Why Your Press Release Isn’t Getting Noticed (And How to Fix It)

Every day thousands of press releases land in journalists’ inboxes through services like Pressat, PR Newswire and Business Wire.

Most of them never become stories.

Not because journalists are lazy or uninterested, but because many press releases fail to answer one simple question quickly enough:

“What is the actual news here?”

After decades of newsroom experience, many journalists admit they spend the first few seconds of a release trying to work out its point. If the story isn’t obvious immediately, they move on.

For businesses hoping to gain coverage, understanding how journalists read press releases can make the difference between being ignored and being published.

The Problem With Most Press Releases

Many companies write press releases like marketing brochures. They begin with branding, mission statements, and corporate language before getting to the actual announcement.

A typical opening might read something like:

“XYZ Ltd today reaffirmed its commitment to innovation and customer excellence…”

At this point a journalist still has no idea what has actually happened.

Editors are looking for a clear news event, a launch, partnership, report, trend, price change, or major milestone. 

If the release buries that information halfway down the page, or even worse, in the last paragraph, the chances of it being read drop dramatically.

The 5-Second News Test

A good press release should pass a simple test.

If a journalist reads only the first two sentences, they should immediately know:

what happened

who did it

why it matters

If that information isn’t clear straight away, rewrite the opening.

For example:

Weak opening:

“ABC Technologies continues its mission to transform the digital landscape.”

Stronger opening:

“ABC Technologies has launched a new AI tool that helps small businesses cut customer service costs.”

The second version tells a journalist instantly whether the story is relevant.

Tricks to Make Your Release Stand Out

Lead with the news.

Your first sentence should contain the announcement.

Give a reason it matters now.

Tie your story to a trend, price change, new regulation, or current issue.

And don't use First Person in your press release. Because a press release that says "I" or "we" do something would, when seen by a reader of the publication as something the publication is doing. Instead, use a third person perspective, such as "The company will do..." instead.

Use one strong quote.

Journalists rarely use long quotes. One clear sentence is far more valuable.

Cut the feature list.

Three key points are better than ten minor details.

Keep it short.

Most newsroom rewrites end up around 350–450 words.

Think Like a Journalist

The most effective press releases read less like advertising and more like a short news article.

When companies focus on the story rather than the promotion, journalists can see the value instantly, and that dramatically increases the chances of coverage.

There are several companies who can help you submit your press releases to news outlets. These are some of them:-

Pressat:

https://pressat.co.uk

PR Newswire:

https://www.einpresswire.com

Responsesource:

https://www.responsesource.com

Why Every Organisation, From SMEs to Large Corporations and Charities, Should Use Pressat to Reach the Media

Discover why SMEs, large corporations and charities benefit from using the Pressat newswire service to gain media coverage, boost visibility and build long-term brand credibility.

In a crowded marketplace, even the most innovative business or the most impactful charity can struggle to get its message heard. 

Journalists’ inboxes are overflowing, social media algorithms change daily, and consumers are bombarded by more content than ever before. 

This is where a trusted newswire service becomes essential, and why Pressat remains one of the UK’s most effective tools for distributing press releases with real impact.

Whether you run a small family business, a growing SME, a national brand or a charitable organisation, Pressat offers a fast, efficient and credible route to media exposure that you simply cannot achieve through organic reach alone.

A Direct Line to Journalists and Media Outlets

Busy journalists find Pressat very helpful

One of Pressat’s biggest strengths is its established network of verified journalists, editors, bloggers and media outlets across the UK and beyond. 

Instead of hoping your email reaches the right person, Pressat ensures your announcement appears directly in the inboxes and news feeds of people who are actively looking for stories. 

From my personal perspective this service works well as my inbox receives special emails concerning my specific requirements from Pressat.

For SMEs and charities in particular, this levels the playing field. You don’t need an in-house PR team to get national coverage, Pressat does the heavy lifting for you.

Immediate Visibility in Major Search Engines

Press releases published through Pressat are indexed quickly by Google, Bing and other major search engines. For organisations of all sizes, this delivers:

A boost in online visibility

Fresh, relevant content for search engines to recognise

Improved brand authority

Higher chances of appearing in news search results when people look up your industry or cause

For businesses working on SEO and brand recognition, this alone makes Pressat an invaluable tool.

Targeted Distribution for Better Engagement

Pressat allows users to tailor their distribution to specific sectors such as:

Finance

Technology

Retail

Hospitality

Health and wellbeing

Charities and non-profits

Environment and sustainability

This ensures your news reaches media professionals who actually cover your field, increasing the likelihood of engagement, follow-up queries and coverage.

