A press release is an official communication sent to media outlets with the purpose of announcing important news or developments. It serves as a tool for organizations to inform the public and media about noteworthy events, such as product launches, company expansions, partnerships, or crises. Press releases are typically written in a standardized, news-focused format to make it easier for journalists to pick up the story and publish it.

A press release can be a powerful tool in public relations, offering a formal way to announce significant news while shaping public perception and building awareness. By adhering to a structured format and distributing it through various channels, organizations can gain media attention, manage their brand reputation, and effectively communicate with both the media and the public. Whether you’re launching a product, managing a crisis, or promoting an event, press releases remain an essential component of modern PR strategies.

Structure of a Press Release

A well-crafted press release typically follows a structured format designed to convey key information succinctly.

Here’s a breakdown of its essential components:

1. Headline: A concise, eye-catching title that summarizes the news. The headline is crucial as it grabs the attention of journalists that recieve the press release. Note: News outlets may decide to use this headline in their publications, which means that it will also reach the public. It is important to pick a headline that is suitable for both journalists and the public.
2. Lead Paragraph: This paragraph answers the basic questions: who, what, where, when, and why. It serves as a summary of the press release, giving readers an immediate understanding of the news being shared.
3. Body: The main content expands on the details introduced in the lead paragraph. It includes background information, key statistics, and quotes from relevant individuals, such as company executives or stakeholders. This section provides context and depth to the announcement. Quotes are often used to add credibility and humanize the content, and can help provide insight into the significance of the news while also adding a personal touch to the message.
4. Boilerplate: This is a standard paragraph at the end of the press release that provides background information about the company or organization. It is a concise overview of who the company is, its mission, and any other relevant details. It is common to use the same boilerplate for multiple press releases, but it is a good habit to always double-check that the information is still current and correct before you send out a new release.
5. Contact Information: This section includes the details of the company’s public relations representative or press contact so that journalists can follow up with questions or interview requests.

Purpose and Importance of a Press Release

Press releases serve multiple purposes in public relations:

1. Generating Media Coverage: The primary goal is to get media outlets to pick up the story and report it to a broader audience. By presenting news in a structured way, companies make it easier for journalists to craft their stories.
2. Shaping Public Perception: By controlling the information that reaches the public, companies can manage how their brand or message is perceived. A well-crafted press release helps ensure that the organization is presented in a favorable light.
3. Building Awareness: Whether it’s launching a new product, announcing a partnership, or responding to a crisis, a press release can quickly build awareness across various platforms.
4. Investor and Stakeholder Communication: A press release can be an effective way of communicating with investors and stakeholders.
5. SEO and Digital Presence: Modern press releases, when posted online, help increase a company’s visibility on search engines. Using relevant keywords can boost a company’s SEO rankings, driving traffic to their website.
6. Crisis Management: A press release can be an important tool in the toolbox for handling a crisis. It can help disseminate important information, clear up missunderstandings, quench rumours, and help shape the narrative. It can also serve to communicate that the organization is aware of the situation and is taking it seriously.

Benefits of Using a Press Release

1. Cost-Effective Marketing: Press releases offer a relatively low-cost way to get your message out to a large audience. Media coverage can reach millions of people without the need for expensive advertising campaigns.
2. Increased Credibility: Being featured in reputable news outlets gives the company credibility and helps establish trust with the public.
3. Control Over Messaging: By issuing a press release, companies maintain control over how the news is presented. They can emphasize key messages and avoid misrepresentation by providing clear, direct information.

How Press Releases Are Distributed

There are several ways to distribute a press release to ensure it reaches the right audience:

1. Direct Distribution: PR teams often send press releases directly to their network of journalists, editors, and media outlets. They may pitch the story personally to individual journalists or other decision makers to increase the likelihood of coverage.
2. Press Wires: Services like PR Newswire, Business Wire, and GlobeNewswire distribute press releases to a wide range of media outlets, newsrooms, and digital platforms, ensuring broad visibility.
3. Company Website and Social Media: Companies often publish press releases in a “Newsroom” section on their website. They also share the news via their social media channels to engage with their followers directly.

When to Issue a Press Release

Press releases are used in a variety of situations. Here are a few examples:

1. Product Launches: Announcing the release of a new product or service.
2. Event Announcements: Promoting upcoming events such as conferences, trade shows, or public engagements.
3. Mergers and Acquisitions: Informing the public of major business developments like acquisitions, mergers, or partnerships.
4. Awards and Achievements: Sharing the recognition of awards, milestones, or achievements that enhance a company’s reputation.
5. Crisis Management: Addressing and controlling public communication during a crisis to provide accurate information and avoid speculation.

How Long is a Press Release?

How long a press release is will vary and there are no strict rules. It needs to be long enough to convey the important information with eough nuance, but short enough for journalists to not feel overwhelmed or think that you are hiding important information in a cloud of fluff.

Since the press release might be published in its entirety, it is also important to consider the public´s appetite for the news and how much time the average reader is willing to spend.

What Does it Means When a Press Release Has an Embargo?

If a press release has an embargo, it means that the issuer do not want the content to be published before a certain date and time, and this will be communicated to the recievers of the press release. A company might for instance be set to reveal a new product on a certain date and time, and do not want the press to reveal information about it beforehand. They want to send out the information to journalists beforehand to give them a chance prepare articles about the product launch and publish their stories quickly after the reveal, but they do not want any stories to come out before the reveal has actually taken place.

What is the Difference between a Press Release and a Press Statement?

The two terms Press Release and Press Statements are often used interchangeably in everyday speech, but there can be a subtle difference between them. In certain contexts, the term press statement confers a reactionary statement, i.e. a statement released by an organization or similar as a reaction to an event, public criticism, etcetera. So, while a press release is commonly used to disseminate information about a product release or similar, the press statement comes out when something has already happened and the organization wish to make a public comment on it.

This article was last updated on: September 23, 2024