What are the most effective times to send out a press release?

Los comunicados de prensa pueden enviarse en distintos momentos dependiendo de la situación. Por ejemplo, los CP de productos o lanzamientos deberían estar pre-aprobados antes del evento y complementar con algunos últimos datos (ej: Cantidad de asistentes del evento, meta alcanzada de alguna donación, etc.). Una vez listo debería enviarse de inmediato al finalizar el evento/lanzamiento. Por otra parte, es importante considerar los horarios de cierre de las ediciones de los medios para que se publiquen el mismo día o al día siguiente. Otro tipo de CP que debe enviarse a la brevedad es para el manejo de crisis, que debe ser revisado previamente por todo el comité de crisis de cada organización.

The most effective time to send out a press release depends on which outlet and reporter you are trying to reach the most. Build relationships and then you'll know how to issue targeted news that has a better chance of being used by reporters than throwing a bowl of spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. Also, only send a press release out when you and your client spokesperson are available for immediate follow-up. If a spokesperson can't be available, then don't send the news, because it's clearly not very important.

Know your goals before sending a press release—whether it's to create buzz, announce a major development, or gain media coverage. Aligning the release with specific objectives helps maximize its impact and ensures it resonates effectively with your target audience.

The best times to send out a news release are Tuesday and Wednesday mornings before noon. This avoids the Monday morning backlog from Friday through Sunday. Mornings are when your audiences (editors and reporters) are fresh. Send out bad news on Fridays after 4 p.m. Or after 5 p.m.

In my experience, the first step to writing a successful press release is to not write one at all. Press releases scream branded - and that's not usually the kind of content media want. With so many job loses across major titles, they don't want to have to search for a headline that's likely buried in a branded piece of content so you need to supply page-ready news copy they can effectively 'lift', where brand messaging is subtly woven in.

Timing is crucial when it comes to maximizing the impact of your release and securing day-oof coverage. Preparing and aligning with publications’ newsletter schedules can be a strategic move that can significantly enhance your chance of visibility and engagement. By understanding the timing of these newsletters, you’re not only ensuring that your news hits subscribers’ inboxes when they’re most receptive, but also positioning yourself for immediate attention within the news cycle. This allows your announcement to be part of the timely discussions and news updates going out. Furthermore, synchronizing your press release with key newsletters can set the pace for broader media coverage and help you gain traction and momentum from the outset.

Consider pitching on the weekends when newsrooms often operate on a skeleton staff. They are constantly looking for content to fill their shows. You are also more likely to get press if you “produce” the story upfront. In the pitch, make sure to provide the hook, data, photos, and video. But be precise. Reporters rarely will read the entire pitch. You must sell it in the first paragraph!

You are competing with multiple emails, social media posts, and other demands for people's attention. Knowing your audience is essential. What do they care about, how relevant is the information you are sharing, what problem are you solving? Start with this in mind before you draft your content and know their routines and habits so you send it out when you have the best chance of getting their attention.

This is so important and often forgotten about by “non-communications” folks. Similar to the adage “start with the end in mind,” you should plan ahead and expect who you are trying to engage with. In today’s world, we expect organizations to have conversations and not “ghost” after an announcement. Engage your audience. Coordinate your releases with social media and other forms of communication. Think how your audience would like to hear from you and plan accordingly.

In crafting a successful press release, understanding and targeting the right audience is paramount. Identifying the specific demographics, interests, and needs of the intended audience ensures that the message resonates effectively. Tailoring the content to address their concerns, aspirations, or challenges increases the likelihood of engagement. Journalists seek relevance, so aligning the release with their interests enhances the chances of media coverage. Moreover, reaching the broader public or a niche market requires strategic communication that speaks directly to their preferences. A well-defined target audience not only sharpens the message but also facilitates efficient distribution through appropriate channels.

A newswire once shared with me that the most popular time to send out a release is around 9am on a Monday. You might take this to mean that it's generally a good time to follow that precedent but if anything it means more competition for your release to stand out in the inbox. However, I'm also not a big fan of hard and fast rules. This is where knowing your media and their preferences matter. While ideally, I prefer to pre-sell releases with a week's leadtime under an embargo, I once had to sent a release out on a Friday the week before Christmas. I'd prepared my client that we might struggle to get coverage as a result, but it ended up being covered by a top-tier trade publication.

The best time to send a release out is when no one else is also sending a release. Less noise and better chance it gets read.

Seasonality of business is an important aspect to consider when sending out a press release. The topicality of your announcement could help it reach the right audience, especially if it addresses a problem they might be facing at the given time. For example: festive season is a good time to announce any new products/ offerings for a consumer facing brand.

