Press releases and public relations (PR) involve the art and science of building brand awareness and credibility for your small business. They’re your best chance of gaining media coverage and the wider public’s attention while letting you control your brand’s public narrative. We compiled 23 press release statistics to power your media and PR strategies.
PR vs Press Releases: PR stands for “public relations” and refers to the practice of managing your brand’s public reputation. It encompasses many strategies, including press conferences, partnerships, and community relations. Public relations statistics suggest that good PR can improve your reputation.
Press releases are a public relations tool, documents that businesses send to journalists to gain media coverage. It’s typical for businesses to issue press releases for important announcements or events like company mergers or product launches.
1. 68% of journalists find press releases the most useful source for content or ideas
Press releases serve a double purpose. For businesses like yours, they help get the word out about your brand and grow your credibility. For journalists, they’re a source of content and ideas to write about. That’s why press releases will always play an important role in public relations. In fact, according to recent public relations industry statistics, 68% of journalists find press releases the most useful source for new content ideas.
For now and in the foreseeable future, press releases will continue to play a valuable role in helping you gain media coverage. To maximize your chances of getting published, ensure your story is relevant to your journalists’ audience and provides them with relevant information. Also, before sending it, optimize your press release for distribution: format it correctly, make it easy to scan, and craft an effective email pitch.
Pro Tip: Writing a press release is only half the journey. You also need to ensure it’s distributed to the right media people. The best way to do that is by using a press release distribution service. Our top recommendation for small businesses is EIN Presswire for its industry and location targeting and support of media and multiple languages.
2. 74% of journalists prefer receiving press releases more than any other content
Press releases aren’t the only form of content journalists receive from businesses and PR agencies, but they’re still their top preference. In 2024, 74% of journalists voted press releases and news announcements as the content they like receiving most from public relations professionals, more than research reports, exclusive stories, event access, and even interviews.
A probable reason for this is that press releases present a nearly fully formed story that only needs minimal editing from journalists. This is good news for any small business. It means journalists are actively looking for your story. But to increase its chances of getting published, your story should also be relevant, well-written, and credible. Know the elements that make a good press release to help you stand out.
3. Most journalists only find 25% of press release pitches relevant
Ensuring your press release is relevant to journalists and their audiences is more important than ever. According to recent surveys, the majority of journalists only find 25% of the press releases they receive to be relevant, at most. This means there’s still a significant mismatch between press releases sent by businesses and the journalists they’re targeting—yours shouldn’t be among them.
Before sending your press release, research the journalists and news outlets you’re targeting to ensure the stories they cover align with yours. In your pitch, explain why your story would be relevant to your audience, instead of just writing a generic email. Doing these will significantly increase your story’s chances of getting picked up instead of being sent to the spam folder.
4. 72% of journalists say press releases that understand their audience make their job easier
If you need more proof that knowing journalists’ audience is paramount, this is it. Cision’s survey also found that 72% of journalists say the number one thing PR professionals could do to make their job easier is to understand their target audience and what they find relevant.
Journalists receive tons of media pitches a day, all fighting for their interest. The best competitive edge you can get is ensuring your story is the right fit for their audience.
5. 57% of journalists block contacts sending overly promotional story pitches
It isn’t enough to create a press release—how you write it also matters. While press releases are an effective way to establish your brand presence, they should, first and foremost, be a newsworthy story, not a marketing pitch. According to press release statistics from Cision, 57% of journalists will block contacts who send overly promotional press releases that sound more like marketing brochures than news stories.
This means that if your press release is written with more promotions than facts, there’s more than half a chance you could lose your media connections. Being overly promotional is just one blunder you can avoid. Read our list of common press release mistakes to avoid when pitching to journalists.
6. A relevant press release subject is 18% more important than good media relationships in securing press coverage
While maintaining good relationships with the press is beneficial, a relevant and newsworthy press release subject is still the most important factor in securing its publication. According to PR statistics, 37% of PR professionals say a relevant press release subject is the most important factor in ensuring its publication, higher by 18% than maintaining good relationships with the press.
7. 90% of press releases are pitched to online media outlets
Digitalization is everywhere, including in press releases. As of 2023, 90% of all press releases are sent to online or digital media outlets, a 14% increase from the previous year. In contrast, magazines only received 66% of press release pitches, and TV stations even lower at 52%.
These PR stats are both a benefit and a disadvantage. While online press releases becoming the norm means an easier and more efficient distribution process, it also means much stiffer competition with other brands.