Building Long-Term Brand Credibility

Press releases are more than just announcements they build a digital footprint. With consistent use, Pressat helps organisations establish:

Proven legitimacy

A history of growth and activity

A steady trail of authoritative media mentions

For charities, this reinforces trust with supporters. For SMEs and larger companies, it signals to customers, suppliers and investors that you are active, transparent and evolving.

Cost-Effective PR for Organisations Without Big Budgets

Hiring an agency or in-house PR team can be expensive. Many small businesses and charities simply can’t justify the cost. Pressat provides an affordable alternative:

No monthly retainers

No complex contracts

Simple, clear pricing per release

You stay in control of your budget while still accessing a professional media distribution service.

Support for Time-Pressed Organisations

Pressat offers additional features such as writing assistance, proofreading and editing. This is ideal for busy SMEs, stretched charity teams or corporate departments needing to get polished, accurate news out quickly.

The platform ensures your announcement is crafted in the right format, using journalist-friendly language and industry-standard layout, all essential for successful coverage.

An Essential Tool in Modern PR

In today’s media environment, relying on traditional outreach alone simply isn’t enough. A high-quality newswire service bridges the gap between organisations and the journalists who shape public conversation.

Pressat offers:

Speed

Reliability

Clear distribution channels

SEO advantages

Affordable access

Professional production standards

Whether you’re promoting a new product, announcing a charity campaign, highlighting achievements or sharing financial results, Pressat ensures your story is seen, heard and taken seriously.

https://pressat.co.uk/news-distribution

Odiono Merges With TMH Digital

TMH Media has proudly announced the merger of its digital division with London based digital marketing agency, Odiono. Together, they're shaping the future with the creation of a new partnership, TMH Digital.

This exciting merger combines the legacy of TMH Media, a well established offline media agency with Odiono's digital expertise.

This strategic union isn't merely about combining two entities; it's about offering their clients a holistic and comprehensive approach to media and marketing that leverages the strengths of both offline and digital worlds.

TMH Media is a full-service marketing and media agency, who’s clients range from, high street brands such as NEXT, Domino’s and Ocado through to National Charities, Councils, Emergency Services and Brands since 2012.

Odiono is a digital marketing agency which launched in 2018, that provides website development, website maintenance, search engine optimisation (SEO), pay per click advertising (PPC) and social media marketing services to a range of worldwide clients in the hospitality, automotive and financial sector.

Andy Dewar, the Managing Director of Odiono, expressed his excitement about the merger, saying: "Having worked alongside the incredibly talented TMH Media team for the past five years, this merger made sense to all of us. Combining our resources and expertise will allow us to provide better services to our clients and increase our service offerings. We are excited for our new partnership."

Emma Freeman Horsup, Managing Director of TMH Media, added: "This is a genuinely thrilling moment for us. The birth of TMH Digital represents our commitment to delivering excellence in the digital realm. We are excited to embark on this journey with Odiono and for all of our clients to benefit from this merger.”

Andy Dewar will remain as Managing Director of TMH Digital.

https://tmhdigital.co.uk

Swipe Me! RFID technology allows retailers to harness social media like never!

New social networking solution uses RFID technology to connect businesses at physical locations with social media - to be exclusively previewed at next week’s Retail Business Technology Expo.

Businesses can now gain control over the level of engagement they have with customers with the use of branded RFID cards which customers can swipe at their physical location to share their activity on Facebook (or other social channels).

Previously, the only way for brands operating in the physical domain to engage with their customers via social media was to create Facebook apps or Pages on which money is spent to drive traffic. Once users are engaged here, they share information with their friends about the app, not about their specific activities at the venue. LifeSynk effectively offers "a social media-based loyalty scheme allowing businesses to harness the power of word-of-mouth" by allowing customers to swipe their card at the physical location to unlock offers and share experiences with real-life examples.

How does it work for your customers? He or she will obtain an RFID card which they link to their Facebook account in a single step on a brand’s Facebook Page. They can then swipe this card at all outlets that have a LifeSynk terminal (which can be branded).

When they swipe, the user can take advantage of offers, discounts or promotions as engineered by the brand through the LifeSynk system. Branded and contextual information is broadcast to the user’s friends via Facebook (or other social channels), such as “I just received 20% off menswear at Gap”.

In the same way the Tesco Clubcard scheme works by monitoring customer activity to tailor offers, LifeSynk allows businesses to do this but across a social forum, so that all the customer’s friends can see the benefits they are gaining from the brand.

The user is able to visit their own admin console to control permissions such as allowing wall posts, but more importantly they can view all the branded promotions that are available, thus allowing brands an effective platform to promote their campaigns.

