24-7 Press Release: A Practical Guide to Press Release Distribution
If you have something genuinely newsworthy to announce, a press release can provide a straightforward way of putting that announcement into the public domain and making it available to journalists, publishers and online audiences.
24-7 Press Release Newswire is one of the established services providing press release distribution for businesses, organisations and individuals. It offers a way to publish announcements online and, depending on the distribution option selected, extend their reach through additional networks and media channels.
But it is important to understand what a press release distribution service can and cannot do. Paying to distribute a release does not automatically mean that journalists will cover the story or that a business will receive significant media attention.
The value is in making a well-written announcement available through an established distribution network and combining that distribution with other forms of media outreach.
What is 24-7 Press Release?
Founded in 2004, 24-7 Press Release Newswire is an online press release distribution service.
The basic idea is straightforward. An organisation prepares a press release containing a news announcement, submits it for distribution and selects the level of distribution appropriate to its requirements.
The service is aimed at a broad range of users, including small businesses, larger organisations, public relations professionals, agencies and non-profit organisations.
A release can provide information about a new product, company development, appointment, event, research, partnership or another announcement that has genuine news value.
The resulting release can then become part of the organisation's online presence as well as being distributed through the channels included in the chosen service.
What Can You Use a Press Release For?
The best use of a press release is to announce something that has actually happened or is about to happen.
- Launching a new product or service
- Announcing a significant business development
- Opening a new location
- Publishing original research or survey results
- Announcing a partnership
- Publicising an event
- Announcing an important appointment
- Reporting a company milestone
- Sharing an award or significant achievement
- Making an announcement that is relevant to a particular industry or community
A press release is less effective when it is simply rewritten advertising copy.
There needs to be a reason for somebody outside the organisation to take an interest in the announcement.
How Distribution Works
The precise distribution available depends on the service and package selected, but the principle is the same.
You provide the release and supporting information, the distribution service publishes it and makes it available through its network.
This can include online distribution, feeds, search-engine-accessible content and, with broader distribution options, additional media networks.
The important distinction is between distribution and coverage.
Distribution means that your announcement has been made available through the service's channels. It does not guarantee that a newspaper, magazine, website, broadcaster or journalist will independently report the story.
That is why a press release is best regarded as one part of a wider communications strategy rather than a substitute for media relations.
Search Visibility and Press Releases
Press releases are often promoted as a way of improving online visibility.
There can certainly be value in having a well-written announcement published online. It can provide another piece of publicly available information about a business, product, event or organisation.
However, it is unwise to treat press release distribution as a guaranteed search-engine optimisation technique.
Search engines decide independently how they index, rank and display content. Publishing a release does not guarantee a particular ranking, amount of traffic or improvement in search visibility.
The strongest reason to publish should therefore be that there is something worth announcing.
Any search benefit should be regarded as secondary.
Adding Images, Videos and Supporting Information
A press release does not have to consist entirely of text.
Where the distribution service permits it, supporting material such as photographs, documents or video can make an announcement more useful.
For example, a product launch might benefit from a good-quality product photograph. An organisation publishing research could provide supporting documentation. An event announcement might include an appropriate image or video.
The important point is relevance. Multimedia should help explain or illustrate the announcement rather than simply being added because the facility is available.
Writing a Good Press Release
The distribution service can put a release in front of an audience, but it cannot turn weak news into strong news.
The release itself still needs to be clear and useful.
Start With the News
The headline should tell the reader what has happened.
Avoid trying to make every headline sound like an advertisement. A straightforward headline is often more effective than one packed with exaggerated claims.
The opening paragraph should quickly establish the important facts:
- Who is involved?
- What has happened?
- Where did it happen?
- When is it happening?
- Why is it relevant?
A reader should not have to work through several paragraphs before discovering what the announcement is about.
Keep the Language Clear
A press release is not the place for unnecessary jargon.
Write for somebody who may know nothing about the organisation. Explain technical terms where necessary and concentrate on the information that actually matters.
Short paragraphs and useful subheadings can also make a release easier to read.
Include Supporting Quotes
A genuine quote from a relevant person can add context and provide a clear explanation of why the announcement matters.
The quote should add something rather than simply repeat the information already contained in the release.
Provide Useful Links
Links can take readers to a company's website, product information, event details, research or other relevant material.
Keep them relevant and avoid turning the release into a collection of promotional links.
The purpose of a link should be to help the reader find more information.
Distribution Is Not the Same as Media Coverage
This is one of the most important points to understand.
A press release distribution service can make an announcement available to journalists and other audiences, but it cannot force a publication to cover it.
A journalist may see a release and decide that it is not relevant to their readers. Another journalist may use the information as the starting point for a story. A publication may publish the announcement with little or no alteration. There are many possible outcomes.
For an important announcement, direct media outreach can therefore still be worthwhile.
Identify journalists and publications that genuinely cover the subject and approach them with a concise, relevant pitch. The press release can then provide the supporting information they need.
Who Can Benefit From 24-7 Press Release?
The service can be particularly useful for organisations that want a relatively straightforward way to distribute announcements without building their own media distribution infrastructure.
That can include:
- Small and medium-sized businesses
- Start-ups
- Agencies
- Independent organisations
- Non-profit organisations
- Event organisers
- Established companies with occasional announcements
- Public relations professionals
It can also be useful for organisations that regularly have legitimate news to communicate and want a repeatable process for distributing it.
When Might It Not Be Worth Using?
Not every announcement needs a press release.
If the news is only relevant to a handful of existing customers, an email or direct communication may be more appropriate.
Likewise, if there is no genuine announcement, publishing a release simply to create another piece of online content may achieve very little.
The cost should also be considered against the potential value of the announcement.
A major product launch, significant research finding or important business development may justify wider distribution. A minor internal update probably does not.
Making the Most of a Distribution Service
There are several simple ways to improve the usefulness of a press release.
Have something worth announcing. This is the starting point. Distribution cannot compensate for a lack of news.
Write for people first. Make the announcement understandable without requiring the reader to know the organisation already.
Use a clear headline. Tell the reader what the story is about rather than relying on marketing language.
Put the important information near the beginning. Readers should be able to understand the announcement quickly.
Use relevant supporting material. Good photographs, documents and videos can provide additional context where appropriate.
Include useful links. Direct readers to relevant information rather than filling the release with promotional links.
Consider direct media outreach. If particular journalists or publications matter to the announcement, contact them separately.
Measure the results sensibly. Look at available distribution and audience information, but distinguish between people viewing a release and journalists actually using it.
24-7 Press Release in a Modern PR Strategy
Press release distribution has changed considerably as the internet has become an important part of the news and communications landscape.
A distribution service can provide a useful infrastructure for getting an announcement published and circulated, particularly for organisations that do not have their own established media relationships.
But it should not be viewed as a replacement for good journalism, useful content or genuine relationships with the media.
The most effective approach is usually to combine the different elements.
A well-written press release provides the official announcement. Direct outreach can put the story in front of relevant journalists. A company's own website can provide the detailed information. Social channels and email can reach existing audiences.
Each serves a different purpose.
Final Thoughts
24-7 Press Release provides a straightforward route for businesses and organisations that want to distribute press releases online and through additional media channels.
Its usefulness ultimately depends on what you put into the process.
A genuinely interesting announcement, clearly written and supported by useful information, has a much better chance of attracting attention than a release written primarily as an advertisement.
For that reason, the best way to approach press release distribution is not to ask how many places a release can be sent, but whether the announcement gives somebody a good reason to read it.
Used in that way, 24-7 Press Release can form a useful part of a broader PR and communications strategy without being expected to do all of the work on its own.
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