When audiences engage, both consumers and brands benefit: Brand trust increases, and product design improves, to better meet customer needs. It’s a virtuous cycle model where customer satisfaction fuels growth一more recently codified in top inbound marketing, sales, and CRM platform HubSpot’s flywheel.

Here are a few tips to help improve your consumer engagement and generate the most hits from your press release.

Write Relevant, Newsworthy Content

A press release should be newsworthy rather than promotional. It should be written with intent, to deliver updates and developments and highlight their significance to the market, customers, and industry media. Ask yourself: Why should readers care about this news? Be sure you can answer this question with specifics before drafting the release.

Make Sure Your Release Is Well Written

What does well written mean? Media pros prefer a particular press release format to find important information quickly. This includes:

• A spirited and informative headline to grab the reader’s attention.
• An intro paragraph covering the five Ws: who, what, where, when, and why.
• Body content一an additional two to three paragraphs further explaining the why behind the what and other details.
• Reliable resource links where appropriate.
• At least one quote from a company leader or representative.
• Brand boilerplate language.

Well written also means clear and concise copy free of jargon, acronyms, or poor grammar. Your release should be no longer than 400 to 500 words. Check out media monitoring and analysis software company Agility PR Solutions for more information on the basics of press release writing. When people can get information easily and enjoy what they’re reading, they’re more likely to engage with the content.

Embed Multimedia Content

By most accounts, including that of creative agency Column Five Media, visual content is particularly effective in the pursuit of consumer engagement: It can pique interest before any data is actually consumed, be understood more quickly than text, and be retained more easily than words.

For today’s consumers, digital content of all types一including visual, audio, and more一is the content of choice. By seeing and hearing information, people are more likely to respond emotionally and form memorable connections to the content. According to leading U.S. business magazine Forbes, Americans spend nearly seven hours consuming digital content, every day.

Media pros also know their audiences appreciate multimedia content. Journalists will be more drawn to your content if their readers are likely to engage with it. Using multimedia elements in your press release, then, will likely improve the opportunity for more hits from both readers and journalists. For more, check out News Direct’s comprehensive piece on using multimedia assets as traffic drivers.

Consider Standalone Multimedia

In keeping with the theme of multimedia content, today’s digital consumers also prefer content in bite-sized packages they can easily consume on the go, from anywhere, and on any device. Think Twitter’s 280-character limit, the punchy impact of a good GIF, TikTok’s 60-second video platform, and so on.

A compelling, standalone multimedia piece can also provide the same high-engagement opportunity as other formats. And according to News Direct’s 2019 Market Assessment Study, 86% of journalists surveyed find standalone multimedia appealing.

Start a Dialogue With the Media Before You Pitch Your Press Release

Citing data from the U.S. Census Bureau, global public relations firm Weber Shandwick contends PR pros outnumber journalists by 6.4 to 1一a 300% increase from 20 years ago, when there were 1.9 PR jobs for every reporting job. Today, this translates into more PR pros grappling for the attention of fewer journalists, and an uphill climb to get earned media.

To stand out among the masses, develop relationships with journalists before you pitch them on a press release. Offer them something first before asking for coverage. Introduce yourself and your company, follow them on social media, and comment or share their content. When the time comes to pitch them, you’ll already have an established rapport that could make all the difference.

Consider newer journalists and staffers, too. They’re often more accessible, and may be willing to carry or advocate for your pitch internally. In addition, as they progress through the ranks, you’ll be better positioned to pitch them than others who haven’t done the same leg work.

Target Journalists Carefully Before Pitching Them

Nothing bothers journalists more than content that isn’t germane to their respective beats. According to a News Direct and PR Week survey of media experts on the PR pro-journalist relationship, 89% said “not researching the publication before pitching” was one of the more significant mistakes PR pros make.

Take the time to research media contacts in your niche industry. Get a solid understanding of their specific audiences, unique industry expertise, and particular interests and viewpoints. Check out this piece on how to pitch a press release, for more.

When you have something of genuine interest for a journalist’s audience, reach out. Journalists are more likely to respond when you have information that benefits their readers.

Target Your Press Release Distribution

Build your distribution strategy around well-researched audience segments. Identify what publications and sites your readers consume for information and news on your company or topic. This is likely to include trade press and niche outlets, in addition to larger platforms. The more specific and relevant you can target media outlets, the better chance you’ll get more hits from your press release.

Post Your Press Release on Social Media

As an added boost to your engagement tactics, post your press release on social media. According to nonpartisan research think tank Pew Research Center 48% of Americans got their news from social media at least sometimes in 2021, with Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter the three top go-to channels.

However, be sure to post the release where your target audience segments are一trade groups on Facebook and LinkedIn, for example一or use a specific, relevant hashtag on Twitter. Ensure the content is formatted correctly for each platform and easily shareable.

How News Direct Can Help Generate Hits for Your Press Release

Working with a newswire, enabling deep engagement with your press release is a must. And News Direct is a best-in-class content and distribution company designed with modern media consumption in mind. It makes increasing your chances for audience engagement a breeze.

News Direct users work efficiently within a self-directed platform (the Content Studio) that streamlines press release creation and distribution workflows with smart automation, proprietary software, secure collaboration, and greater control.

Multimedia and tabular data is easily added with a click or two一including with its original format一and without third-party intervention. You can even distribute standalone multimedia with News Direct’s proprietary Digital Asset Direct functionality, right from the Content Studio.

Select distribution preferences in the same platform from a premier global network of media agencies, news outlets, trade press, niche outlets, and more. From there, the user decides when to submit the press release for distribution.

Leverage News Direct’s exclusive integration with the global DB Direct Media Database, powered by Agility PR Solutions, to create a targeted list of journalists from more than 1 million media contacts and outlets. Then send your email pitches directly from the Content Studio.