How does the business or brand use it? The LifeSynk system is comprised of an RFID reader, small CPU computer, sound board, Wi-Fi connectivity and LED lights. Its only requirements are Wi-Fi connection and a power point.

A dashboard of rich features enables brands to set up campaigns and actions that occur when cards are swiped. They can customise the specific news feeds that appear on their customer’s profile pages, and customers’ activities can be tracked.

A number of functions can be assigned to each terminal allowing the brand to control what occurs when a user swipes. The LifeSynk terminals are virtually effortless for businesses: they are shipped with the Wi-Fi key programmed into the board, and start operating as soon as they are switched on. The server is automatically updated if newer versions of the software are found.

The brand has access to rich analytics showing locations, who swiped what, how many times, demographics and more. It even calculates how many people were shared to and the click rate, ultimately allowing businesses to track the number of customers drawn to the venue via the sharing and word-of-mouth of their friends.

Digital services such as Spotify are currently benefiting from integrating with Facebook because activity that’s broadcast is immediate and relevant, driving traffic through shares.

How useful is this to brands? At present a user can check in to a venue, post a status update or Tweet about their experience, but the brand has to sit powerless without insight or influence over these conversations. With LifeSynk, brands can take control of conversations about themselves on social media.

In terms of security, LifeSynk is built on the back of Facebook. It stores no user accounts or personal information - all of this is via a Facebook app, so it is optimally secure using Facebook’s own platform. There is no way to access a user’s account without access to their Facebook account.

Watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSllbmn0fgY

You can visit the LifeSynk stand at the Retail Business Technology Expo, taking place on 13-14th March 2012 at Earl’s Court, London on stand 837.

10 Yetis PR Agency Launches ASocialMediaAgency

10 Yetis PR Agency has announced that it has decided to launch ‘A Social Media Agency’. This is as a direct result of the volume of enquiries it was receiving for social media campaigns to run either individually or alongside public relations campaigns.

With a proven track record in social media, the agency felt it was time to have a team dedicated exclusively to managing social media accounts and to deliver results-driven social campaigns.

10 Yetis, the consumer and tech public relations agency based in Gloucestershire, has announced that it is launching A Social Media Agency (www.ASocialMediaAgency.co.uk). The new sister agency will focus on six main areas: social media strategy, social media training and management, social media tools and technical support, online reputation management, social media advertising and social media for search engine optimisation.

10 Yetis PR Agency, www.10Yetis.co.uk, has several success stories when it comes to social media, including successful campaigns for clients like gaming marketplace Playr2.com and multi-lingual social network Badoo.com. Aiming to improve their client’s campaigns, 10 Yetis understand that conversation is key.

The launch of ASocialMediaAgency will be the latest addition to the company’s current portfolio of services, which includes video content through The Online Video Company and PR services through 10 Yetis itself. ASocialMediaAgency will be based at the 10 Yetis PR offices in the heart of the South West.

Andy Barr, founder of ASocialMediaAgency.co.uk and head of Yeti, had the following to say about the launch: “Social media has played a big part in client campaigns for a number of years now and with the increasing demand for social media services, we felt it was the right time to launch A Social Media Agency, for existing and new clients.

"We are doing things differently in comparison to many social media agencies work and believe talking about ‘return on investment’ from media shouldn’t be a dirty word. Social media campaigns have to be about more than conversation and our team know how to deliver results.”

This ROI focused strategy has seen A Social Media Agency quickly win a number of accounts, resulting in the appointment of Laura Edwards as a dedicated social media account manager. Speaking about her appointment, Laura said:

“It’s exciting to be working with 10 Yetis and the launch of A Social Media Agency; the company’s ethos perfectly aligns with my own on how businesses should be using social media. Now brands have established themselves online, it’s time to implement a social media strategy that really makes a difference to your businesses bottom line.”

Laura previously worked as a freelance social media consultant working with a number of PR agencies on their client’s social media campaigns. She has worked with brands like Jockey Club Racecourse, Gloucester Rugby Club and ITV.


(EDITOR: I have always found 10 Yetis to be a very good PR firm to work with from my perspective as a journalist and I have no reason to doubt that their commitment to A Social Media Agency will be every bit as strong and effective.)

Brands Adopting a Dual Approach of On-site & Social Media Marketing Will Develop The Strongest Customer Relationships, Says Punch Communications

Brand marketers that are evolving their approach to develop a strategy that encompasses engaging content on both their own-brand website and social media, stand to develop the strongest possible relationship with their customers, according to integrated social media, PR and SEO agency, Punch Communications. (EDITOR: And Punch Communications know what they are talking about, having received many relevant, useful and well-written press releases from them, over the years.)

