The Press Release Isn’t Dead!

How many times have you heard that “the press release is dead.” We get it… The world of public relations (PR) has changed and is still changing significantly. However, just because there is a shift in the approach doesn’t mean we have to throw away all of the tools we have used in the past. It just means we need to adapt them to use them in different ways.

Historically, press releases (also called media releases) have been used to address a specific issue or announcement. They were meant to legitimize your organization because it is an announcement through an official channel.

For some organizations that are accountable to shareholders, press releases are used in the same way they always were. They are meant to announce company news through official channels to create official, public records. But what about publicly traded companies who aren’t accountable to shareholders? Those who are just looking to generate some buzz about their brand?

The press release isn’t dead, it’s just grown up.

Here are 5 thoughts on how the modern day press release lives on:

K.I.S.S.

The old “Keep It Simple, Stupid” rule should apply to your press releases. Self-serving press releases full of industry jargon that span multiple pages are not going to get you anywhere. Put yourself in the Twitter mindset and give yourself a character limit. This will force you to cut the fluff and use simplified language to get your point across.

If you are sending this release to the media, they don’t have time to sift through all of the jargon and self-promotion to get to the story. They need to be able to scan a document and get the gist of the story in a few seconds. Focus on delivering facts, figures, relevant quotes, photos, videos, insights, and information. If you are having trouble getting to the point, put together a fact sheet instead of a press release.

Remember your audience

You should write differently when you write for your customers vs. when you write for the media. One is promotional and the other is informational. The type of language and tone should feel different.

Informational writing doesn’t have to be dry and boring though. You should still consider your audience when you are writing – media contacts are people too. If your press release is being written for serious business media, take a more serious tone, if it is being written for lifestyle media outlets that don’t take life to seriously you can be more lighthearted in your approach. It all comes down to doing your research and knowing who your audience is – try to match their writing style with your own.

Embrace Technology

Like it or not, technology is here to stay. There are two ways this affects press releases. First, press releases don’t break news anymore. In an age of Twitter and other spontaneous online channels, the news breaks as it happens. Press releases allow organizations and individuals to provide context to the breaking news. It is a way for their message to be shared on their own terms.

The other way press releases are affected by technology is that it has changed the way we can present information and context – not every press release has to be written! You can use multimedia components and other visuals to get your message across. In fact, these other visual components are often more well-received on consumer channels – viral video anyone? You can use your content and promote it across all of your digital channels.

If your announcement is more consumer-facing, a traditional press release might not get the message across in an effective way. Consider Snapchat and other social media channels to break your news. Have your press release ready to send to media who are interested in more information about your breaking news announcement.

Nothing beats good old relationship building

One issue many people have with press releases is that they are a one-size-fits-all solution to information sharing. You write a release and then you share it verbatim either over the wire or via email. Nine times out of ten these types of pitches will get deleted immediately. You need to make an effort to get to know your media contacts and tailor your pitch so that it is highlighted by the press release, not driven by the press release. The more effort you put into building a relationship with your media contact, the more likely they are to cover your story.

Use it as a small part of your overall strategy

Traditional media relations is only a small part of the bigger PR picture for brands looking to raise awareness and gain a large, loyal following. As great as it is to see your name in print or get a segment on a popular morning show, it’s not the most important part of PR anymore. The shifting media landscape has opened up many opportunities for brands looking to generate buzz.

Press releases, unless for publicly traded company announcements for shareholders, should act more as advisories for events and informational tools to help journalists get all the details they need. They should be used sparingly and in tandem with an overall marketing and PR strategy. It’s just one piece of the puzzle. You need to do more than just issue a press release to generate buzz.

Is the press release dead? No. It’s just had to adapt to stay alive in a changing world of technology and audience attention spans. The key is that you need to adapt with it.