A Simplified Press Release Framework Enables Systematic Thinking

 

How viewing press releases as newsworthy or credibility-building enables a systematic approach to PR planning

 

To simplify this discussion about press releases, let’s bucket them into two primary categories: those that are intended to be newsworthy and those that primarily exist to build credibility.

Separating them into these oversimplified categories helps illuminate how they can be best used and their place in the PR mix. It also expands our thinking about what can be announced via press release.

Defining newsworthy and credibility-building releases

Newsworthy press releases are those which have relevance or consequence to the company’s audiences. Often, these are editorially significant and journalists might deem them worthy of an article if the news is relevant to the intended audience. Potential topics could include:

• successful product implementations that produced quantifiable results
• new product releases, or new features and significant update releases
• new partnerships, investments, or business deals especially for publicly traded companies
• new research or other significant findings that are of value to either a general or specific audience

Credibility press releases are the squishier bits of news, which often isn’t a fact or information target audiences would actively seek, but which supports over brand awareness, engagement, and trust. Often these releases are sales enablement tools. Releases in this category are less likely to earn media coverage beyond niche publications, or with journalists who focus on a brand or class of products. Credibility releases are often about:

• reaching a target in sales or utilization
• hiring an executive or making other dramatic and positive staffing changes
• meeting a technical standard or earning certification by an industry review board
• issuing an official statement or position
• releasing information about strategic company moves
• expressing empathy or support of actions or groups

Credibility-building releases add value

Credibility releases contribute to the overall impression around a brand, or they contribute to a narrative thread which is especially helpful when introducing a company or solution to an audience, or when correcting misperceptions and recovering from a crisis. Eliciting an emotional reaction is their superpower. These releases can create or reinforce the emotional connection people have with a brand because they can be narratives.

Our job in PR is often to enlarge a client’s vision of what is worthy of a press release. Marketing teams and company leadership might be thinking linearly. Their impression may be that press releases are only vehicles to report product news. When we break down the credibility category and explain its function, then it is much easier to see where those softer items might lie and envision their value.

Do distribution options differ?

Once the leadership team agrees that there is a need for credibility releases, it’s time to be clear about how they are distributed.

Newsworthy releases are pitched to journalists at general news outlets who have demonstrated an interest in the topic and they are pitched to relevant trade publications. They are often worth paying for wire service distribution. They should always be shared on owned channels and posted to the company newsroom.

Newsworthy releases are also the most likely news items to warrant being offered as an exclusive. If there are numbers to report either about usage or growth, this is the time to offer previews of the data which also can improve the chances of pickup.

Credibility releases, on the other hand, might be of interest to a select group of journalists or more likely, a communicator influencer like a freelance reporter with their own Substack. These are the times when knowing a beat and the journalists who cover it is particularly helpful. It is more expedient for PR pros who know the journalists and trades covering that space to figure out the likely angle to the story and who to pitch.

Credibility-building releases need to be posted in your company newsroom and shared on owned channels, but there may be times when that doesn’t apply. There are many generalizations we can make, but an equal number of exceptions.

By the way, these suggestions do not apply to material news and announcements from public companies because they must follow the rules of Fair Disclosure.

Is it worth publishing credibility-building releases on the wire?

It is not unusual to skip the expense for wire services on credibility-building releases. The best wire services will land a decent number of “feeds” (which are verbatim reposting of the press release with the wire service being credited). A better use of funds, however, can be to pay for posting the press release on the selected industry trades that charge for such services. In education, some that charge include EdTech Chronicle, K-12 Dive, and HE Dive. There are still a few education trades that will pick up these releases if the editors deem the topic to be of interest to their readers.

What is a good cadence for press releases?

Recommending a target number of press releases per month can be a futile exercise because one needs to understand the client, the space, target audiences, and potential news items for 6 months or a year. Nonetheless, I’m willing to say that for budgeting and planning purposes – without the benefit of knowing anything more about my readers’ clients – plan for one press release a month.

One release per month doesn’t do justice to the full planning process and the unforeseen needs that arise. Instead, I suggest this frequency more for two reasons. First, how it reflects the cycle of surfacing information, writing and editing, pitching, and then managing inquiries. Second, publishing news every four weeks suggests momentum. It isn’t so frequent as to weary ardent supporters.

Four weeks is an easy interval of time to conceptualize. Just like Agile planning helps manage IT and programming projects, four-week cycles can bring efficiency while also forcing creativity as the PR team digs for topics to support the overall messaging goals.

In over 25 years of PR work, I’ve never encountered a company that was able to follow a strict once-a-month cycle of press releases. However, when looking back at the frequency for most of our clients, we do find they average out to 10-12 press releases issued per year. Applying that general assumption to your company could inspire a new way of thinking about what is release worthy and it can help with the associated budgeting and personal planning. More importantly, it may inspire renewed thinking about the need for building and nurturing credibility for the organization.