8. 32% of top-performing press releases are product or service launches
While there are dozens of press release types, the most effective for journalists are about product or service launches. Of Cision’s highest-performing press releases in the first half of 2022, 32% were announcements of product or service launches. These were much higher than other press releases, such as those about company acquisitions and partnerships.
These statistics show that the general public is more interested in news that impacts them directly than corporate stories with little direct relevance.
9. The best time to send press releases is on Monday mornings
According to surveys, 44% of journalists prefer to receive press release pitches before noon, as most check their email in the morning. And while journalists receive pitches every day, 22% prefer receiving them on Mondays. So the next time you have a press release, aim to send it on a Monday morning to increase its chances of being opened.
10. Most marketers send no more than 10 press releases per month
When sending press releases, a good frequency is to send between one and 10 per month. According to PR statistics, nearly 48% of marketers send no more than that monthly. This is a considerable decrease from the previous year when some companies published press releases almost daily. This signals that businesses are increasingly taking more time to plan and craft press releases and are only sending them to share the most newsworthy information.
11. The average starting cost of a press release writing service is $131
Having your press release written by PR industry experts increases your chances of getting additional media coverage. On average, most press release writing rates start at $131. Many of these services also offer mass distribution services, and some even offer multiple press releases.
12. The ideal length of a press release is 300-400 words
When writing press releases, keep them between 300 and 400 words, according to industry leaders. Press releases follow an industry standard, so it’s important to remember best practices.
Follow AP-style press release guidelines, keep all your content within a single page, and start with the most essential information, followed by supporting details. And don’t forget press release formatting. Place your logo on the header and company info on the boilerplate.
Pro Tip: Press releases require a certain skill to get right. To ensure you get a professionally written, industry-level press release, a good option is to use a press release writing service, many of which have small business-friendly pricing.
13. 67% of journalists use images more than any other media in press releases
Visuals tell your story more effectively and give readers more context. And 67% of journalists say images and photographs directly related to your story are more helpful than infographics, videos, social media posts, and surveys.
More than anything, these press release statistics show that telling your story as straightforwardly as possible is key. This usually means a few paragraphs of text plus supplemental images for context. If a certain multimedia element isn’t helpful to your story, there’s no need to include them.
14. Press releases with multiple images get up to 6x more engagement
You probably already know that images and videos can increase your engagement on social media, but the same holds true for press releases. Studies found that press releases with multiple images get up to six times more engagement than those with only text. Meanwhile, including a video can get you three times more engagement.
It’s no wonder: Research has long proven that more than 50% of the information our brain processes is visual. When creating your press release, keep a good balance of text, images—and even video if applicable—to present your information most effectively.
15. 33% of small business marketers found positive results from using AI in PR
There’s no question that artificial intelligence (AI) has completely changed the playing field for virtually all aspects of marketing. According to PR statistics from Prowly, 33% of small business marketers and PR professionals found positive results from using AI tools, especially in automating tasks to improve efficiency.
They mostly used AI in content marketing to help generate ideas and content and for research. However, marketers also agree that AI isn’t without its risks. Nearly 64% said their biggest concern with incorporating AI in PR work was data manipulation and fake news.
16. 23% of PR professionals use generative AI for research
AI can do an impressive number of tasks, but most PR professionals find it most helpful in helping research topics. According to surveys, the majority (23%) of PR experts who use AI like ChatGPT and Bard use it to research topics. Meanwhile, 19% used it to generate press release outlines or first drafts. Interestingly, the survey also found that 53% of PR professionals don’t use AI at all.
All these show that AI adoption in public relations is still relatively slow. A probable reason is that journalists want authentic, original, credible content and are still hesitant about AI-generated content. So if you do use AI in your press releases, take a leaf from experts’ books and use it sparingly and only as an assistive tool. Never send 100% AI-generated content to journalists—you may risk losing your credibility as a source.
17. 83% of PR professionals find emails the most effective way to reach journalists
Particularly, this means individual, one-on-one emails, not mass emails sent to hundreds of other journalists. A 2024 survey found that 83% of PR professionals find one-on-one emails more effective than any other channel, including mass emails, social media, PR phone calls, or texts.
Targeting is important in your press release distribution, and journalists appreciate it more when your press release and pitch are genuinely relevant to their work and audience. Taking the extra few minutes to target the right journalists and personalize your email can substantially increase your chances of gaining coverage, rather than using the “spray and pray” method.