Finally, News Direct uses a flat-rate, asset-based pricing model that’s simple and fully transparent一for a fraction of the cost of mainstream newswires.

Revolutionize your opportunities for press release engagement with News Direct一including industry-leading distribution, targeted journalist lists, standalone multimedia distribution, efficiency, and predictable pricing. Contact News Direct for a demo today.

If you’re still not convinced, here are a few things to consider when exploring free press release services and what to be aware of.

Why Distribute a Press Release?

A press release boosts awareness of your products, services, and brand. It alerts a wide range of media when you have significant organizational news to share: a product launch, meaningful acquisition, or sale, for example. It’s considered essential, and complements additional marketing and communications channels such as social media and owned and earned media.

Press Release Distribution Services

A public relations (PR) or investor relations (IR) professional can only do so much. To improve efficiencies and ensure your announcement reaches the right audience, press release circulation is often outsourced to a specialty company referred to as a newswire.

Newswire editors typically shepherd each press release through multiple review and editing cycles with the sender. The release is then distributed via digital networks across a wide range of news and media outlets, subscribers, journalists, influencers, and others.

Despite having adopted digital distribution methods, the greater newswire industry is still built around human labor and its associated inefficiencies. 

Free Press Releases

Currently, several newswires offer free press release services. A few provide introductory plans (PRLog) while most others (PR.com, EIN Presswire, IssueWire, etc.) dispense a free single press release in hopes of upselling the user to a paid plan.

Such offers are primarily characterized by poor reach, limited features, and zero flexibility一 the antithesis of quality press release distribution. Many also require the user to create an account for access.

PRLog, for example, features instant press release approval (no review or editing) but with a two-release per day limit. For each release the user is restricted to a maximum length of 500 words, a single video embed, two sharable plain links, and no images (including company logos).

Other platforms, such as NewswireToday and Online PR Media, include third-party ads, which, aside from being distracting, can encourage the viewer to click away from the release. Some newswires remove releases after 90 days.

Free Limitations

Every press release campaign should be focused, with specific target audiences in mind. Wide circulation to major media outlets and news sites may be appropriate for a multinational technology company, but not for a small construction firm with local customers. If a newswire doesn’t target your preferred audience, it’s probably not the right newswire for your release一even if it’s free.

In most cases, free distribution is limited to search engines, RSS feeds, and hosting on the newswire. A few include a selection of news sites一with the caveat they’re not premium. Generally, most also encompass sharing capabilities for social media, websites, and email.

Importantly, targeting is unavailable with free plans. PRLog, an outlier on this point, enables users to list their news under a single industry, country, state, city, and a selection of keywords and tags. But that’s as far as targeting seems to go. For this reason alone, free press releases aren’t likely to be very effective.

Other Limitations

Free press release services are also plagued by other significant limitations, such as publishing time. NewswireToday, for example, only indicates your release will be held in a queue. Others are silent on timing.

The use of a corporate logo is also typically restricted, and user platforms can be challenging to navigate. 

Key Features to Look for in a Newswire

When comparing newswires, make sure the service you select does include the following features:

• Easy-to-use online workspace that enables collaboration for drafting, commenting, and editing. While this may not be strictly necessary, it provides extraordinary efficiency and improves the standard PR creation workflow that’s time consuming and often chaotic.
• Data security throughout your entire workflow. From drafting to delivery, the risk of disclosure is present一which in some cases can cost a company millions of dollars if the pre-release data is material. A platform that includes robust, top-tier security protocols helps ensure your release is protected until you’re ready for its dissemination.
• Customer service available when you want it. Having access to an expert when you have a question or require assistance is critical, especially if you’re under time pressure.
• Performance analytics. Understanding how effective your campaign is will be important to refining your future communications and marketing strategies. In fact, according to media database and website Muck Rack, 98% of pros are measuring their PR efforts in some way. Ensure your newswire provides traffic and engagement metrics that are meaningful. Furthermore, social media performance metrics, such as click-through rates on links, mentions, hashtags, and special codes, should also be available.

News Direct Is an Affordable Alternative to Free Press Release Services

News Direct, a premier news and content distribution service, includes all of the key features listed above and much more.

Designed with the modern user in mind, News Direct offers comprehensive capabilities covering a global network of top-tier media and news outlets and trade press. Advanced targeting by U.S.-based geographic location, niche media and influencers, cultural or other interest (Hispanic media or environmental, social, and governance or ESG, for example) is also available at no extra cost.

News Direct’s proprietary SimpliFi functionality enables PR pros一especially in IR一to copy and paste tabular data directly into its collaborative and secure platform the Content Studio, with complete format retention. Circulation of standalone media such as videos and infographics is also possible.

Finally, News Direct’s pricing is based on an asset-based, flat-rate model that’s simple, fully transparent, and affordable一and comes at a fraction of the cost of popular newswires.

Contact News Direct for a demo of its industry-leading platform and capabilities and revolutionize your press release distribution process today.

Getting ahead of the story一or at least catching up with it一requires considerable skill, experience, nerves of steel, and a toolbox that’s efficient, effective, and flexible enough to handle the demands of the moment. That’s where News Direct, the news and content distribution platform purpose-built for today’s fast-moving strategic communications, can make a significant difference. 

Here are just a few ways News Direct can help your team during a PR crisis一but first, let’s briefly revisit what a PR crisis is.

What’s a PR Crisis?

A PR crisis occurs when news impacts your company in a significantly negative way. The main types include:

• • Reputational. This occurs when news challenges a company’s brand and values. For example, Facebook’s (now Meta) reputation as a company trumpeting transparency and social value came under threat when whistleblower Frances Haugen claimed the social media giant chose to maximize growth over implementing safeguards against excessive use by children and political misinformation.
• • Public safety. When news citing a company’s responsibility for jeopardizing public health or security emerges, this is considered a public safety crisis. Think American exercise equipment and media company Peloton when news broke its Tread+ treadmill was linked to dozens of child injuries, including one death. 
• • Financial. A financial crisis occurs when news breaks seriously impacting a company’s financial health. Take Lehman Brothers, for instance. Once the fourth-largest American investment bank, Lehman was forced to file for bankruptcy due to its massive exposure to subprime mortgages during the financial crisis of 2008.

