Every item on this list is something we've seen journalists check (consciously or not) when deciding whether to cover a story or hit delete.
Journalists need a reason to cover you today, not next month. Tie your release to a launch, milestone, trend, or timely event.
Avoid Fridays, holidays, and major news days. Tuesday through Thursday mornings get the highest open rates from journalists.
A spray-and-pray approach gets you blocklisted. Research which journalists cover your beat and what they've written recently.
A release that tries to appeal to everyone appeals to no one. Pick one audience and write directly to them.
Journalists need numbers to make a story credible. Prepare specific metrics, growth figures, or third-party validation before you start writing.
Ask yourself: would you read this story if it wasn't about your company? If the answer is no, rethink the angle.
The headline should tell the full story in under 100 characters. No cleverness, no buzzwords—just the news.
Who, what, when, where, and why—all in the first paragraph. Many journalists read only this far.
Quotes should add perspective or emotion, not restate facts. "We're excited to announce" is not a quote—it's filler.
Replace vague language ("significant growth") with specifics ("47% increase in Q3"). Data makes stories publishable.
The ideal press release is 400–500 words. Anything longer and you're asking journalists to do editing work for you.
Journalists write in AP style. If your release doesn't, it signals you don't understand their world.
Your company description should be 3–4 sentences with up-to-date metrics. Outdated boilerplates scream "we don't do this often."
Short paragraphs, clear subheadings, and bullet points where appropriate. Journalists skim—make it easy.
Generic phrasing, perfect grammar with zero personality, and buzzword soup are instant tells. Journalists can spot AI copy in seconds.
"Revolutionary," "cutting-edge," "best-in-class"—these words mean nothing. Every company uses them. Replace with specifics.
This is the #1 most-used (and most-ignored) opening in press releases. Lead with the news, not your emotions.
A partnership, a minor update, or a self-congratulatory milestone isn't news. If a journalist can't write a story from it, it's not ready.
No subheadings, no breaks, no formatting—just a dense block of corporate speak. This gets deleted before the second paragraph.
Your email subject line is your first (and often only) impression. Keep it under 60 characters and state the news directly.
Reference the journalist's recent work. One sentence of personalization is worth more than a perfectly crafted release.
Emails sent between 9–10am in the journalist's timezone on Tuesday–Thursday get the highest open rates.
Include a name, email, and phone number. Respond within 2 hours. Journalists work on deadline—if you're slow, you're out.
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The gap between perception and reality is why 97% of press releases get ignored. This checklist closes that gap.