Crafting an effective press release is a crucial skill in today’s fast-paced media landscape. This article presents key strategies for creating stand-out press releases that capture journalists’ attention, drawing on insights from industry experts. From timing your release to existing news cycles to providing unique angles for different outlets, these tips will help you maximize the impact of your announcements.

 

• Time Press Releases to Existing News Cycles
• Humanize Data to Capture Journalists’ Interest
• Connect Your Story to Bigger Trends
• Offer Exclusive Angles for Different Outlets
• Ensure Your Announcement Is Truly Newsworthy
• Craft a Compelling News-Style Headline
• Provide Unique Insights and Clear Value
• Optimize for Readers and Search Engines
• Frame Your Release as a Sales Pitch
• Prioritize Clarity and Timely Relevance
• Create a Permanent SEO Asset
• Customize Pitches for Each Journalist
• Focus on Clarity and Relevance

 

Time Press Releases to Existing News Cycles

 

Having covered everything from Hollywood strikes to royal family drama, I’ve learned that timing your press release around existing news cycles is what separates inbox clutter from front-page coverage. When we pitched our Prince Harry and Meghan Markle lifestyle brand analysis, we tied it directly to their recent public appearances and ongoing media scrutiny.

 

The secret is finding the cultural moment your announcement connects to. During the Hollywood writers’ strike coverage, tech companies launching AI writing tools got massive pickup because journalists were already exploring that exact intersection of technology and creative work. Entertainment reporters were hungry for any story that added context to what they were already covering daily.

 

Include exclusive behind-the-scenes angles that only your company can provide. When covering red carpet events, we noticed that brands announcing partnerships during award season got 3x more media attention than identical announcements made during quiet periods. The same product launch becomes newsworthy when it’s framed as “the technology powering tonight’s biggest premiere.”

 

Most PR teams miss this completely — they announce their news in a vacuum instead of positioning it as the next chapter in a story journalists are already telling their audiences.

 

Jonas Muthoni TSJ, Editor, The Showbiz Journal

Humanize Data to Capture Journalists’ Interest

 

Having steered my business through award-winning campaigns and major industry pivots like COVID-19, I’ve learned that humanizing your data is what makes journalists actually care about your story. When we helped brands navigate the pandemic shift, our press releases didn’t just announce new services — they included specific consumer behavior changes like “59% of social shoppers now find products in feeds” tied directly to what our clients were experiencing.

 

Lead with the cultural moment, not your company news. During our Digiday award-winning campaign, we framed our announcement around the creator economy’s maturation from experimental to ROI-driven. The story became about industry evolution, with our win as supporting evidence rather than the headline.

 

The game-changer is writing your subject line like a trend report headline. Instead of “Open Influence Wins Award,” we’d write “Creator Marketing Agencies See 400% ROI Increase as Brands Shift to Always-On Strategies.” Journalists covering marketing trends can immediately see how your announcement fits their beat.

 

Your press release should feel like insider intelligence that reporters can’t get anywhere else. Include proprietary insights from your work — like how our Fortune 500 clients’ engagement rates shifted during platform algorithm changes — that give journalists exclusive data to reference in their broader industry coverage.

 

Maria A. Rodriguez, VP, Comms and Marketing, Open Influence

Connect Your Story to Bigger Trends

 

I think the biggest mistake people make with press releases is sending one before they’ve asked themselves, “Why would someone outside the company care about this?” I’ve learned to always pause and ask this question. If there’s no clear, timely hook or if it doesn’t connect to a bigger trend or solve a real problem, it’s probably not ready for a press release.

 

One tip that’s worked for me is to lead with a sharp, data-driven headline that gives journalists a reason to keep reading. Numbers, strong verbs, and relevance are key. I also never send a release without personalizing the pitch. If I can say, “I saw your piece on X, and thought this might fit into your coverage,” I’m already way ahead of the people mass-emailing the same copy to 200 reporters.

 

Matias Rodsevich, Founder & CEO, PRLab

Offer Exclusive Angles for Different Outlets

 

After 40 years in PR and starting at Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine, I’ve learned that exclusivity is your secret weapon. Don’t blast the same release to everyone — craft different angles for different outlets.