I agree there is no real iron rule. Many factors may be in play, the most consequential being the nature of your industry, impacting your whole day. Also, managing competition is key. Best of all is to work your release time in advance: whenever feasible, pick a day when you don’t forecast stiff competition; release early, giving out enough details to encourage engagement. And tailor the release in view of your particular medium/segment

Es importante conocer tu empresa porque, Al conocer a fondo tu empresa, sus objetivos, su misión y visión, así como su estructura organizativa y funcionamiento interno, estarás en una mejor posición para tomar decisiones informadas, Al tener un conocimiento detallado de tu empresa, podrás identificar tanto las fortalezas como las debilidades de la misma, lo cual te permitirá aprovechar al máximo los recursos y oportunidades, Al conocer a fondo todos los aspectos de tu empresa, podrás aportar ideas innovadoras, identificar áreas de mejora y contribuir al crecimiento y éxito de la organización. Conocer tu empresa te ayudará a comunicarte de manera más efectiva con tus compañeros de trabajo, colaboradores y superiores.

Acknowledging and strategizing around competitors is integral in the press release landscape. Monitoring their activities helps in crafting a distinctive message that highlights unique strengths. Timing releases strategically can prevent clashes, ensuring undivided media attention. Differentiating from competitors in content and tone is crucial to stand out. Analyzing their media coverage aids in refining approaches for maximum impact. Leveraging industry trends or responding effectively to competitor announcements can position a company favorably. While healthy competition is normal, avoiding direct confrontations in press releases maintains professionalism.

Setting up Google alerts for competitors is suuuuper important in keeping in the know. As is having a general awareness of their brand priorities, spokesperson quotes and marketing movements. But, don’t get hung up on competitor activity. Chasing what their doing and attempting it right after isn’t a cute look. Stand out and compete against yourself. Don’t bludgeon your agency just because XYC got featured in the FT and you didn’t. Good for them, you’ll catch them next time. One eye on competitors, but both hands on the steering wheel of your own ship, spinning up more interesting, personal and headline-worthy content. Coverage doesn’t just happen, you have to work for it. And your competitors obviously are. Hustle up!

Analyze your competitors' press release strategies. If they tend to release news at certain times and achieve good coverage, take note and consider similar timings to compete effectively.

Try to avoid duplicate. That is in case you have got the knowledge that others in the same field (more or less) tend to send some "news" or spoilers, try to be before them. Think about the TITLE (make it totally different that the journalists are used to see and read).

As much as the companies go for the market they should gather deep information about same field competitors to know where are they rank for development and creating new content

El trabajo previo de PR con los contactos en medios de comunicación es tan importante como el comunicado de prensa mismo. Al conocerlos en profundidad facilita el tipo de información que se les proporciona y que sea interesante para cada medio. Alguno prefieren que se incluya más material audiovisual y otros que haya un listado de highlights de los que puedan hablar. Siempre es bueno ofrecer más material complementario o entrevistas exclusivas (si se puede). Evitar a toda costa enviar un mail genérico para todos.

Great advice here but for the sake of not assuming people know this, avoid Mondays and Fridays (unless you want to bury the news). Mondays media is catching up and Fridays are for hiding announcements in hopes the news cycle washes it out over the weekend.

One thing I've found helpful is to target the journalists you know and send them press release as a part of your media mailing list but also separately. It also helps if you add suggestions of different perspectives. I also contact them privately through social media or instant messaging apps. Building and maintaining good relationships with journalists is definitely the most important thing.

Esta dica é fundamental. Cultive esses relacionamentos, quando possível, no nível pessoal. Isso lhe permitirá, quando necessário e realmente urgente, acessar esses jornalistas em momentos pouco usuais, o que pode fazer a diferença na hora de emplacar uma pauta estratégica. Mas é preciso ter bom senso e fazer uso desse recurso apenas quando o assunto for de fato importante. Outra dica: procure sempre ajudar seus colegas na mídia, ainda que de maneira totalmente desinteressada, pois isso fará a diferença quando você precisar de ajuda!

It's important to research the outlets that you are targeting to ensure you adhere to their guidelines about sending press releases. As a general rule of thumb, publications often like to receive press releases in the morning to enable them to take these to their internal meetings for sign-off. If you use apps like Roxhill, a lot of publications will upload their specifications e.g. before 10:30, don't pitch on Friday etc. This is great for PR's and needs to be taken into account for each specific publication. Listening and taking this advice on board will go a long way in building relationships with journalists and media outlets.

Tuesday - Thursday, as early as 6am ET and as late as 9amET. Releases sent any later miss the newsletter cycle. Releases sent on Mondays and Fridays get lost in the weekend shuffle.

En PR no sólo se conectan organizaciones con medios, sino personas. Recordar nombres y cargos, mostrar interés en sus aficiones es importante para construir relaciones que no se limiten a lo laboral. Recordar el cumpleaños de los contactos de prensa siempre es un lindo detalle.

Tell the story you want a journalist to tell, don't just give a bunch of facts. Make it as easy as possible by drafting your release as if it were a new story. Lazy/ busy journalists may just use as is

Wondering when to send a press release? Tuesdays-Thursdays are prime days; avoid weekends. Opt for early morning (8-10 AM) or lunchtime (12-1 PM). Consider global time zones, industry events, and analyze past engagement. Seek PR advice for tailored strategies from professional like myself . Timing is crucial!

Best time to release "bad news" press releases is Friday after 4:00 pm when the financial markets are closed and the news cycle in general slows down for the weekend ...