Ask the PR Pro: I put out a news release. Why didn’t anyone cover us?

It can be very disappointing to spend a lot of time writing a news release only to find that no one “ran it.” Before we get into why the release wasn’t covered by the media, first understand that a news release isn’t a PR program. In fact, a release is simply one tool that can be used in a PR effort.

Read more about the value of news releases here.

There are several reasons a news release is ignored by the media. Here are the main reasons:

  1. Reporters don’t know you. It takes some time to cultivate trust with a reporter, so it’s not reasonable to expect a reporter to cover your first news release. Regular communication with a reporter–including news releases, meetings at trade shows, and article pitches–will help to establish that your company is here for the long run.
  2. Your release was self-serving. Technically, all news releases are self-serving because they announce company news. However, if your release doesn’t quickly tell the reporter why your news is important for his readers, it will be ignored.
  3. Your release wasn’t newsworthy. Before developing a news release, ask yourself: who will care about this news? We’ve known companies who put out releases saying they’ve got a new website. This isn’t newsworthy and it wasn’t covered.
  4. You’re targeting the wrong reporter. If you’re certain your news is important and you still aren’t getting covered, you may be sending your release either to the wrong reporter or the wrong publication. Go through your list to make sure you’re sending to the right people.
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