18. 30.8% of PR experts no longer find X (Twitter) useful for pitches in 2024
In the past few decades, social media has been a reliable platform for connecting brands and journalists, particularly on X, aka Twitter. But if you’ve been on the platform more recently, you might have witnessed its steady decrease in users since its ownership change and rebrand in late 2022, which also caused many journalists to leave the platform.
That’s likely why PR professionals are no longer finding much value in the platform either, with 30.8% saying it’s the biggest PR strategy they’re leaving behind in 2024 (followed by mass emailing). Instead, focus your efforts on LinkedIn outreach or one-on-one emails, where you’re likelier to garner responses.
19. 50% of PR professionals follow up 3-6 days after their pitch
If you’re wondering when’s the best time to send a follow-up email to journalists, 50% of PR professionals do so between three and six days after their initial pitch, according to public relations stats from Muck Rack. Also, sending between one and two follow-up emails is generally acceptable, although PR professionals are divided. One email is enough, according to 46%, while 44% say two is still acceptable.
One thing they do agree on, though, is keeping your emails short and straightforward. Ninety-four percent of the surveyed PR professionals say they keep their email pitches under 300 words.
20. 72% of marketers say the No. 1 metric in determining a press release’s success is its number of media placements
Once you’ve sent your press release to journalists, the next step is to keep track of its effectiveness. This is done by monitoring press release stats such as open rates, reach, or media mentions.
However, 72% of marketers agree that the most important metric in determining your press release’s success is the number of media placements it gets, according to PR statistics from Prowly. Beyond media placements, other important metrics journalists use to track success are the number of online mentions (71%), audience reach (65%), and site traffic (57%).
21. 34% of consumers prefer learning about new products by researching online
Here’s another reason to keep press releases in your marketing strategy: A study by HubSpot found that 34% of consumers prefer discovering new products from online searches. This is higher than other channels, including social media and TV ads, which only 27% of customers prefer.
This preference is also consistent across all generations, from Gen Zs to Baby Boomers. This means consumers today are still more inclined to learn about brands and products through their own research, not through obtrusive ways like social media or TV ads.
Getting your press release published on online news outlets gets you halfway, but to increase its chances of reaching audiences, follow SEO best practices like including keywords in your content and making it readable across several devices.
22. Press releases can increase website traffic by up to 220%
You read that right. One of the most surprising press release statistics here is that press releases can directly impact your website traffic and grow it by 220%. That’s how much growth the cofounder of the small business Vinat, Sarah Mack, saw in her website visitors after sending just one press release.
In retrospect, it’s not so surprising. Press releases fall under content marketing, and content marketing has long been effective at leading people to your website and educating them about your brand. This is especially true if you include backlinks in your press release, which gives people more entry points to your site.
23. Brands that appear on news sites have better reputations than brands that don’t
Press releases don’t just increase your brand visibility and site traffic—they also improve your reputation. A 2023 study on consumer perception found that consumers’ perception of brands appearing on news sites was 1.6 times better than brands that didn’t. The study also found that consumers were 20% less likely to view brands that appeared on news sites as “risky.”
These PR statistics point to a growing wariness among consumers about brand credibility. But more than that, they show that news outlets remain a trustworthy source of information. If consumers see your brand name mentioned on a news site, they’ll automatically perceive it as more credible than other brands.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes. Press releases can effectively grow your brand awareness and credibility, and introduce your business to new customers. They’ve also been proven to increase your search engine ranking and website traffic, especially with the right SEO practices. In short, they’re an effective way to promote your brand and gain credibility without sounding overly promotional.
A good open rate to aim for with your press release pitches is 35.46%. According to HubSpot, that’s the average email open rate in the media industry. However, this varies across industries and sending times. Generally, you can expect email open rates between 20% and 40%.
For small businesses, only send press releases anytime you have a newsworthy announcement, such as a new store opening or a new product launch. But it’s generally accepted to send press releases to the media once a month, or for bigger businesses with more announcements, once or twice a week. Most important of all, make sure you only send important announcements. Don’t crowd journalists’ inboxes with irrelevant information.
Bottom Line
More than anything, the press release statistics above point to the staying relevance of press releases in the public relations industry, even in a digital-first world. Press releases provide a symbiotic relationship between brands and the media. And they’re a beneficial tool for your business to build brand awareness and credibility among the wider public.