How News Direct Can Help During a PR Crisis

While no two PR crises are quite the same, a handful of steps are foundational to almost every effective crisis response. These include establishing a task force, building a response strategy, crafting key messages and content, distributing collateral, and following up. News Direct can help improve crisis response in the following ways. Take a look:

• • Streamlined workflows. At News Direct, users draft, collaborate, and distribute their press releases from a single, self-directed online platform called the Content Studio. Multiple parties can edit, review, and comment in real time, from anywhere. Not only does this save time一a particularly precious resource during a PR crisis一it also cuts down on errors and version control issues. 
• • Industry-leading security. The success of a PR crisis response relies in part on the smart timing and cadence of communications, especially when sensitive information is at stake. A premature release一intentional or not一can be devastating. However, with the Content Studio’s cutting-edge cloud isolation technology and two-factor authentication, News Direct ensures its security protocols are the best in the business. You control what content users see一from piece to piece一and when.
• • Next-generation functionality for financial communications. Financial crises can be especially stressful. Manipulating complex financials that can move markets is every investor relations (IR) pro’s nightmare. News Direct’s proprietary SimpliFi functionality enables tabular data to be copied and pasted directly into the Content Studio platform, with complete format retention. So rather than spending hours checking and rechecking numbers, you and your team can focus on your response’s higher-order, more strategic components.
• • Standalone multimedia distribution. Sometimes your print piece is more effective when it includes a video, image, infographic, audio track, or animation. With News Direct’s Digital Asset Direct functionality, embedding these in your piece is easy and quick. And get this: If you decide to forego the print, News Direct can distribute your multimedia on a standalone basis. 
• • No required editorial review cycles. Forget the time-intensive editorial cycles typically required by most news distribution companies (newswires). Not only do these take up time, but they can pose security risks as well一particularly as work-from-home (WFH) conditions remain part of today’s working norm. You alone decide when to submit your content for distribution. That said, News Direct offers industry expertise to assist with editing, proofreading, or dissemination一but only when requested.
• Advanced targeting. News Direct provides extensive distribution capabilities covering a global network of top-tier news and media outlets, trade press, regional press, niche media, influencers, social media, and more. And with its global DB Direct Media Database, powered by Agility PR Solutions, News Direct empowers users to create a targeted list of journalists from more than 1 million media contacts and outlets. Getting the right news to the right contacts at the right time is also a breeze. Distribution is launched from the Content Studio. With a few clicks, your communications are on their way or scheduled for distribution later.
• Robust reporting. Performance data for your communications can inform the rollout of your crisis strategy as it’s happening. News Direct provides a suite of reporting tools, such as easy-to-use dashboards and shared formats, that makes reporting a cinch. Metrics include media placements, online syndication, views, and potential visibility, to name a few. You can also measure social media engagement and website traffic.

Revolutionize Your PR Crisis Response with News Direct

Managing a PR crisis is challenging enough without the added burden of legacy approaches to content creation and distribution. Boost your process and results with the tool made for the  demands of the PR and corporate communications businesses, even during a crisis.

And News Direct’s pricing is also conceived for modern media distribution. Instead of by the word or scope of distribution, News Direct uses an asset-based, flat-rate model that’s easy to understand and fully transparent一for a fraction of what mainstream press release distributors charge.

Contact News Direct for a demo of its proprietary, exceptional capabilities, and transform your PR crisis response today.

The answer is, it depends. Here are several guidelines on how far ahead of a launch, celebration, special occasion, or other event to distribute a press release.

First, Establish Your Goals

Optimal press release distribution lead time can vary depending on whether it’s intended to raise awareness about an upcoming event, generate extensive earned media coverage, or anything in between. Decide what the release should accomplish before determining when it should be released.

Current Affairs, Trends, or a Name Change

For a press release related to a current issue, such as a change in regional or national policy or law, distribution should be timely to have maximum impact. For example, increasingly, large multinationals distribute press releases to express support or dissatisfaction with social justice or political issues. In fact, leading business management publication Harvard Business Review provides a framework for developing corporate policy on the practice.

Another example in which press release distribution should occur adjacent to the event is for a flash sale or other one-off experience. In this case, little to no advance notice is designed to generate buzz and a sense of urgency. If consumers were informed about a flash sale two weeks in advance, they might forget about it by the time the event rolled around. 

When a company changes its name, typically the announcement is made on the day the change takes effect. Promoting this type of message in advance can easily confuse people on how to refer to the company in the meantime, or they might forget the new name or the reasoning behind the change once the transition occurs later. Two examples include the name change of Perfect Timing, Inc. to The LANG Companies, Inc. and Facebook’s rebirth as Meta.

Online Calendar Inclusion

To include an event on an online calendar, such as a sponsored running race, issue a release well ahead of time. Find out how far in advance the site posts events, and send out the release as early as possible to maximize the opportunity for attendance.

Events With Ticketed Attendance

For an event requiring tickets, advance promotion is key, and the larger the audience, the longer the press release lead time needed. Large concerts, shows, and sporting events are often announced months or years ahead of time, with subsequent “reminder” releases distributed closer to the date.

A large annual corporate conference or trade show might fit into this type of schedule, with an initial announcement released eight to 10 months in advance. Several additional releases could be sequenced closer to the event, perhaps in intervals of two months until the last, and then every other week, and so on. The distribution schedule for press releases should also complement other components of your public relations/advertising campaign for the event.

