The world of public relations is a restless one. Whether you’re announcing a new products or getting ahead of a potentially negative news story, companies must always be ready to communicate with consumers and the press. Despite an increasingly interconnected and media saturated world, an old tool still comes in handy: the PR press release. 

The core role of press releases has stayed the same, but distribution constantly changes as technology advances. With each new publishing format, public relations professionals have an opportunity to extend the impact of press releases. 

With so many new options for presentation and distribution, it’s instructive to take a close look at the PR press release to explain its continued relevance.  

The History of the PR Press Release

The first press release was issued on October 30, 1906. The Pennsylvania Railroad company had recently suffered a tragic rail accident. 

Keeping a keen eye on the situation was public relations pioneer, Ivy Lee. Lee understood that Pennsylvania Railroad stood on the precipice of what could be a public relations disaster, an outcome that could jeopardize the future of the organization. 

Breaking from convention, Lee decided that the best course of action was to pre-empt the backlash by getting out ahead of the story. He distributed an article detailing, from the perspective of the Pennsylvania Railroad company, the events which had transpired. Crucially, his article was truthful and informative一so much so that it was later republished verbatim by the New York Times. 

Thus, the first press release was born. Lee had successfully steered the company through a potential public relations crisis, and in doing so invented a tool which is still in use today. 

It soon became clear that press releases were also ideal for announcing new products, since companies are able to provide journalists details which simply aren’t available elsewhere. 

Then and Now

Over the last century, the core role of press releases has remained largely the same. The goal: create and maintain a positive public image for the individual, group, or organization issuing the release. The means: providing journalists with information they couldn’t have gotten another way. 

The structure of the press release has seen little alteration over its 118-year history. Start with a headline, then a lead paragraph containing the most important information, two or three auxiliary paragraphs, and a final paragraph containing background information.

True, the distribution of news, and hence of press releases, has changed considerably with the digitization of news and the rise of social media. But these advancements have tended to be synergistic rather than disruptive as they relate to the press release. With the advent of the internet, PR professionals are able to work faster and reach a wider audience than Lee could have imagined.

Journalists also increasingly rely on press releases for content. According to the State of the Media Report by Cision, 68% of journalists use press releases for story ideas.

While PR professionals make judicious use of social media, good old fashioned email is still by far the most preferred method of pitching pieces to journalists. 

Despite all these advancements, the press release still remains a cornerstone of public relations, used by companies globally.

Why is the Press Release Still Relevant?

But what makes the press release so relevant today? Why hasn’t it been edged out by other forms of public relations, such as shorter social media posts?

This timeless importance is easy to explain - while the world has changed a lot since 1906, businesses still need favorable coverage, and journalists still need information for stories. 

Today the press release is most likely to be a part of a larger promotional or marketing strategy within an organization. The use of a press release within a tactically astute campaign allows multichannel strategies to be utilized.

With the weight and support of the organization behind it, the press release is amplified and fine-tuned through every step of the process. This keeps all involved on the same page, and ensures that statements are consistent with the brand the company wants to convey that by the time the release is sent to the media.

Why Use a PR Press Release?

According to Rebecca Kowalewicz, VP at Clearbridge Branding Agency, press releases still have a crucial role to play. They help control the narrative, drive SEO traffic, and can reinforce and publicize your company strategy. 

Remember when the word “metaverse” suddenly caught on? You can thank the 2021 press release in which the company formerly known as Facebook rebranded as Meta. While Meta didn’t invent the term “metaverse”, it certainly popularized it. Suddenly, people started to use the term “metaverse” as much or more than the older term “virtual reality”. This is a great example of the enduring power of press releases to shift public discourse. 

Journalism and Press Releases

A PR press release contains all the pertinent information that a journalist could ask for – the who, what, when, where, and why of it all. Since journalists face a rapidly changing and cluttered landscape as well, the press release makes their life a little easier. 

There’s a challenge, however. The ratio of PR professionals in the U.S. has increased over time. It was 1:1 back in 1980, but in 2014, there were 4.6 PR professionals per journalist. Today, the ratio is even more lopsided, with an average of 6.2 PR professionals per journalist. 

This trend can make things tricky for both PR professionals and journalists. PR professionals may have difficulty getting the attention of newswriters, whereas the journalists themselves are bombarded with up to 300 irrelevant emails per day. 

Where there’s a will there’s a way, however, and PR professionals just need to work smarter in order to stand out.

The Ideal Press Release Process

Since press releases are often relatively short, a lot of the effort goes into planning and pitching. 

Step zero: know what you want out of your PR press release. The point is to shift the narrative surrounding your company and its products, so you need to have a clear idea just what you want that narrative to be. 

Next, figure out a catchy headline and lead paragraph, which can serve as a pitch.

For the full version, follow up the lead with two or three concise and illuminating auxiliary paragraphs, and tie everything up with some brief background information. 

The best press releases are well-timed and well-targeted. Know which news outlets to target, and determine which reporter is most likely to respond. Strategize the day and time of your pitch - stats suggest that 10am-2pm is the best time to email news editors, for instance. 

The Future of the PR Press Release

Much of the news has moved online, but it’s still the news. When you make a PR press release, you’re bringing new tools to an old game. 

While the high ratio of PR professionals to journalists can make pitches a challenge, the press release is still a key component in public relations. It takes careful planning and timing to get right, but when the release is picked up, it plays a crucial role in crafting narratives surrounding your business.