Marketing & Getting Customers
When is a press release worth sending, and do I need paid distribution?
The short answer
A press release is worth writing when you have a factual announcement that several people may need to reference. Paid distribution is worth considering only when it reaches a defined audience or satisfies a real disclosure, partner, investor, or industry need. It does not guarantee independent coverage, search rankings, or customers.
Make sure there is an announcement
A release may make sense for:
- A meaningful expansion or purchase of another company.
- A change in leadership.
- Original research or a public event.
- A major partnership.
- A respected award.
- A crisis update.
- A launch that changes access for a community.
Routine discounts, ordinary blog posts, minor website redesigns, and self-created awards usually belong on owned channels.
A useful release needs a factual headline, place, date, and clear first paragraph. Add supporting facts and quotes that give new information. End with a short company description, a media contact, and links to proof or images.
Distribution and pitching do different jobs
A distribution service can place the release in databases and partner networks. A personal pitch tells one journalist why her audience should care. It can also offer sources, photos, or an interview. Paying for distribution does not replace personal outreach.
Before buying distribution, ask the provider for:
- The exact outlets, databases, regions, or industries reached.
- Whether placements are syndication, paid pickup, or independent editorial coverage.
- What reporting you receive and how bots or duplicates are handled.
- Link treatment and whether pages remain accessible.
- Total cost including images, word count, geography, and add-ons.
Google's link-spam policy says paid or advertorial links should be appropriately qualified, such as with rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored". Do not buy release distribution as a backlink scheme.
Measure a real objective
Decide what success means before sending. You might want journalist questions, event signups, useful referral traffic, partner pickup, or a lasting newsroom record. A release may also help you give customers and partners one accurate version of the news.
Use tagged links where appropriate, monitor branded search and referral traffic, and record actual coverage separately from syndicated copies. A report showing 300 “placements” may represent the same release republished automatically.
For a strong local angle and a list of ten relevant journalists, direct outreach may beat national paid distribution. For a regulated announcement or broad industry release, professional distribution and legal review may be appropriate.
Disclosure, securities, employment, privacy, advertising, and industry rules vary. If an announcement has legal or investor implications, use qualified counsel in the relevant jurisdiction.
Sources and further reading
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Related Questions
- How should I follow up with a journalist who hasn't responded without becoming a nuisance?
- What makes a small-business story newsworthy enough for media coverage?
- What do embargoes and exclusives mean when pitching the media?
- What should a media kit include, and how long should it be?
Related WAHMN resource
If you want a complete system for planning, creating, distributing, and measuring useful content, this course carries the process further. See Content Marketing Business.