What Makes a Press Release Worth Reading?

What Makes a Press Release Worth Reading?

Spend a few minutes talking to business owners about media coverage, and one assumption comes up surprisingly often.

"If our press release is well written, surely someone will publish it."

It's an understandable belief. After all, a polished announcement feels like the logical starting point for earning attention. But anyone who's spent time in a newsroom will tell you that writing is only part of the equation.

Before considering how a story is written, editors ask something much simpler.

Is it actually news?

That question has guided journalism for generations, and despite the rise of social media, podcasts, newsletters, and countless digital platforms, it remains just as relevant today.

A press release is still one of the most useful communication tools available to organizations. Its value, however, has never come from the document itself. It comes from the story behind it.

Newsworthiness comes before publicity

Every organization has something happening.

A new office opens. A partnership is signed. An executive receives an award. A product reaches the market.

These moments are important to the business.

Whether they're important to the public is another matter.

Journalists don't choose stories based on how excited a company feels about its announcement. They choose stories that offer something useful, timely, or relevant to their audiences.

Sometimes that's an innovation that solves a genuine problem.

Sometimes it's new research, an emerging industry trend, or a community initiative with broader impact.

The strongest press releases recognize this distinction. Instead of asking, "What do we want to announce?" they begin with a different question:

"Why would someone outside our organization care?"

That small shift changes everything.

Earned media plays by different rules

Advertising gives businesses complete control over their message.

Earned media doesn't.

Editors decide whether a story deserves space in tomorrow's paper or on today's website. Reporters verify facts, ask difficult questions, and often seek perspectives beyond the organization issuing the announcement.

That's precisely why earned media carries a different kind of credibility.

According to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report, audiences continue to place greater trust in established news organizations than in branded content alone. The role of media, after all, is not to promote businesses but to help people understand what's happening around them.

Organizations that appreciate this relationship tend to approach media coverage with greater respect—and often achieve better results because of it.

The most common mistake isn't poor writing

It's confusing promotion with information.

Press releases filled with phrases like "world-class," "industry-leading," or "revolutionary" rarely persuade experienced journalists.

Those descriptions raise a reasonable question:

"According to whom?"

Facts are far more compelling than adjectives.

Specific achievements, meaningful data, expert insights, or real community impact tell a stronger story than promotional language ever could.

A good press release shouldn't read like an advertisement wearing a necktie.

It should read like the beginning of a news story.

Relationships are built long before the pitch

Behind every article is a journalist balancing deadlines, interviews, research, and an inbox that rarely stops filling.

That reality explains why relationships remain one of the most valuable parts of media relations.

Trust isn't built by sending weekly emails or following up every few hours.

It's built by consistently providing accurate information, responding promptly to questions, respecting deadlines, and understanding the kind of stories a publication serves.

Like any professional relationship, credibility grows over time.

People remember reliable sources.

They also remember those who only appear when they want publicity.

A press release is part of a much bigger conversation

The strongest media announcements rarely stand alone.

A spokesperson who can explain the story clearly. A concise media kit. High-quality photographs. Relevant background information. Timely responses to follow-up questions.

Together, these elements help journalists do their work efficiently.

More importantly, they help audiences understand the story beyond the headline.

A press release, then, isn't the final objective.

It's the opening chapter.

For businesses, earning media coverage has never been about sending more announcements than everyone else. It's about recognizing which stories deserve to be told, presenting them honestly, and respecting the role of journalism in informing the public.

The organizations that consistently receive meaningful coverage aren't necessarily the ones issuing the greatest number of press releases.

More often, they're the ones with something genuinely worth saying—and the patience to build relationships that make people willing to listen.

References

1. Digital News Report — Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
   https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report
2. About Public Relations — Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
   https://www.prsa.org/about/all-about-pr
3. Media Relations — Institute for Public Relations
   https://instituteforpr.org/topics/media-relations/