 

Lead with names people recognize. When I handled galas for major cultural institutions, I always opened with the boldface names attending, not the cause itself. Journalists scan for familiar faces first, mission statements second.

 

Make yourself indispensable beyond the story. I always include three additional story angles they can pursue later — like upcoming events, related personalities, or trend connections. When I pitched royal commentary pieces, I’d attach a “future story calendar” showing upcoming royal events worth covering.

 

The biggest mistake I see is burying the visual opportunity. Always include a line about photo/interview availability in your first paragraph. Journalists think in pictures, especially for society and culture coverage.

 

Couri Hay, Co-Founder, R. Couri Hay Columns

Ensure Your Announcement Is Truly Newsworthy

 

One thing I would say is that when crafting a press release, the most important thing to consider is whether it’s genuinely newsworthy.

 

Journalists are swamped with pitches, so if your announcement about a brand’s latest product launch or a CEO’s insightful quote isn’t truly interesting or relevant to their audience, it simply won’t get picked up by big publications.

 

Think about what makes your story unique and compelling.

 

To make it stand out, my top tip is to offer an exclusive angle or a compelling data point. Instead of just announcing something, give the journalist a reason to prioritize your story over others.

 

Perhaps your press release includes a never-before-seen statistic that supports a larger trend, or maybe you’re offering the first interview opportunity with a key executive who has a unique perspective on a developing industry shift.

 

These kinds of details are gold to journalists, as they help them create more impactful stories.

 

Shantanu Pandey, Founder & CEO, Tenet

Craft a Compelling News-Style Headline

 

The most important aspect of crafting a press release is clarity of angle. Too many press releases read like internal memos — full of jargon, with no clear reason why anyone outside the company should care. If the first two lines don’t explain why this matters now, it’s already lost.

 

One tip to make a release stand out: write the first sentence as if it’s the headline of a news story, not a company announcement. Journalists aren’t looking to republish corporate language; they’re looking for relevance and tension. Whether it’s a surprising trend, an unexpected outcome, or a bold claim, the hook must carry newsroom value.

 

We always test this by asking, “Would someone click on this in a feed with 20 other headlines?” If not, it goes back for a rewrite.

 

Eugene Leow Zhao Wei, Director, Marketing Agency Singapore

Provide Unique Insights and Clear Value

 

One of the most important things to consider when crafting a press release is ensuring that your headline grabs attention while clearly communicating the core message. Journalists receive dozens, if not hundreds, of press releases daily, so your headline needs to stand out by being concise, informative, and relevant to the audience.

 

A tip for making it stand out to journalists is to offer a unique angle or exclusive insight that they can’t easily get elsewhere. Journalists are more likely to feature your press release if it provides fresh data, an expert opinion, or a timely take on a trending topic. Make their job easier by providing everything they need — quotes, statistics, and key facts, without them needing to follow up for more information.

 

Kristiyan Yankov, Growth Marketer, Co-founder, AboveApex

Optimize for Readers and Search Engines

 

When crafting a press release for your direct audience, one of the most important considerations is clarity of message. Your press release should immediately answer the question: “Why should my audience care?” Too often, releases are written with jargon or attempt to speak to everyone at once, diluting the key message. Focus on what’s newsworthy to your intended readers — a new legal service, a significant case result, or an event impacting your community. Zeroing in on what matters most to your audience makes the release relevant and actionable.

 

One tip for making your press release stand out is optimizing it for both readers and search engines. Include a strong, compelling headline with target keywords reflecting what your audience is searching for. For example, instead of “Local Law Firm Announces New Practice Area,” use “San Francisco Family Law Firm Launches Comprehensive Divorce Mediation Services.” This approach accomplishes two things: it makes the subject clear to anyone scanning headlines, and it increases the chances of being discovered online where your audience is most likely to look for information.

 

Always include a brief, informative summary at the top, bullet points for key facts, and a quote providing unique insight rather than just generic praise. These elements catch the eye of journalists, busy editors, and potential clients, ensuring your message is memorable and shareable. By prioritizing clarity and search visibility, your press release becomes a powerful tool that drives media attention and real business results.