Whilst customer relationships clearly work differently in the two environments, the strategy of adopting both as complementary presences allow a brand to engage in two distinct models – firstly reacting to customer interest via the brand site and secondly to thoughtfully participate in a customer's experience when they are already engaging with social media. By engaging through social media, the brand benefits from the provision of relevant customer information and illustrates increased transparency, flexibility and the desire to understand their customers.

In the UK for example, Facebook is the most popular social network as it has twice as many users as YouTube, 17 times more than Twitter and is the second most visited website in the country, behind Google. Therefore, it is the marketing channel that provides businesses with the greatest opportunity to reach out directly to consumers in what has rapidly become somewhat of a natural habitat for thousands.

Whilst many brands are now strengthening their customer relationships through social media, many have yet to take advantage of the opportunity, through focussing on broadcasting content to users, rather than engaging them in dialogue.

Marketing strategies can no longer rely on audiences returning to a brand time and again and Clinton Cards is one such B2C business that is rapidly developing its social media strategy alongside its website communications. The UK’s leading high street greeting card retailer recognises that the more choice of touch points offered to a consumer and the varied communication techniques that each one brings, the greater the chance for a sustained relationship.

Pete Goold, managing director of Punch Communications, said: “When Facebook users are visiting the site many millions of times each day,  B2C brands should be asking themselves if they are participating with those consumers as effectively as possible, in order to engage their interests and further their relationship. Sadly, so many are not fulfilling their potential to reach out, start on-going dialogues and create highly engaged social networking communities in order to further brand awareness and loyalty.”

By using the top 100 retail websites as a sample group, Hitwise found that each brand’s Facebook fan equated to an additional 20 website visits (over a 12 month period). This illustrates that if brands successfully participate in the space in which their audience already convenes, as well as through their brand website, there are plenty of rewards to be reaped; in the UK alone, 500 million hours are spent on Facebook each month.

Pete added: “There is little doubt that one-size fits all approach is no longer a sufficiently sophisticated strategy for digital marketing. Where brands are able to meaningfully participate in social media experiences, rather than simply push messages out, social communities tend to respond extremely favourably, resulting in disproportionately high positivity and loyalty. In short, it’s simply about going back to the old marketing truism of tailoring the message to the individual, which remains universally beneficial and is now more possible than ever before.”

For more information on Punch Communications’ integrated approach to social network activity and to see what it can offer your business compared to other social media agencies, visit www.punchcomms.com. Also, if you’re looking for social media, SEO or PR jobs, visit the Punch website to review the positions that are currently available.

To join in the conversation with Punch on Facebook, Twitter or Google plus, visit facebook.com/PunchCommunications, twitter.com/punchcomms and gplusnick/punchcomms.

Statistics courtesy of Experian Hitwise, 2 February - http://weblogs.hitwise.com/james-murray/2012/02/10_things_yo...

Press release wire service streamlined to help PRs and businesses reach more media

Submitting press releases to Daryl Willcox Publishing's Response Source and SourceWire services has been simplified and as a result PR professionals can now reach more journalists.

Stories posted will now appear on both the Response Source and SourceWire websites, so PRs do not have to choose which site to post on as they did previously. This means press releases will be exposed to more members of the media as both sites are established resources used daily by thousands of journalists, and are well-indexed by search engines.

The service has also been renamed SourceWire News Distribution to better differentiate the press release distribution service from the Response Source Journalist Enquiries System.

The press release submission form contains all 25 journalist subject categories spanning business and finance to media and marketing, travel, sport, health and technology. It is easier to follow, with clearer steps to submitting a story and adding tools such as images and videos.

Pricing is largely unchanged but is now based on how many categories are chosen, instead of which wire a release is posted on.

“We’ve overhauled the press wire service based on feedback from our users and it is now simpler for PR professionals to submit a story and reach more journalists,” said Daryl Willcox, chairman of Daryl Willcox Publishing. ”It’s another step in our quest to get news out in the most straightforward and effective way.”

Also, Press Association press release distribution has been added to the wire options to allow PRs additional reach to national, regional and broadcast media in the UK.

Willcox continued: “SourceWire News Distribution is now easier to use and even more effective.”

FACTFILE:

Daryl Willcox Publishing (www.dwpub.com) provides information services for journalists and public relations companies. Launched in 1997, the company connects media professionals to create opportunities for timely, relevant press coverage. Products include the Response Source Journalist Enquiries System, SourceWire News Distribution, the Freelance Journalist Directory and the FeaturesExec Media Database. Over 2,500 companies use Daryl Willcox Publishing's media relations services, including around 120 of the top 150 PR Companies.


