4 tips from working PR pros on writing your press release

A public relations tactic that has stood the test of time is the press release. Originated over a century ago, press releases are used to announce something that is newsworthy with the purpose of getting press coverage and getting noticed by your target audience.

And though getting press releases out used to be a heavy-lift for publicists, today distribution services like PR Newswire help brands get their news out to hundreds of publications in a matter of seconds.

So I asked my connections on LinkedIn and followers on Twitter what their best piece of advice is for drafting a press release. Here’s what they said:

1. Understand if a press release is actually needed. 

One of the biggest mistakes brands make is thinking that every announcement or story deserves a press release. Patrick Messenger, a communications professional who’s worked at leading companies like Amazon and TikTok, says communicators should ask themselves if the news is worthy of a press release, or if a pitch or social post will work better.