How to Write a Press Release That Gets Picked Up by Journalists

By Full Editorial

You have written the news and are in the race to secure the acceptance of being featured on top media outlets, but the competition is very intense. Every business of your niche is working hard and sending hundreds of emails to the editors/ journalists with the hope of getting featured.

Are you in the queue too?

Research displays that despite several attempts and spending a lot of money, the number of rejections is still high. Affecting the businesses’ capabilities of earning premium media visibility and credibility in their industry. However, only the one that stands out, seeking more attention and promising more engagement, wins the game.

So, the question is: Where are you going wrong? What is the mistake? Most of the failed cases are seen due to insufficient PR knowledge, inaccuracy in news release writing, making mistakes, and undervaluing a proper PR distribution strategy.

In this article, we will discuss how to write a press release that gets picked up by journalists in detail.

1. Why Most Press Releases Fail to Get Noticed?

It is seen that the majority of the press releases never make it beyond the editorial inbox. And the reason is very simple, it is not because the news isn’t relevant, but because it doesn’t read like a real news but your brand’s promotional content.

Common issues include:

Using extremely promotional content on your news that feels more like an ad.
Failing to keep a story angle that matters clearly.
Not using credible information like data or quotes.
Not providing contact information for follow-up.
Not having a PR team to focus on the news formatting makes the editors to lose interest.

While writing a release, make sure your business does not promote your brand, but give a story that matters. Journalists are not looking to promote your brand but to find information that steals the attention of the audience. Therefore, always be sure to use a story-driven angle to increase your chances of getting picked up by popular PR sites like Bloomberg, Business Insider, AP News, Benzinga, Marketwatch, etc.

2. Think Like a Journalist, Not a Brand

If you are really looking to get your press release picked up by journalists, then start thinking the way they do.

So before you start writing a release, ask the following question:

Is your story relevant to the time in the industry or to the world?
Will the news draw the attention of the readers?
Does it offer something valuable, useful, or surprising that sets it apart from routine announcements?

Journalists work under tight deadlines, and they have very limited space to fill the news. They’re not behind fluff or things that do not matter to the audience, instead, they hunt for substance.

So always ensure to write stories around what the reader would care about, rather than writing what you want to announce.