Is the press release dead as a means of building your profile?

What's the point of the press release?

If you listen to some people working in communications, they'll tell you that the press release is dead. I think they're wrong.

There can be an expectation that sending out a press release will result in regular and certain coverage for your organisation and that's just not the case.

But used wisely, the press release still has a vital role to play in communications.

Instead of seeing a press release as your first and last interaction with the media, think of it more broadly and remember that:

✅ They provide regular updates on your work and expertise, which can lead to future inquiries and exposure

✅ They can be repurposed for your website and newsletters to ensure visitors see what you are doing (and they help with SEO too)

✅ They are your source of truth for investor/company information and during an issue or crisis

Journalists are bombarded with hundreds of releases every day, so yours need to be interesting, memorable and easy to understand.

The key is to ensure you only send a relevant press release to relevant journalists, rather than sending it out to thousands of media who may not be interested. That’s just going to get you blacklisted by journalists you may want to engage with in future.

Remember, the press release should be only one of your communication channels in world where media is diversifying more than ever.

Social content, video, round-tables and speaking opportunities, and personalised pitches to individual journalists can all provide you with the exposure and share of voice you seek.