The Ultimate Guide to Press Release Distribution

Did you know that personalized emails are 26% more likely to be opened^[11]?

Bear that in mind when you’re pitching news stories, and show some interest in the journalist’s previous work by indicating that you know they’re a good fit based on the topics they cover.

Try to build a relationship with the journalists^[12] first, rather than hitting them with a release and expecting instant coverage. Almost 15% of journalists consider this very important:

Image courtesy of Marketing Land^[13].

Sometimes, it’s worth playing the long game by getting to know your target ahead of your pitch. Engage with them on LinkedIn, respond to their tweets, and generally work yourself into their notifications — and their radar.

3. Make your subject line irresistible.

According to research by Fractl, 85% of publishers^[14] decide whether to open a pitch email based on the subject line alone.

So, how can you make sure yours gets opened? Try these tips:

• Keep it short and sweet: 75% of publishers^[15] prefer subject lines with 10 or fewer words.
• Ensure it’s unique: A powerful subject line should be disruptive, innovative, or offer a human interest angle.
• Make it super-specific: Over half of journalists^[16] want descriptive subject lines that are tailored to their previously-covered topics.
• Provide exclusivity: If you’ve got some unique data or research, shout about it! Exclusivity can help to get a journalist’s eyes on your press release.

… And one thing to avoid? Clickbait^[17]. It’s really that simple.

4. Send your press release pitch (at the right time).

Press release? Check. Pitch email? Check. Contact details? Check.

… But that doesn’t mean you’re ready to distribute your press release.

You’ll need to think about the day (and time) you hit the “send” button because certain days and times have better success rates than others.

For instance, 61% of journalists^[18] prefer to receive press releases in the morning. That’s almost two thirds, so it’s probably worth getting your pitch out early to have the best chance of success.

However, remember that journalists have an average of 300 emails waiting for them in the morning^[19]. It might be best to wait an hour or so, and send your release mid-morning for a better chance of your pitch standing out in their inbox.

Additionally, it’s important to consider the day of the week. While modern-day businesses are often active seven days a week, there’s still a traditional lull in pick-up rates when it comes to press release distribution.

So, consider the day you send your release — it might land more coverage if you pitch it midweek, as opposed to sending first thing Monday morning.

According to an analysis of over 100,000 press releases by Ragan^[20], Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best days to distribute your story. And a further study by Prowly recommends sending on a Thursday, with data suggesting over 26% of press release emails are opened by journalists on this day:

Image courtesy of Prowly^[21].

Both studies indicate that Mondays and Fridays are not as effective, and you should definitely avoid sending your story over the weekend.

However, there’s no one-size-fits-all rule — which is why you should test a few different days and times and see what works best for your industry.

Are you pitching a time-sensitive press release?

You can still send it ahead of time. Just make sure you embargo the information in your release until it’s ready to become public knowledge. You can do this by adding “Embargoed; not to be released before DATE” to the top of your distribution email.

5. Follow-up on your release.

An age-old question: Should you follow up on your press release?

It depends on who you’re asking, but generally, the consensus seems evenly split. Some people believe following up to be a big no-no, while others indicate that it can be fruitful.

If you have a release you’re particularly proud of, it won’t hurt to follow up if you’re struggling to land coverage — provided you’re tactful.

Don’t just spam the journalist’s inbox with the same press release and the same pitch, however. That can get annoying, and ruin your chances of getting your story picked up.

Instead, try slightly tweaking the angle of your pitch. PR expert Carrie Morgan recommends^[22] treating a follow-up email as “a fresh pitch transitioning MY news into THEIR NEWS.”

You could also try giving the journalist — however, only 23% of journalists welcome being contacted by phone^[23], so if your target is one of the other three quarters, you may find yourself hearing hundreds of answering machines.

Either way, it could be worth following up, particularly if you’re confident your press release is a newsworthy piece that deserves coverage.

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