Press Release: What Is It, How Does It Work, and Why Does It Matter?

What Is a Press Release and Why Do Businesses Use It?

Key Takeaways

• A press release is a formal, news-worthy statement that’s sent out to news reporters, media and all others.
• Press releases are used by companies for product launches, partnerships, funding, events, awards, expansions, leadership changeovers and other news worthy events.
• A good press release should be fact, brief, timely and have a definite news angle.
• Unlike a media pitch, news release and general article, a press release is unique.
• Media visibility, brand awareness and online discoverability are increased through professional distribution.
• BeritaWire is a press release distribution service tailored to the Indonesian digital media and news audience.

What Is a Press Release?

A press release is a formal written statement that a business, organization, Government or individual can use to inform journalists, the media and the public about a newsworthy event. Common announcements include product launches, business partnerships, funding, acquisitions, executive appointments, events, awards, research findings, and big company milestones.

A good press release is not a traditional advertisement, but a news story. Typically has a compelling headline, introduction, key facts, quote(s), company details, and contact/media details.

The primary aim of a press release is to ensure that journalists and its audience can easily understand, confirm and report the information. Pricing

How Does a Press Release Work?

For most organizations the press release process starts when a legitimate newsworthy announcement is made. The company then writes the release, starting with the most important information and goes on with supporting details and quotes, checks the release for accuracy, and sends it out via appropriate media or a newswire.

A standard process would be:

Define the news: Decide what is newsworthy to the reader.

Compose release: Develop a clear headline, introduction, body, quotes and company background.

Examine content: Fact, name, date, statistics, links, spelling.

Distribute the release: Send it through appropriate media or news distribution channels.

Track notification: Track where the notification is published and how audiences interact with it.

The professional distribution can ease the reach for relevant publishers and audiences.

Press Release vs Media Pitch

The purpose of a press release is quite different from a media pitch.

The press release is the actual announcement and all the facts related to a news event. Typically designed to make it easy to read and comprehend the story without much additional explanation by the journalist or reader.

A media pitch, however, is a customized message to a journalist/electronic editor to encourage the consideration of a story, expert, interview, or news angle. A pitch typically is more succinct and specific for the particular journalist.

Simply put: a Press Release tells the news, a Media Pitch sells the story idea to a particular journalist.

Press Release vs News Release

Press release and news release can be used interchangeably. They’re both official statements that are meant to give the news to the media and the public.

The only difference is the terminology and the audience. The terms “press release” and “news release” are often used interchangeably, although “press release” is typically reserved for an announcement that is sent to journalists and publishers and may also be disseminated to stakeholders and online audiences.

These are broadly speaking the same sort of expert news release for most businesses.

Press Release vs Article

A press release is an official announcement made by an organisation, while a press article is normally informational or editorial and is used to inform, analyse, explain or entertain readers.

For instance, a company introducing a new product may release a press release that includes the official information for the product launch and a quote from an executive. A technology publication might subsequently publish a separate article about the same product, either a review or analysis of it.

The major difference is in the purpose and authorship – a press release is the organization’s official message whereas an article is more likely to be an editorial or informational coverage.

What is the Pros and Cons Press Release?

FAQs

What Is a Press Release?

A press release is an official news announcement issued by a business, organization, or individual to communicate important information to journalists, media outlets, and the public.

What Is Public Relations?

Public relations (PR) is the strategic process of managing communication and relationships between an organization and its audiences. PR can include media relations, press releases, reputation management, corporate communications, events, and public affairs.

What Is News Media?

News media refers to organizations and platforms that gather, produce, publish, and distribute news. This includes newspapers, magazines, television, radio, digital publications, news websites, and other legitimate news platforms.

What Is Good or Bad About a Press Release?

A good press release communicates genuine news clearly and provides useful information to media and audiences. A bad press release is typically too promotional, lacks a clear news angle, contains weak information, or includes inaccurate or exaggerated claims.

Can a Press Release Help SEO?

A press release can support online visibility by creating additional opportunities for audiences to discover a company, brand, product, or announcement. However, it should be written primarily for news value and readers rather than created solely to manipulate search rankings.

Who Can Use a Press Release?

Startups, corporations, agencies, nonprofits, educational institutions, event organizers, government organizations, and established businesses can use press releases when they have legitimate and relevant news to announce.

BeritaWire Press Release Services and Pricing

BeritaWire is a professional press release distribution service for press release visibility in the Indonesian digital media and online news. As of now, the Press Release Distribution service costs USD 89 per article, while regular businesses interested in distributing a lot of press releases can opt for the subscription of 30 articles at USD 899. BeritaWire also mentions services like professional editing and proofreading, SEO-friendly publishing, media distribution, publication tracking and reporting, which can assist organisations in better communicating news.

Conclusion

Even if your organization doesn’t have any news to share, a press release is a vital communication. A good press release can deliver the information in a professional and media-worthy manner, regardless of the event, whether it’s a product launch, business partnership, funding round, corporate event, or award, expansion, or a change of leadership.

The best way to do this is to convey real news, accuracy, relevance, clarity and professional distribution. BeritaWire offers press release distribution services to assist in the publication and distribution of press releases via digital media channels for organizations aiming to reach the Indonesian audience across digital media. Contact Us