Why Was My Press Release Ditched by Journalists?

Why was my press release ditched and didn’t get the coverage?

Coverage in your chosen media is never guaranteed, unless you pay for adverts or advertorials. We thought it might be useful to explain a few reasons why your press release might not have been used.

There are some key steps you can take to ensure your press is given the very best chance of getting covered. We will help you with those too.

Here are our top 7 Reasons Why Your Press Release Did Not Make the Cut…

1. Timing

Sometimes it can just be down to timing and that is completely out of your hands. If a big new story breaks or a journalist is on deadline with a bigger story, or they just have too many stories in their inbox, or they have covered a story similar to yours earlier in the week… these are all reasons why your release might not see the light of day.

2. Lack of Newsworthiness

Newsworthiness, what a great word. A one of the factors why your release may not be used. Journalists are busy and they have not got the time to go hunting for a story in a badly written ‘press release’ that has buried the lead at the bottom of the page. They are unlikely to get that far. If your release is excessively promotional, then they are unlikely to get past the first paragraph. They are not looking for adverts.

Find a good news angle and you will be putting yourself ahead of the crowd. You might want to take a look at this post – 19 story angles for a press release. It might give you some inspiration.

3. Poorly Crafted Press Release

Burying the lead at the bottom of the release fits into this category too, but if you have a well written release that tells the story clearly and concisely, you are much more likely to get them to read it. You need a strong and attention-grabbing headline, a powerful intro paragraph and you need to have told the whole story really clearly in the first three paragraphs.

The rest is there to add colour, details, life and context if a journalist decides to move forward with the story.  If you can grab their attention and get them to read the first three paragraphs, you are probably there.

4. Bad Imagery

This probably won’t be the sole reason for not getting covered, but having a strong image to accompany the release will make you stand out from the crowd. Don’t use a logo or an image with lots of words in it. An image with a person that tells the story of your story would be the ideal.

5. Too Advertorial

We covered this briefly in the poorly crafted press release section, but it is worth a revisit. What you believe is an amazing piece of news for your business or organisation is not necessarily a great story for a journalist.

Too many companies are too focused on how they want to tell the story and as a result will create what is effectively an advertorial – many pages of promotional rubbish. It will be spiked. It is really important to put yourselves in the shoes of the journalist or get an expert to write the release for you. Trust them when they come up with an angle that is more newsworthy, but not necessarily how you saw the story originally. It is more likely to get coverage.

6. Lack of Information

You must give yourself the very best chance of getting coverage. Cover all the bases. Don’t give the journalist anything further to do. Give them all of the information they need in a clear and concise manner. If they have to try to get in touch with someone from your company to get basic information that has not been included in the release, they may just not bother. Remember the Ws. Who, what, where, why and when. If you cover all of these, then you should have most of the information the will need included.

7. Jargon

It is really common for businesses to write press releases using complicated and technical language and jargon. This makes it very hard for people to really capture the strength and value of the story. If they have to fight through lots of jargon, they will lose interest very easily. Even if you release is going to specialist journalists, you still need to make sure the story is obvious. If it is not going to a specialist audience, then you MUST make sure that all technical language and jargon is removed or your story will be spiked.

If you would like help getting your release into the very best shape for distribution to journalists, then our team of experienced journalists and PR consultants could help you by writing the press release. Find out more about our press release writing service here. 

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Frequently Asked Questions About Press Release Coverage

Is media coverage guaranteed when I send a press release?

No. Coverage is never guaranteed unless you pay for adverts or advertorials. Whether a journalist picks up your story depends on newsworthiness, timing and how well the release is written.

What are the most common reasons a press release doesn’t get covered?

The most common reasons are bad timing, a lack of newsworthiness, a poorly written release, weak imagery, content that reads as advertorial rather than news, missing information, and excessive jargon.

Can timing affect whether my press release gets covered?

Yes. A journalist may be on deadline with a bigger story, have too many releases in their inbox, or have already covered something similar that week. This is often outside your control, but sending your release at the right moment can improve your chances.

What makes a press release newsworthy?

A newsworthy release has a clear news angle rather than reading as promotional. Journalists are busy and won’t dig for a story buried at the bottom of the page, so the strongest, most relevant point needs to come first.

How should a press release be structured to get picked up?

It needs a strong, attention-grabbing headline, a powerful opening paragraph, and the full story told clearly within the first three paragraphs. Everything after that should add colour, detail and context for a journalist who decides to move forward with the story.

What does “too advertorial” mean in a press release?

It means the release reads as promotional content for the business rather than a genuine news story. Journalists are looking for newsworthy angles, not adverts, so releases that focus too heavily on how a company wants to tell its own story are often spiked.

What information should a press release always include?

It should answer the who, what, where, why and when clearly and concisely, so a journalist has everything they need without having to chase your company for basic details.

Why does jargon hurt a press release’s chances?

Jargon and overly technical language make it harder for a journalist to quickly understand the value of the story. Even releases aimed at specialist journalists need to be clear, and releases for a general audience should remove technical language altogether.

How can I improve my chances of getting my press release covered?

Focus on a genuine news angle, write a clear and concise release with the story told in the first three paragraphs, use a strong image, include all key information, and avoid jargon and overly promotional language.

Can PR Fire help write a press release that’s more likely to get covered?

Yes. PR Fire’s team of experienced journalists and PR consultants can help shape a press release into its best possible form before distribution to journalists.