Events Without Ticketed Audiences & Announcements

Other large events without ticketed audiences or announcements, such as introducing a new service line or product launch, also benefit from advance press release distribution. To generate chat around the topic, consider a two- to three-week lead time, followed by a second press release on the launch day.

The advance release is especially important if you’re hoping to entice a journalist or two for earned media coverage.

Journalist Coverage Ahead of an Event

To enable journalists to cover a newsworthy event or announcement, send your press release well in advance一but not so far ahead that the journalist overlooks the release or is distracted by another, more timely topic. It’s a delicate balance resulting in different lead times for different types of journalists and the individuals involved.

As a rule of thumb, allow journalists two to three weeks to create a piece leading into an event, but this can vary. The best approach is to do your research early about whom to target for your topic. Journalists have specific beats, angles, and voices, and for good and consistent coverage, it’s important to target them accordingly. This piece on reaching the right audience provides excellent insights on this topic.

Journalist Coverage During an Event

To invite journalists to an event, send out a media advisory rather than a press release. A media advisory functions similarly to an invitation, with basic information such as what, where, and when. It should also include details on whether a press pass is required, and if so, whom to contact. To maximize photo or video coverage, include program specifics: when, for example, the CEO will be introduced or new product unveiled.

Post Event Coverage

For post-event coverage, send out a press release immediately after the event. Chances are, it will only be newsworthy for a brief period一perhaps a day or two一so it’s essential to distribute a press release during this period.

News Direct for Press Release Distribution 

Regardless of when you disseminate your press release, partner with a distribution service that makes workflows easy and distribution a breeze. News Direct is a best-in-class news distribution service with a proprietary, self-directed platform for seamless and secure content creation and distribution. 

Unlike legacy newswires, News Direct enables you to create, collaborate, and fully control your content from start to finish. From the same cloud-based platform, you can distribute releases across a global network of media agencies, news outlets, trade press, targeted lists, and more. Simply select your distribution preferences, submit or schedule for later一no human third party intervention is required. And News Direct uses an asset-based, flat-rate model that’s straightforward, predictable, and fully transparent.

Contact News Direct for a demo of its revolutionary press release distribution experience today.

Below we break down five significant risks of distributing a press release yourself, and how to mitigate them.

1. Misidentifying Target Audiences, Media Outlets & Journalists 

A press release can be an effective tool to increase brand awareness, promote audience engagement, alert readers of important company news, and secure additional, earned media coverage. However, to achieve these objectives, distribution must target the appropriate audiences. This involves identifying relevant media outlets and journalists一a big task without extensive effort and knowledge of the media landscape一and getting the press release in front of them.

These are monumental undertakings for an individual, with a high probability of lackluster results if done incorrectly. 

2. Taking Too Long to Distribute 

Distributing a press release yourself can be exceedingly time consuming. Once preferred media contacts are identified, accurate contact information is required, and unique pitches. In many cases, follow-ups are also necessary. 

This takes time, especially if you don’t have existing relationships with targeted media contacts. If you’re distributing a timely piece, taking this approach may demand too much time, and the release may no longer be newsworthy once finally distributed.

3. Unpersonalized Journalist Pitches 

Any journalist will tell you their inbox is usually filled to the brim with irrelevant press releases and poorly executed, impersonal pitches. While this risk isn’t strictly relegated to distributing a press release yourself, it can be consequential. 

Even if you take the time and effort to identify the best journalists for your release, a generic email message isn’t likely to get their attention. In each journalist pitch, demonstrate you know their beats and why writing a follow-up piece on your release will provide value to their readers. For additional tips, see “How to Pitch a Press Release.” 

4. Inappropriate Cadence 

While organizations often risk distributing too many press releases一including those lacking newsworthy content一there’s also the potential to fall short when distribution is challenging. A regular but thoughtful cadence of press releases is probably warranted for expanding brand awareness.

However, regularly creating and distributing quality content may be untenable for an individual. 

5. Inability to Measure Performance

Without the ability to measure the performance of a press release, it’s difficult to determine how effective the distribution strategy is and, by extension, return on investment (ROI). This is a particularly significant downside of distributing a press release on your own. 

While you may be able to determine whether a journalist picks up your piece, you won’t have an accurate picture of the release’s reach or engagement without the ability to measure views, shares, and other metrics一often key ROI criteria. For more on press release metrics, see “How Do I Measure the Success of My Press Release?”

News Direct Helps Mitigate These Risks 

News Direct, a relative newcomer to the newswire landscape, has reimagined press release distribution for the public relations (PR) pro一even those distributing press releases themselves.

At News Direct, users draft, collaborate, and distribute their press releases from a single, self-directed online platform called the Content Studio. Cloud-based isolation technology, secure sharing, and two-factor authentication provide next-generation security throughout the press release workflow.

It’s easy to add multimedia, such as images, videos, or infographics, and with News Direct’s proprietary Digital Asset Direct functionality, users can even distribute multimedia on a standalone basis一without accompanying text.

Targeting is a breeze with News Direct’s premier, global network of media agencies, news outlets, trade press, and niche outlets. In addition, users can leverage its exclusive integration with the global DB Direct Media Database, powered by Agility PR Solutions, to create a targeted list of journalists from more than 1 million media contacts and outlets. With a few mouse clicks, the release is on its way or scheduled for future distribution.

Users can easily track their press release performance with News Direct’s suite of metrics available in easy-to-share formats.

Finally, News Direct offers this functionality and more for a single, flat-rate, asset-based fee. Pricing is predictable, affordable, and fully transparent一perfect for those PR pros working independently, or with tight budget constraints.

Contact News Direct today to demo its revolutionary capabilities and eliminate the risks of distributing press releases yourself.

But is your way the most efficient and effective? Are you making avoidable mistakes with your dissemination? To find out, check for these nine press release distribution errors. 

