Most press releases don’t generate coverage. Not because the news isn’t there, but because the release itself makes mistakes that give reporters a reason to skip it. Every mistake below is something that actively prevents coverage. Each one includes the fix.
Mistake 1: no actual news
The biggest killer. Companies write press releases for things that aren’t news:
- “We redesigned our website”
- “We hired our tenth employee”
- “We updated our product”
- “We’re excited about the future”
Why it kills coverage: Reporters cover news. If there’s nothing newsworthy, no amount of good writing saves the release.
The fix: Before writing, answer: “Would a reporter covering my industry care enough to write 500 words about this?” If no, don’t write a release. Save it for a blog post or social media update.
Mistake 2: burying the news
The news is in paragraph four. Paragraphs one through three are company history, market context, and a CEO quote about the future.
Why it kills coverage: Reporters scan releases in seconds. If the news isn’t in the headline and first paragraph, they move on.
The fix: Put the complete news — who, what, when, where, why — in the headline and first paragraph. Everything else is supporting detail.
Mistake 3: marketing language instead of news language
“Acme Corp is thrilled to announce its groundbreaking, industry-leading, next-generation platform that will revolutionize the way businesses operate.”
Why it kills coverage: Reporters delete marketing copy reflexively. Every adjective that expresses a quality judgment signals “this isn’t journalism, this is advertising.”
The fix: Strip every adjective that isn’t factual. “Acme Corp today launched ComplianceAI, a platform that automates permit tracking for commercial builders.” Factual, specific, no marketing.
Mistake 4: no specific numbers
“Acme Corp has experienced significant growth and serves a growing customer base across multiple industries.”
Why it kills coverage: Reporters need specific details to write stories. “Significant growth” isn’t a fact. It’s a claim without evidence.
The fix: Replace every vague claim with a number. “Acme Corp grew revenue 4x year-over-year to serve 2,000 customers across construction, healthcare, and logistics.”
Mistake 5: weak or missing quotes
“We are excited about this milestone and look forward to continuing to serve our customers,” said the CEO.
Why it kills coverage: This quote adds nothing. Reporters use quotes to add color and perspective. A quote that could come from any CEO at any company adds no value.
The fix: Quotes should say something specific that the factual paragraphs don’t. “Construction compliance hasn’t been automated because the regulatory landscape is different in every jurisdiction. We built the mapping layer that makes it possible.” That’s a specific claim with personality.
Mistake 6: no media contact
The release ends without a name, email, or phone number for media inquiries.
Why it kills coverage: Reporters who want to follow up can’t. They’re on deadline. If they can’t reach you in 30 seconds, they move to the next story.
The fix: Include a named media contact with direct email and phone number. The person listed must be reachable and responsive during business hours.
Mistake 7: writing for search engines instead of reporters
The release is stuffed with keywords, every sentence includes the company name, and the boilerplate reads like an SEO text block.
Why it kills coverage: It reads like spam. Reporters recognize SEO-optimized content and treat it as low-quality.
The fix: Write for a human reader. Use the company name naturally. Include keywords where they fit but don’t force them.
Mistake 8: too long
The release is 1,200 words with 8 paragraphs of supporting context, four quotes, and a section on the company’s vision.
Why it kills coverage: Reporters don’t read 1,200-word press releases. They scan the headline and first paragraph, then decide.
The fix: Keep releases between 400 and 600 words. Every paragraph must earn its place. If it doesn’t add information a reporter needs, cut it.
Mistake 9: sending to the wrong reporters
A healthcare AI press release sent to a reporter who covers retail real estate.
Why it kills coverage: It signals that you didn’t research who you’re pitching. Irrelevant pitches waste the reporter’s time and damage your reputation for future pitches.
The fix: Build a targeted list of reporters who cover your industry and topic. Read their recent articles. Pitch only reporters whose beat matches your news.
Mistake 10: no follow-up strategy
The release goes out via wire distribution. Nobody follows up with any reporter. The team waits for coverage to appear.
Why it kills coverage: Wire distribution alone generates minimal pickup for most companies. The release needs direct outreach to specific reporters.
The fix: Pair every distribution with direct, personalized pitches to 15-20 targeted reporters. Follow up once after 5 business days.
Mistake 11: bad timing
Sending a release at 4 PM on a Friday. Or during a major news event. Or on a holiday.
Why it kills coverage: Friday afternoon releases get buried. Major news days drown out everything else. Holiday releases reach empty inboxes.
The fix: Send Tuesday through Thursday, 8-10 AM Eastern. Check the news calendar for competing events. Avoid holidays and major industry events.
Mistake 12: attaching the release as a PDF
Sending an email with a PDF attachment labeled “Press_Release_Final_v3.pdf” and a one-line body that says “Please see attached.”
Why it kills coverage: Attachments trigger spam filters. Reporters won’t open attachments from unknown senders. And “please see attached” isn’t a pitch.
The fix: Paste the key facts into the email body. Write a short pitch above the facts. If the reporter wants the full release, they’ll ask.
Mistake 13: no images or assets
The release announces a product but includes no screenshots, product images, or visual assets.
Why it kills coverage: Visual content makes articles more engaging. Reporters who want to write about your product need images. Making them search for visuals adds friction.
The fix: Prepare a media kit with high-resolution product screenshots, headshots, and logos. Include a link to the media kit in the release or pitch email.
Mistake 14: inconsistent facts
The release says “founded in 2022” but your website says “founded in 2021” and your Crunchbase says “founded in 2023.”
Why it kills coverage: Inconsistencies make reporters question the accuracy of everything in the release. They may skip the story rather than fact-check conflicting data.
The fix: Audit all public-facing platforms for consistency before sending any release. Keep a canonical fact sheet and update all platforms when information changes.
The bottom line
Press release mistakes are avoidable. They come from writing without real news, using marketing language instead of facts, skipping research on reporters, and neglecting the basics of formatting and distribution. Fix these mistakes before sending your next release and the coverage odds improve immediately. Most competing releases make at least three of these errors. Avoiding all of them puts you ahead of the majority.