Are press releases really important?

Hey there,

This question is one that I have asked myself so many times in my career as a PR person. Sometimes, it can be tiring to always have to draft press releases to send to the media, especially when your company or client just wants the littlest of information to be shared with the media urgently, and you know it won’t fly with the media. So the question beckons, are press releases really really important in the life of a PR person?   

The answer to this one is yes. Press releases are important, it is a way of communicating with the media and informing them of updates, news, and basic information about your company and its workings. A Press release is really important for a Public Relations (PR) practitioner because it is the major tool to inform and communicate with the public and guess what, PR is all about communicating with the public as an individual or organization. So it is quite important to have a press release handy. There are also other PR tools that are used in communicating, such as social media posts & updates, email marketing, newsletters, etc. that a PR person can use to communicate effectively with the audience but the press release stands out because it is a document to the media, and the media usually reaches a wider group of people.

So as a newbie or already in-the-zone PR executive, a press release is very important to your field of work and industry. I have also decided to highlight 3 top reasons why you need a press release just in case! (Cheers)

• New Product/Service Announcement: When there is a new product alert, the press release helps you inform the media about a new product or service category that has been added to the market. It also helps to let people know the details and the features of the new product, where to get it from, how it can be used, its benefits, etc.

• Building & sustaining a brand image: With your press release, you can constantly keep the media and public updated about recent activities and it helps with top-of-mind awareness. It also helps to build brand image and showcase what an organization or individual is about. 

• Increased reach and interest: A press release helps to reach a wider audience, whether one that is shared via social media, email marketing, or traditional means, it helps to reach a wider audience and generate interest. The more people are informed about your organization’s activities, the more they ask questions, which may lead to interest and probably sales conversion.

There are so many other reasons a press release is important but I have only highlighted three. Press releases are very useful and as PR people, it is imperative that we harness the skill of finetuning our writing skills to get better at drafting one. For tips on how to write a press release read my previous post on press release writing.

I hope you enjoyed reading up to this point, thank you! Join me weekly in my journey into the PR world where I discuss challenges, tips, pointers, and wins in the PR career space. See you soon!

Warm regards,

The PR Chic