1. Distributing Press Releases That Aren’t Newsworthy

In a world where content is ubiquitous, getting your story to stand out is critical to capturing journalists’ attention. Any reporter will tell you they are regularly besieged with press releases that are more like advertising than news一or just aren’t newsworthy. 

Your content must be substantive, relevant, and impactful to your audience and the media. If you release information about an upcoming sale or the launch of a new shade to the color line of an existing product, chances are your recipients will press delete. Your press release has to be more robust than this.

2. Deviating From Conventional Formats

A press release should be no more than 300 to 400 words and written in a standard format recognizable to its audiences. While there can be subtle differences depending on the subject’s industry, a press release should include six major elements. They are: 

• – The Headline
• – The Date & Location
• – The Summary Paragraph
• – The Body Text
• – The Close
• – The Boilerplate

For more about the six key press release components, see “How Long Should a Press Release Be?” In addition, the release should be written in Associated Press (AP) Style. This is the preferred grammatical style many American journalists and media outlets use.

3. Not Including Multimedia in Your Press Release

Maximizing audience engagement is essential for crafting and distributing press releases. And according to leading CRM provider HubSpot, consumers demonstrate a preference for visual content. Relevant and exciting images, videos, or infographics should be used in your press release一where appropriate一to pique your audience’s interest and enhance the opportunity for more and deeper engagement.

4. Not Making Your Release Sharable on Social Media

Making your press release shareable on social media is a great way to extend the reach of the piece. This can be done in various ways, including adding instant Tweet features to quotes, images, or other multimedia that can stand alone on Twitter. You can do that for free with Click to Tweet.

You can also add social share buttons, which enable the reader to post the release on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others with the click of a button. Learn how from HubSpot.

5. Not Targeting Your Audiences 

It’s essential to get your press release in front of the appropriate audiences to provide the best opportunity to inform, engage, or inspire a follow-up story. In short, distributing content to an audience that doesn’t gain much value from it is a waste of time and money.

To maximize your press release’s return on investment (ROI), take the time to target your audiences carefully. If you’re hoping to get a journalist pickup from your piece on hospital patient advocacy, don’t send it to just any medical journalist. This will signal you didn’t take the time or care enough to understand their beat. Your release一and those sent in the future一are likely to end up in their spam folder. 

Mass-distributing a release to mega-media sites is another targeting mistake. While there may be a chance suitable audiences are within the range, it’s probably low. A mass appeal is not generally well received by specialist journalists and will likely fail to achieve earned media opportunities.

Where relevant, target by industry, location, cultural affinity, language, interest, or other criteria. In most cases, distributing to smaller, targeted audiences will boost your chances of maximizing engagement, earned media, and ROI. 

6. Limiting Your Distribution Channels

Today consumers get their news from many platforms, including online media outlets, social media, and even traditional print media. In fact, according to nonpartisan research think tank Pew Research Center, 48% of Americans get their news from social media at least sometimes. 

Chances are, at least some of your target audience access all or some of these channels. If so, ensure you include them in your distribution plan.  

In addition, for the best chance at engaging a journalist, send them a personalized email story pitch. This will likely take time and research, but can make all the difference in opportunities for earned media.

7. Distributing Your Press Release at the Wrong Time

If you’re distributing a press release outside your time zone, ensure it’s disseminated when your audiences are most likely to see it. This may mean in the middle of your night, but right when their business day is about to start.

Timing can also refer to when a press release is distributed relative to an event or launch it’s promoting. For example, if you’re alerting consumers to an upcoming concert that requires a ticket purchase, you may want to send the release a few weeks in advance. For more on getting your timing right, see “How Far in Advance Should You Distribute a Press Release?”

8. Not Tracking the Performance of Your Press Release

The performance of your press release can provide insights on what’s working and where there’s room for improvement. It also helps keep track of your ROI. If you’re distributing a press release and not tracking how it’s received, you’re missing out on an important part of the process.

Best practices include establishing clearly defined goals for your press release before distribution as a basis for evaluation. If you’re using a distribution service (newswire), ensure it offers performance metrics that matter most to your analysis, such as views, engagement, and earned pickups. 

9. Using the Wrong Distribution Service 

Today’s 24/7 news cycle puts constant pressure on PR pros to create new content. Working with a newswire that facilitates the efficient and effective press release process can make all the difference. Take News Direct, for example.

News Direct has transformed the press release creation and distribution process with groundbreaking technology, flexibility, and control. Users can draft, collaborate, and distribute their releases from a single, self-directed online platform called the Content Studio. Cloud-based isolation technology, secure sharing, and two-factor authentication provide industry-leading security throughout the press release workflow.

Users can easily embed multimedia such as images, videos, or infographics, or even distribute them on a standalone basis with News Direct’s proprietary Digital Asset Direct functionality.

News Direct also offers distribution to a global network of media and news outlets, trade press, customizable geographic options, niche media, and more. With a few clicks from the Content Studio, the user can select their distribution preferences, schedule distribution, or distribute immediately. A comprehensive suite of industry-first performance metrics is also available in easy-to-share formats. 

Finally, News Direct offers all of this functionality and more for a single, flat-rate, asset-based fee. Pricing is predictable, affordable, and fully transparent.

Contact News Direct today to demo its revolutionary capabilities and eliminate mistakes from your press release distribution.

can be deployed to announce a wide range of news, events, updates, and more一all in the service of reinforcing brand values, expanding audiences, and increasing sales. 

However, navigating international press release distribution is often easier said than done. The value chain varies from country to country (if not region to region). It can include a wide range of media outlets, press norms, press release formats, and languages, among other challenges. And it’s often expensive.

To help optimize your international press release distribution, we’ve provided a few easy-to-follow tips below. 