(EDITOR: If you do not use SourceWire, you are not keeping ahead.)

Media and entertainment sectors see 34% rise in staff hirings

A new report indicates a healthy rise in hiring across the media and entertainment sectors for a range of job functions.

Permanent vacancy levels within media and entertainment across all the main business functions: Sales marketing and digital; HR; office support; finance; legal and executive search, have risen by almost 34% in May when compared with the average totals across February, March and April. Temporary roles have decreased slightly which is not surprising given the healthy increase in permanent vacancies.

This is according to specialist media and entertainment consultancy, Handle Recruitment which has just released its second report which tracks the percentage increase/decrease across all of its specialist disciplines.

Marketing roles have increased by 63% with vacancies on both the client and agency side. “The digital space continues to increase in importance within the media and entertainment sectors”, says Dominic Warman Director of Handle’s Marketing Division, “this is driven by the fact that these industries were early adopters of social media.

“There is a real need for people who can effectively create innovative campaigns across multiple platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Foursquare. Creativity on its own is not enough and there is a real emphasis on insight and analysis and those who can really add value to the bottom line. Solid commercial experience and skill sets around measurements and analysis are still key to the media and entertainment sectors.”

Average salaries have remained steady at around £40,000 suggesting a trend towards mid-senior level hires.

Support roles have seen an even bigger upswing - 72% in May compared with the average across previous four months. This is seen as a positive trend suggesting that increasing workloads are driving demand for experienced administrative and office support staff.

The market for finance professionals is incredibly buoyant at the moment with finance departments recruiting heavily within the media and entertainment sectors. “The digitalisation of music, films and books has seen the entertainment industry having to get more creative about the financial solutions to problems around piracy and sales,” says Tom Chadwick Director of Handle’s Finance Division.

Commenting on the results of this report, Peter Tafler, Managing Director said: “While there is no doubt that it is still a very competitive job market, our core markets of TV, film music and media are undoubtedly in the market for talent”

This Purple prose could really boost your business!

Companies looking to exploit new social media networks must think very carefully about how they develop their Facebook presence according to a new report by integrated marketing specialists, The Purple Agency (part of Adare).

According to Purple too many companies fail to harness the potential of social media to express their brands and engage consumers positively. In so doing they run the risk of damaging the brands they represent as a result of ill thought through social media strategies.

Says Andrew Woodger, data and planning director, The Purple Agency: “While social media sites are a potentially powerful tool for good, they can just as easily be a powerful turn off for many consumers. Unless brands set out to engage consumers in a managed interactive environment, there is a huge risk that their social media presence will back fire. This is especially true of organisations and brands which rely on high levels of consumer goodwill or where there are potentially controversial issues which may need a high degree of ‘management’ to avoid them getting out of hand.”

The Purple Agency has created a list of factors which should ideally be considered and addressed before a company sets itself up on Facebook or any other social networking media. These include the following:

Do:

1 Do have a clear strategy. Consider both the gains and the risks. How will you measure the benefits?
2. Do decide how you want people to interact. Is your Facebook site a bill board or somewhere people can genuinely ‘interact’. Either might be valid, but will depend on what you want to achieve.
3. Do choose who will be responsible for managing and maintaining your presence.
4. Do agree in advance your policies and approach to managing negative or controversial postings. People often use sites to ‘sound off’ about issues they feel are unresolved. Make sure you are ready and able to respond quickly.
5. Do make sure your customers know about your social media presence, and are invited to participate

Don’t:

1. Don’t create a social presence which exposes you to critical comment – unless the upsides and rewards are greater than the potential damage.
2. Don’t use standardised responses or those written in ‘corporate speak’. Treat people as individuals. The wrong tone of voice can send the wrong messages.
3. Don’t duck issues. A little humility works better than corporate arrogance.
4. Don’t scrimp on resourcing your presence. Make sure you have the back up to support your ‘social networkers’, such as customer service personnel and PR people who can deal with any prickly issues quickly and professionally.
5. Don’t let wounds fester. If an uncomfortable issue gets raised deal with it one-to-one before it propagates and gets out of hand.

Says Woodger, “This is a media area which offers huge rewards in terms of building dialogue with customers and expressing your brand personality. If you get it right it can drive service improvements, new product developments, extend your brand and gain valuable ‘earned reputation’. But the downsides have to be considered carefully. You have to plan and have contingency arrangements in place to deal with issues as they emerge. Failure to do so can quickly undo all the potential benefits social media offers.”

A copy of the Purple report The 20 Second Guide to Social Media Management can be downloaded from the Purple website at www.purple-agency.com