Why Didn't My Press Release Get Published?
Your boss wants to know why. Your company had big news to share, and your boss counted on you to spread the word and get some media attention. It didn't happen, and the boss wants to know why.
Here are some 7 common reasons:
1. The news wasn't big enough. You are competing with countless others for the time and attention of the media gatekeepers. Your news was compared to others and fell short. That happens when press releases about promotions or other ego-gratifying but irrelevant news are sent out to the media. The gatekeepers don't care about press release quotas or other internal goals at your company. The solution is to wait for objectively big news before seeking the attention of the media. Try to think like an editor, not an employee.3. It was read and then deemed irrelevant. Are you a company in Tennessee sending an e-mail about a company retirement to a media outlet in Oregon? The press release's content has to matter to the outlet's audience in some way. If you can't show that up front, then the delete button is in your future.
7. It was too much work. Was the press release poorly written? Was the contact information hard to find? Was the important information buried? There are many reasons why busy gatekeepers reject submitted content. Having to rewrite it or spend time finding out information that should have been included are two big ones.
Gatekeepers want news that is relevant to their audience. If you can show them that your content helps them realize their goal, you will be much more likely to have your press releases published.
Thanks to our good friend Wayne Gates, Managing Editor Clermont Sun Publishing Company, for sharing these great tips.