Identify Your Target Market(s)

Whom do you want to engage with your press release? Finance professionals in London? Cinema buffs in Delhi? The answers to this question should be as specific as reasonably possible. Getting the right content in front of the right audience will get you a long way toward engagement. 

The specificity of your target markets will help inform your distribution strategy. If you’re a travel agent with plans to open your first overseas office in São Paulo, make sure you’re targeting local or regional media outlets your prospective clients are likely to follow.

Alternatively, as a multinational conglomerate looking to announce a new product line or expand your exposure across Europe, global news services such as AFP or AP may be just the ticket. Chances are you’re likely to end up with a mix of target markets covering local areas, industry trades, and worldwide news services across several channels and formats.

While many established newswires specialize in national or global news outlets or niche markets, industry newcomer News Direct does both. Launched by industry veterans to revolutionize the legacy newswire model, News Direct offers a state-of-the-art, self-directed platform that streamlines content creation and distribution workflows. 

With significant targeting capabilities in geographic regions, single countries, and by news beat, industry, and specialty wire, News Direct is the one-stop solution for all your targeting needs. View its global distribution list for more.

Partner With a Newswire With Local Media Relationships 

Successful international distribution often depends on trusted relationships between newswires, press outlets, public relations professionals, and journalists. Don’t opt for distributing a press release across Eastern Europe if you’re only interested in Gdańsk, simply because that’s as targeted as your newswire can go. 

Newswires that have nurtured relationships in smaller markets are generally more knowledgeable about local conventions, expectations, and processes. They also understand what cultural nuances can support more effective audience engagement in a given market. If you must, resort to an established, global newswire only if you can’t identify a reputable service with local knowledge and experience.

News Direct professionals have built their careers developing strong relationships with news services across the globe, and you can easily distribute to local markets with precision and efficiency一and at a significantly reduced cost.

Distribute Your Release in the Local Language 

For PR pros working under tight deadlines and budgets, having a press release translated into another language may seem too much trouble and expense. However, the opposite is true. 

Distributing a press release in the local language can boost your opportunities for earned media and reader engagement. Furthermore, a full translation goes beyond the words themselves. It includes translating context and, where necessary, industry terminology to boost reader understanding. And chances are your run-of-the-mill online translation app won’t capture the same level of nuance required here. It’s essential to work with human industry experts who can accurately impart the tone and meaning of the release appropriately to a foreign audience. 

News Direct provides full-text, human-prepared translations in various languages, from French and Spanish一including continental variations一to Arabic, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Korean, and many more. 

Distribute Your Release at Appropriate Local Times

Be sure to schedule your distribution to provide the greatest opportunity for audience engagement, regardless of location. That might mean your release crosses the wire in the middle of your night so your audience can access it in the early part of their workday.

With its automated workflows, News Direct provides optimum flexibility in scheduling your distribution. With a few mouse clicks, you can arrange for your release to go out just about any day or time.

Include Your Logo & URL

Be sure to include your company logo and URL in your press release. These are easy and great opportunities to extend your audience reach, reinforce your brand, and drive website traffic. And, unlike several legacy newswires, News Direct enables you to include these assets on your releases for no extra charge.

Include Multimedia 

Adding multimedia to your press release, such as a video or image, can significantly improve engagement opportunities. It can boost the overall understanding and impact of your press release and, importantly, make it more memorable. Video, in particular, is especially effective as a brand-building tool. See this article for more on “How to Best Leverage Multimedia for Press Coverage.”

You can even consider deploying multimedia on a standalone basis without a supporting text release. Often an image一with or without a text caption一can deliver a message more effectively than the release itself. And journalists agree. According to News Direct’s 2019 Market Assessment Study, 86% of journalists surveyed find standalone multimedia appealing.

News Direct makes embedding multimedia easy with drag-and-drop capabilities. In addition, it’s the only newswire that has a Digital Asset Direct release, a streamlined format that accommodates standalone multimedia content without the need to embed it in a text-based release. 

Measure Your Results  

How will you know if your international distribution is a success? Work with a newswire that provides meaningful data on your release’s reach, earned media, and detailed visibility and engagement metrics to ensure you’re getting the ROI you want.

News Direct provides all these and more at no extra charge with actionable analytics and shareable, professionally formatted reports that are a cinch to access and client-ready in real time.

Partner With News Direct for Your International Distribution Needs & More 

News Direct offers PR pros a content creation and distribution process purpose built for today’s modern media consumption preferences. With its ground-breaking, self-directed platform, unsurpassed global reach一including international and national news outlets, media agencies, trade press, customizable niche media, and flat rate, predictable pricing, News Direct is your go-to source for all your distribution needs.

Contact News Direct to demo its industry-leading capabilities for international press release distribution today.

Here we break down how to effectively distribute your press release to the appropriate audiences and increase your return on investment (ROI).

Determine Your Press Release Goals

The primary goal of most press releases is to relay important news about an organization or well-known person. But there are many others. Promoting audience engagement with the sender is a related objective and can include clicking on an embedded link or watching an embedded video, for example.

Other goals include sharing the release via email or social media, using a designated hashtag, or reposting it elsewhere. These are nontraditional forms of so-called “earned media” because they extend the reach of the announcement without any additional cost to the sender一which helps boost ROI. Earned media can also be traditional, in which the release inspires journalists to create related content, such as an article or blog post.

Earned media can be valuable because it adds to a brand’s credibility. For example, citing data from analytics platform Crazy Egg, media monitoring and analysis company Agility PR Solutions indicates 25 percent to 40 percent of all online traffic and lead generation comes from earned media, ranking higher than paid media advertising or owned media branding.

Identify Your Target Audiences

Your audience can range from millions of global viewers to a handful of regional niche journalists. If engagement is essential, narrowing your audience to those most likely to do so is often more effective than distributing your release to a broader, less affinitive group. For example, if you’re an automotive subcontractor, you might disperse a press release about a significant part upgrade to the automotive trade press consumed by selected auto manufacturers. Distributing it to major news sites consumed by the general public would likely be an ineffective approach to achieving strong audience engagement.

