Press Release Distribution, Why Planning Pays Off

How often do you publish a press release? And when you do publish them, are you getting the results that you want? If your answer is “no” then it’s important to assess your timing, particularly with press release distribution. Let’s look at why planning is critical for press release distribution.

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Your News

News, whether it’s an announcement, a promotion, a product launch or something else, has a finite amount of time to be news. Depending on the information, you may have only a day. For example, if you’re launching a new product then the first day of the launch is news. After that, it’s no longer newsworthy because it already happened. Timing your press release, then, is important. You want to make sure that your release, and your story, are capturing attention before the launch, not after it. Without careful planning and adherence to deadlines, you may miss the mark.

The Media

Each publication, blog, and media outlet has its own timeline. Some outlets need two days’ notice, while others need two weeks. If you’re submitting your press release to targeted media representatives, then you have to know their lead time. How much time do they need to write your story? When do they submit their content? This will help you determine when that press release needs to be in their hands for it to stand a chance of being covered before your deadline or launch date.

Your Audience

If you’re distributing your press release to your audience via your blog, social media, or email, then you have more control over when it is released. However, you still need to make sure that all key media reps have had the opportunity to cover it before you announce it to the world. Once you share your news with the masses, you’ve likely missed your window of opportunity to have the media write a story.

Distribution Services

If you’re using a distribution service to get your news into the hands of a larger audience, then it’s important to understand their timeline as well. For example, does your press release need approval before they distribute it and if so, how long does that process take?

When you take the time to carefully plan the timeline of each press release you distribute you get better results. You have a stronger chance of your news being covered by the media. You reach the right audience at the right time. And you’re able to get your press release into the hands of the most people when it matters most. Look at your content marketing plan.

Are you leveraging press release marketing as a key component? If not, explore how you can integrate press releases to not only grow your brand, but also to support your other marketing content tactics and channels. When integrated and timed right, press release marketing can be a powerful tool.

Call us today to speak to one of our PR specialists: 1-800-713-7278

Anthony Santiago is Director of Marketing at Newswire. With over a decade of experience in PR, he helps ensure that clients understand the value of brand messaging and reach.

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