealed gems such as:
“A Truly Innovative Way to Lose Weight” Breaks the fundamental rule of not pitching a sale to the reader. The last paragraph could have been taken straight from a landing page. Bad, bad, bad.
“Supreme Key used for Grease Removal and Cleaning Services” This one will need to be seen to be believed. The main problem here seems to be the fact that although the words are indeed English, the way they’re put together doesn’t form one single English sentence throughout the whole PR.
For new PR writers, it’s a good idea to look at both good and bad press release examples to gain a better idea of how to do it, and exactly what to stay clear of!
Overall, the humble press release has been used to grab people’s attention and bring companies into the spotlight through factual, newsworthy stories. Journalists and editors all over the world have become accustomed to receiving hundreds of press releases each week, reading through them and picking out those that will appeal to their readers. Press release examples that tick the boxes will be published, and hopefully the company will benefit from the exposure. At least that’s how it used to be.
Timing matters in love, conversations, and in PR distribution strategies like deciding when to release a press release. What you want is to be at the top of the inbox the moment a news editor sits down to begin his search for the newsworthy. When asked when to release a press release, we always say there is no guarantee, but you can increase your chances by making sure your perfectly-written PR is not buried under loads of spam.
10 Factors To Consider When Strategizing The Best Times To Release a Press Release
Let’s start our discussion on when to release a press release with a couple of fast facts about editors (your first audience). The information below may seem obvious and silly, but they will impact your PR distribution strategy.
Most people, including editors, are at sleep at 4 A.M.
People don’t check their emails and read PRs while driving.
Very few check their emails while they are eating.
Sunday is a rest day.
Other countries may be in different time zones.
People hate working at the end of the business day, which is sometime between 6 P.M. to 8 P.M.
People check their email first thing in the morning, but not before they’ve had their first cup coffee.
Holidays are not business days.
People love holidays, so they think about holidays the day before holidays.
Most people are asleep by midnight. If they’re not, they’re doing something more fun than reading PRs and checking emails.
The best tips on when to release a press release are the painfully obvious ones, and the same is true when deciding when to release a press release. If you were an editor, on what day and at which time are you likely to be checking your email in search for an interesting new story?
In strategically planning when to release a press release, remember that editors usually begin the business day by checking emails, but if you send your PR too early, expect to be outranked by other emails within an hour. Entrepreneur writes that 23.63% of all emails are opened one hour after they are sent, and the rate drops as the minutes pass. This tells us that very few editors make the effort to dig into the bottom of the pile.
You should be distributing your material within the hour that it is most visible to your target audience when strategizing when to release a press release. The same Entrepreneur article adds that 8 to 9 in the morning is when click-through rates are at the highest. This is an advice that GetResponse echoes so 8 A.M. to 9 A.M. is a pretty safe period when to release a press release.
Distributing a PR sometime before 9:30 A.M. is especially critical when you are writing a material that impacts stocks trading. You have to be able to send it in before the Wall Street bell rings.
Is there an ideal day when to release a press release? Definitely. Editors will check their emails all throughout the business week, but you should try to avoid three things:
1) Heavy communications traffic
2) Holidays in other regions which you may not be aware of
3) Days when editors and virtually all types of workers are eager to skip out
Mondays are busy days for everyone, not just editors, so prepare to be elbowed out by a ton of competition. Because of the influx of all types of communication on a Monday, working people have developed the habit of cleaning out their inbox on this day. If your PR title and email subject are not as strong as they should be, there is a greater chance of your work ending up in the virtual trash bin. So Monday’s not exactly the best day when to release a press release.
The problem with Fridays is that most people are thinking “Thank Goodness!” TGIF. In their eagerness to end an exhausting week, most editors are not keen on going through a long roster of PRs. In the case of paper publications, press releases picked out on a Friday are published in the weekend edition, so that’s not an ideal situation either.
Saturdays and Sundays are slow days for press release engagements. Unless you historically have a high success rate on weekends, don’t go for weekends in deciding when to release a press release.
Finally, you have to take note of all the holidays that might affect your PR distribution strategy. In deciding when to release a press release, you should avoid releasing PR the day before a holiday and the holiday itself. The key is to catch editors when they are in work mode, which means they want to seek out great and informative PRs to publish. On holidays and the day before one, people are thinking about rest and recreation, and quality time with their families. So even if you have a brilliantly written PR, your target is just not in the mood for it. Include international holidays in your Smartphone or computer calendar so you get instantly alerted as you decide when to release a press release.
Especially if you are targeting a global audience, you should be aware of time differences and special holidays. What time is it in London? What day is it in China? Deciding when to release a press release also involves studying business schedules in other regions not just your home city.
The consideration when to release a press release has become an integral part of PR distribution especially now that competition is tough and audiences are global. If you don’t develop a keen sense when to release a press release, your well-written PR may never get the attention it deserves.
Timing may not be everything in love, and conversations, but in PR distribution, strategy is everything in knowing when to release your press release.