The combination of your goals and target audiences will inform how you deploy your release. There are two basic approaches: Work with a distribution partner (a newswire) or distribute it yourself. Let’s take a look at each of these options.

Work With a Distribution Partner

A news distribution service or “newswire” digitally distributes press releases to print and online news agencies and outlets, journalists, search engines, and non-traditional outlets such as social media, blogs, and others. Originally, telegraph machines were used to transmit releases over telegraph wires, hence “newswire.”

The process hasn’t changed much throughout the years. Generally, it involves emailing your release to a newswire, having it reviewed and edited by a human newswire editor, then distributing it to your preferred recipients.

Working with a distribution partner is a good choice if you disseminate your release to large audiences, across vast geographic areas, or niche audiences. Newswires typically have agreements with media outlets that can be essential to getting your press release published, improving your chances for search engine optimization (SEO), and possibly being picked up by a journalist—more on this below.

A newswire is also key to the simultaneous distribution of information. This is especially important to the release of company financial data, which must be secure until shared with the general public concurrently. This is almost impossible to achieve without a newswire. See “The Importance of Security in Financial Press Release Distribution” for more on this.

Since working with a newswire can be an effective way to reach multiple audiences quickly, most public relations (PR) pros use newswires. But the process can also be time consuming, inefficient, and costly. Most newswires charge by combining a release’s word count and geographic distribution, an archaic approach that ignores the digital distribution of most content.

Select the Right Distribution Partner

There are hundreds of newswires to choose from that range in the number, location, and types of media outlets and journalists they distribute to, so it’s essential to work with a partner that serves your audiences and can help achieve your goals.

This is especially true if you’re targeting journalists with your release. Journalists are often overwhelmed with content from newswires that doesn’t match their industry or beat. Be sure your newswire targets carefully, so your content reaches the journalists and other audiences who want to see it.

Finally, most newswires provide metrics to measure your release’s reach, views, and engagement. See “How Do I Measure the Success of My Press Release?” for more information.

Distribute the Release Yourself

For most PR pros, distributing a press release themselves isn’t realistic unless the distribution is local or they have relationships with the media outlets or journalists they are targeting.

This last point is key because, as mentioned, many would argue relationships with target media outlets are fundamental to getting coverage一especially from journalists一whether a newswire is used or not. If you plan on distributing a press release to journalists yourself, make sure you have thoroughly researched their areas of interest. If your release is about a new elementary school principal, for example, it probably won’t help to send it to a reporter covering higher education. For more detail on successfully distributing your release to journalists, see “How to Pitch a Press Release.”

Another challenge with distributing a release yourself is calculating ROI. Getting a pick-up from a journalist may be easy to track, but capturing other forms of engagement may be more difficult without the assistance of a third-party media monitoring company.

How News Direct Is Transforming Press Release Distribution

News Direct is a newswire designed for today’s PR pros. Unlike mainstream newswires, News Direct offers a content distribution and creation process purpose built for modern media production and consumption. It’s powerful, efficient, and easy to use.

A secure, self-directed, cloud-based platform (the Content Studio) enables PR pros to create, collaborate on, and control their content, without human third-party editing. From the same workspace, they can select distribution targets, schedule their release, or send it immediately.

When it comes to distribution, News Direct offers access to a large selection of global media agencies and news outlets and exceptional targeting of customizable niche media across geographic regions, industries, language, cultural, and affinity groups. Geo-targeting across regional, state, and metro areas is available for no additional cost. International distribution is also available by region or country.

News Direct also enables users to distribute standalone multimedia, such as videos, images, or infographics, consistent with current consumer preferences.

Finally, News Direct uses an asset-based, flat-rate model that’s simple, clear, and fully transparent for a fraction of the cost of mainstream newswires. In short, News Direct is your go-to source for all your distribution and content creation needs.

Contact News Direct to demo its revolutionary press release distribution capabilities today.

What Is a Newswire?

The term “newswire” refers to a company or service that facilitates the distribution of news and information一mostly from organizations一to media outlets. For public relations (PR) and communications professionals, it is the vehicle for the timely delivery of press releases to broad and diverse audiences they would otherwise struggle to reach.

There are hundreds of newswires that vary by the quantity and type of media outreach conducted. Mainstream newswires usually provide distribution to a combination of national and international media outlets, while others specialize in language and culture (Latinx Newswire) or interest (Pop Culture Newswire).

Sometimes, a news agency is also called a newswire. A news agency is an organization that investigates, writes, aggregates, and distributes news to downstream news outlets. The Associated Press and Reuters are two global examples.

A History of the Newswire

The formal distribution of news has been around for thousands of years. There’s the legend of Pheidippides, the Greek dispatch runner who in 490 BCE sprinted from the fields of Marathon to Athens to announce the defeat of the invading Persian army. American revolutionary Paul Revere’s ride in 1775 is another example. He alerted the patriots the British were on their way to lay siege.

Fast forward 131 years to 1906, when American publicity expert (and celebrated founder of modern public relations) Ivy Lee created the first press release. After a railroad accident involving his client, the Pennsylvania Railroad, Lee drafted a version of events from his client’s point of view and proactively distributed it to journalists.

Since then, press release distribution has evolved in tandem with technological advancement. While telegraph machines had been around during Lee’s time, it wasn’t until the mid-1950s that they were used to transmit press releases over telegraph wires. This was when the term “newswire” was coined. 

Today, distribution by newswires is highly automated and often accomplished via an electronic interface with news outlet editorial systems. This enables releases to appear directly in news feeds, websites, or news apps. Email is also used to distribute releases一especially for direct outreach to journalists.