 

Jason Bland, Co-Founder, Custom Legal Marketing

Frame Your Release as a Sales Pitch

 

The most important thing is to stop thinking of it as a press “release” and start treating it like a direct response sales letter to the journalist. For 35 years, I’ve focused on getting a specific action, not just creating awareness. A press release is no different. You are not just announcing news. You are selling a busy journalist on the idea that writing about you is a valuable use of their time and will be interesting to their audience. The “product” is the story.

 

To make it stand out, you have to do their job for them. Don’t just state what you launched. Frame the human problem your news solves. We don’t say we launched a new financial plan. We lead with the fact that half of Americans are facing a retirement crisis. This instantly gives the journalist a compelling angle. You’re not just giving them facts. You’re handing them a finished story, much like we hand our agents a qualified meeting instead of a cold lead.

 

Rob Graham, Founder, MeetingsTech

Prioritize Clarity and Timely Relevance

 

I never compromise clarity when writing a press release. Reporters have many stories to cover, so the information must be easy to read and understand immediately. I ensure that the most important information is placed at the forefront: who, what, when, where, why, and how. This helps ensure that journalists don’t have to dig out the main points. I’ve discovered that direct and bare-bones writing works best.

 

The release must be distinctive to capture a journalist’s attention. I focus on newsworthiness, i.e., something unique, relevant, or timely. For example, I recently wrote a release at Equipment Finance Canada that described how new sources of financing available to Canadian companies could help them access the equipment they need in the current economic downturn. The angle was fresh, topical, and addressed a pain point, which is why journalists were keen to write about it. The secret is to provide a story that is relevant to what people are interested in and that is real and timely.

 

Cal Singh, Head Of Marketing & Partnerships, Equipment Finance Canada

Create a Permanent SEO Asset

 

Ensuring that your press release conveys a crisp, engaging narrative that fits into a bigger trend or addresses a genuine consumer need is among the most important factors to bear in mind when creating one for your business. The press release must immediately address the “why now?” question since journalists are inundated by pitches. One effective approach to have it stand out is to start with a compelling, newsworthy headline and an enticing first sentence that draws in the reader right away. Data points, client reviews, or a strong quote from your founder give authenticity and weight. Always write with the journalist in mind — make it simple for them to grasp the worth and relevance to their audience.

 

Faizan Khan, Public Relations and Content Marketing Specialist, Ubuy Indonesia

Customize Pitches for Each Journalist

I see most companies treat a press release as a one-time media opportunity. That’s a mistake. The most important aspect is to view it as a permanent SEO asset. Its real, long-term value isn’t in the initial coverage, but in how it ranks and the authority it builds for your domain. This is fundamental to online reputation management because it allows you to create and control a positive asset on Google’s first page, indefinitely.

 

To make it stand out, provide the journalist with more than just a story. Give them a reason to link to you. Embed a link to a unique data set, a simple tool, or a high-quality infographic that supports your announcement. Journalists need to provide value to their readers, and giving them a tangible resource enhances their article. For you, it secures the high-authority backlink, which was the primary goal all along.

 

Robin Ooi, Founder, Robin Ooi

Focus on Clarity and Relevance

 

The most important factors in crafting a press release are clarity and relevance. Journalists don’t have time to search for the story, so it’s crucial to present it to them concisely and effectively. I learned this during my internship at a PR firm, where I assisted in pitching local events to regional media outlets. The releases that were picked up consistently had a clear hook and were connected to current events, such as an upcoming holiday, a community cause, or a surprising statistic.

 

For example, one campaign I worked on was for a new yoga studio opening in a competitive market. Instead of simply stating, “Yoga Studio Opens Downtown,” we framed it as “Downtown’s First Donation-Based Yoga Studio Opens to Support Mental Health Awareness Month.” This angle provided journalists with a fresh and socially relevant story.

 

To stand out, it’s essential to customize your subject line and pitch for each journalist. Demonstrate that you’re familiar with their beat, reference a story they’ve written, and explain why your press release would interest their audience. A generic mass email is likely to be ignored, while a thoughtful, personalized note captures attention.

 

Rita Zhang, Marketing Coordinator, Achievable