The best pointer on when to release a press release is to religiously track your own success, and to study the rhythm of your own target audience. If you do that and keep the above tips in mind, you should be able to decide when to release a press release that records the highest response rates.
“When to release a press release:” this is a frequently asked question in today’s PR & online marketing world.
It might sound silly, but the answer matters a great deal now that everyone is vying for the (limited) attention of key online and paper publications.
Even the most brilliant PR writers might be at a loss as to why their response rates are so low.
Was the writing poorly done? Not necessarily. The problem might be in distribution, particularly timing.
Learn the best times to release your news story.
When to Release a Press Release: PR Distribution Tips
To develop a keen sense of when to release a press release, PR writers ought to ask themselves a couple of simple questions:
1) When do editors check their emails?
2) How do I make sure that my email and PR land at the top of the inbox by the time editors sit down to work?
3) When are editors too busy to give my material a chance?
4) How do these factors come into play when I decide when to release a press release?
If you work on answering these questions, planning when to release a press release becomes more strategic. Let’s talk about days first.
When to release a press release? The best day is Thursday.
Weekends are for rest and recreation. Saturdays and Sundays are usually earmarked for quality time with kids, or to catch up on hobbies. It is generally not advisable to distribute your PRs on weekends when editors aren’t thinking about work.
The best days to release a press release are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Mondays are fine, but reporters, editors, and practically everyone who is working is busier on the first business day of the workweek. Getting a PR published on a Monday is like driving to work at rush hour. Remember this the next time you decide when to release a press release.
Based on data provided by GetResponse, Thursdays record the most number of click-throughs compared to any other day of the week. This is a very useful pointer on when to release a press release, but remember that PRs are still news. They are meant to be timely and fresh.
If a product is launched on a Monday, and you would like to send out news on how the launching went, release the PR as soon as possible: on the same day or on Tuesday. You don’t have to wait for Thursday just because we say the stats are higher then. “Strike when the iron is hot” is a good tip to remember when deciding when to release a press release. Editors couldn’t care less about old news.
Also factor in holidays and vacations when you figure out when to release a press release strategically. Obviously these are very slow days, and are among the worst days for PR engagement (unless you own a retail shop or a small restaurant so your business is at its peak). For most types of businesses though, it is poor timing to send out PR:
On three-day weekend holidays like 4th of July, Labor Day or Memorial Day weekend. Never go for long weekends when you pick a date to release a press release.
During the Christmas week, particularly three days before Christmas Day
A couple of days before the New Year and a day after
Other major religious holidays in your country and abroad
When is the most ideal time for distributing PR? 8:30 to 9:00 A.M.
To figure out the ideal hour when to release a press release, here are some useful stats and facts from the Entrepreneur:
The fewest emails are sent from midnight to 6 am because everyone is asleep probably (including PR writers and distributors)
The majority of emails are sent from 6 am to noon, and click-throughs occur more between 8 A.M. to 9 A.M.
In the afternoon, there is a high-click through rate from 3 P.M. to 8 P.M., but opens happen mostly from 3 P.M. to 4 P.M.
Finally, most PRs sent through email are responded to within an hour after they’ve been sent. The chances of PRs being read drops after that first hour
As you plan when to release a press release, take note of what these numbers tell you about the habits and schedules of editors.
At 6 am, very early birds send their PRs out in the hopes of getting ahead. The problem with this tactic is that at six, editors have probably just gotten up, and are still preparing to get to work. By the time the clock strikes eight, there’ll be more than a hundred emails listed ahead of the very early bird’s PR. It won’t be noticed.
Wondering when to release a press release for maximum exposure? Sometime between 8:30 A.M. and 9:00 A.M. is the best time to email in a PR. There is a greater chance that your target editor will be at his desk and ready for work. He will instantly see your material as it comes. If such clever timing is combined with catchy titles and well-written leads, you might actually get the response you are hoping for.
In some cases, news breaks midday. If you don’t want to wait for the next business day to spread the buzz, email in your PR early in the afternoon. Because of high-click through rates recorded at this time, 3 P.M. to 4 P.M. is an ideal hour to release a press release.
Business days usually end around 5 P.M. to 6 P.M. Editors don’t have the energy and the inclination to scout for great PRs towards the end of an exhausting day. The state of mind of your first audience (journalists and editors) is an important consideration in deciding when to release a press release.
Some online resources on when to release a press release claim that people check their emails around 8 pm just to make sure they haven’t missed anything urgent. You can give it a try if you want (competition for attention might be less tough at 8 pm), but it’s riskier as well. Most people do their own thing after business hours, and might not be in the mood for reading PRs no matter how brilliantly done.
These tips on when to release a press release should serve as guides, but they won’t work every single time.
At the end of the day, the best way to grab the attention of target editors and journalists is write to-the-point press releases that truly offer valuable information. Remember that rule of thumb, and your foundations will be correct for best results.