And while distribution technology has matured, the process for the PR pro has essentially remained the same. With most newswires, it involves forwarding a press release to a newswire, having it reviewed and edited by a newswire editor, and having the newswire distribute it to the media. See “How to Distribute a Press Release” for more detail.

Benefits of Using a Newswire  

Utilizing a newswire helps PR pros reach large and diverse audiences quickly and efficiently. In addition, it enables the simultaneous distribution of information一an essential feature for the legal release of public company financial information. “Why Public Companies Prefer News Direct for Press Release Distribution” provides more on this topic.

Newswires often rely on professional relationships with media outlets to accept their content. Without the services of a newswire, a PR professional would have to develop and maintain such connections themselves, which can be time consuming, inefficient, and unscalable.

Many newswires also provide users metrics on their press release distribution performance. This, too, is hard to measure without a newswire or separate, third-party, media-monitoring service. For more about press release metrics, see “How Do I Measure the Success of My Press Release?”

Disadvantages of Using a Newswire  

For all of their benefits, newswires can also have drawbacks. These can include ineffective or limited distribution, constraints on using embedded images or other multimedia, limited performance metrics, delays in distribution, or high costs. 

Security of pre-public information can also be a challenge. Human newswire editors review and edit draft press releases before approval for distribution. While there’s no evidence to suggest editors would intentionally share or use sensitive information, the opportunity for unintentional leaks is always present, especially in our new work from home (WFH) world. See “The Importance of Security in Financial Press Release Distribution” for more information on newswire security.

News Direct Has Reimagined the Traditional Newswire

News Direct, a relative newcomer to the newswire space, has reimagined the newswire service. Conceived and launched by industry veterans, News Direct offers an end-to-end content creation and distribution solution made for modern media consumption preferences, and mitigates many of the issues related to mainstream legacy newswires.

With News Direct, PR pros can create, collaborate on, and control content from a ground-breaking, self-directed online platform called the Content Studio. Industry-leading protection supported by cloud isolation technology and advanced encryption protocols helps keep sensitive pre-distribution information secure from hacks, leaks, or data breaches. In addition, no human third-party editing is required. When the user is ready, real-time or scheduled distribution occurs directly from the Content Studio with the press of a button. 

News Direct also benefits from the established industry relationships of its team members, which enables access to some of the world’s most desired and visited news sites. Distribution reach extends to international and national news outlets, media agencies, trade press, customizable niche media, hyper-targeted outlets and individuals, and journalist lists.  

With News Direct’s best-in-class platform, the user can also distribute multimedia such as video, images, or infographics directly to the media on a standalone basis—without embedding them into a news release. And according to News Direct’s June 2019 Market Assessment Study, 86% of journalists find standalone media appealing.

After distribution, the user can also track and measure results of the most relevant categories, via News Direct’s analytics portal. Easily shareable formats are available for exclusive earned media reporting and detailed visibility and engagement metrics.

Finally, News Direct offers these capabilities and more using a flat-rate, predictable pricing model for a fraction of what mainstream newswires charge.

Contact News Direct to schedule a demo of its proprietary, best-in-class capabilities, and transform your press release distribution today. 

While this may have averted failure in many cases, it’s reasonable to argue that it has also often prevented greater success. Contrary to what many believe, success is not the absence of failure but, quite frequently, the residue of learning from it.

This is not to suggest that corporate leaders should go off half-cocked pursuing every idea that crosses their desks (or minds). Instead, they should carefully consider seizing the moment as appropriate opportunities present themselves, as opposed to reflexively shielding their companies from potential downside each time uncomfortable or counterintuitive propositions arise.

For this to work, it is necessary to remain within what my former employer, Warren Buffett calls your “circle of competence”. Simply put, one’s circle of competence consists of the subject areas which match that person’s skills and expertise. This could, in fact, cover quite a large swath of territory, but the key to staying within it is to know its boundaries.

Rather than viewing these boundaries as limitations, however, senior executives should view them as growth opportunities that can be activated by venturing a bit further away from the core business (aka the comfort zone) – yet not too far afield to where they find themselves in unfamiliar terrain. In other words, look for complementary and adjacent business niches to exploit that align with your experience and expertise. This will expand the scope and resilience of your business without exposing your company to disproportionate risk.

In the case of News Direct, my founding objective was to shake up the sleepy and complacent newswire space using the most current technology. Our depth of knowledge and expertise in this arena (part of our circle of competence) allowed us to radically redesign the entire business model into one that our experience told us would eliminate the many known pain points and thereby resonate with customers. It has worked well beyond even our own ambitious expectations.

But that success, for us, wasn’t the end of the process, but just the beginning. Rather than backslapping ourselves for a job well done, we began deploying the very technology that enabled us to leapfrog the newswire status quo to create, and uncover, a variety of adjacent and complementary directions into which our platform could expand. This is how we embraced the concept of “Multiplicity”.

Multiplicity is defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary as the “quality or state of being multiple or various”. That definition perfectly describes the News Direct raison d’etre. Since our launch in mid-2020, our platform has spun off numerous extensions of the core newswire business that enable our customers to perform multiple communications tasks that augment, expand and increase their messaging strategy options.

To date, in addition to the newswire, we also offer clients’ opportunities to post sponsored content on our Idea Marketplace, get interviewed on our podcast, News Directly, over the News Direct Podcast Channel or appear in a segment of our streaming TV program, News Direct Insights, from the floor of the NYSE, produced in partnership with Fintech.TV.

An agile technology stack, cloud-based and custom-written, has allowed us to quickly incorporate a variety of meaningful service offerings into our product mix without leaving our circle of competence or straying from relevance to our client base. The result is a single platform, multichannel solution that provides multiple points of entry into client relationships, expands our target audience and diversifies our revenue streams. All of which contribute to the health and sustainability of our business. That’s what Multiplicity can do.