How Many Press Releases Should Your Company Send Out In a Year?
People like to have rules to follow and when it comes to marketing, press, and public relations that’s the case for many businesses. They want to know the best time to send a release out, the day that garners the most attention, and of course how many releases to send out in a year.
By rule of thumb, there is no minimum or maximum amount of releases a company should send out. It depends on your company’s needs. We have seen companies send out releases daily, while some only send one out once a month or every year. It depends on the needs of your business. But, keep in mind, press releases are not to be abused. Creating PRs on every little thing your company does may not be as effective as you think.
What Impacts The Number of Press Releases You Should Send?
Have some news you would like to share? Your first thought might be to send out a press release, but is that the right way to reach your audience? There are many factors that go into sending out a release.
That depends on the amount of news/announcements your company is planning on releasing. What information is most pertinent to your audience? What is truly considered to be newsworthy?
The amount of press releases your company sense in a week, month, or year is dependent on many factors that include:
Industry News:
Every industry is different. The amount of news on a given day is unpredictable. From breaking news to follow-ups, it all depends on what is pertinent in that moment.
How does this relate to sending out a press release? If there is a “hot topic” amongst your industry, and your competitors are on it, you should be on it too, with your own unique spin. It is important to stay on top of industry news before, during, and after a hot topic hits. If the topic relates to your upcoming news or something you have done in the past, mention it in a press release. Trending topics are great, relatable opportunities to urge you to send out a release. It shows everyone in your industry how on top of everything your business is.
Activity:
How many events does your company go to or hold? Are you a startup that just had a grand opening? Or an enterprise business that just held their first conference?
Your business’s activity plays a vital role in how many press releases you should be sending out in any given time period. The more activities your business is participating in, will determine the number of releases you send out. Of course, for every event that your company attends, you should write a release for. It shows others how involved you are in your industry or community. But, if all your releases are appearances/attendances, you might want to put things at a halt.
A company that attends 10 events within a month should out 10 releases right? Maybe. Depending on how important those events are, consider maybe picking the most important ones to write a release on. This way, your company is not overdoing attendance/appearance PRs.
Financial Situation:
Yes, sending out a press release on the wire can be free, but sending out a press release on a reliable, heavy-hitting distribution platform is far from cheap. If you want the best quality of something, you should be willing to pay more for it.
The cost of a good press release distribution may vary. According to FitSmallBusiness.com, a distribution service can cost anywhere from $99-$749. For businesses who are on a tight budget, a press release might not be on their financial radar. Should it? Yes, but not if it will cost something more important. Press releases are an important factor in marketing and PR, but it can be delayed for more pressing financial issues.
Your Press Release Plan
A newsworthy story is a key reason you should send out a release. Whether its newsjacking industry news or announcing your company’s attendance at a conference, it should excite people to read your release. Which poses the question, “What is considered to be newsworthy?”
Newsworthy Announcement Ideas:
- New Product Announcement/Launch
- New Service Offering
- Partnership Announcement
- Breakthrough Study Results
- Awards or Recognition
- New Hire
- Company Relocation
- Branding Announcement/Launch
- New Business Model
- Financial News: Acquisitions, Financial Gains, etc.
Look for Opportunities and Plan for Press Releases
It is almost impossible to truly plan for something a year in advance. Things happen, time changes. But creating a strategic press release campaign for an upcoming opportunity can be mapped out in advance. Have a content calendar? Then you’re already ahead of the game! You already know how many releases you might be writing for the week, month, or year.
So, how many press releases should your company be sending out in a year? The answer depends on you and your business. There is no required amount of press releases. But, they are valuable. Depending on the newsworthy content of your release, people should be interested in what your company has to say. Make sure to think about all the factors of the release: content, timing, and price. Once you have thought about it, and agreed with your team members that sending out a release is necessary, sit back and watch your news go viral.
