Editors and Producers from different media are bombarded daily with all kinds of press releases. It is therefore imperative that in addition to writing a very good and effective press release, you should also know when to send your press release. Otherwise, it’s going to end up in the garbage bin like so many other press releases.
Before going into a specific time or date for the perfect time to send your press release, you should consider your market or target audience. In addition to this, you should also consider what type of media you choose to send your press release to.
The best time to send your press releases varies depending on the type of media used:
- Newspapers
Since newspapers come out on a daily basis, turn around for stories should be within 24 to 48 hours of publication. However, if your press release is tied in with the approaching holiday season, or if your press release involves promoting online events, you should send your press release at least three weeks in advance so that the writer/reporter will have ample time to do research and write the story. - Magazines
Magazines are usually prepared up to three months ahead of the date of its publication. As with the newspaper release, if the press release involves upcoming events or holidays, it should be sent well ahead of time to give the writers enough time to work on the story. In this case the press release should be sent out at least two months ahead of publication. - Television and radio
There is really no perfect time to send a press release to television and/or radio stations. If a press release sent to television and/or radio stations are considered newsworthy, you just might receive a call anytime for an interview. In any case, you should always be prepared to answer questions, and you can even ask a show’s producer to provide you with a list of questions that you will be asked. This way, you can plan your answers and you can inform them if you do not wish to answer any of their questions.
So, is there really a specific time or day that is perfect to send a press release? It really depends on certain factors:
- Location of target audience
There are different situations in different countries when it comes to sending out press releases. Following are some examples:
For locations like Israel, where the work week is Sunday to Thursday due to national and religious holidays and traditions, sending a press release on a Sunday or Monday is commonplace.
In the United Kingdom (approximately 5 hours ahead of EST), Monday morning is when they have the least news. News items are listed in reverse release date order (newest first, oldest last). Thus, press releases received on Monday mornings have a greater chance of being used.
If you are an Australian living in Australia and your target market is in the US, you need to send your press release on Tuesday so that it arrives in the US on Monday Morning.
A business located in New York (EST) that is sending a press release for a target audience in California (PST), should send a press release at 7:30 AM PST well ahead of other news. - Work week schedule
As stated above, some countries have a different work week schedule based on national and religious holidays and traditions. But generally, in most countries, press releases are best sent in the middle of the week. This is because, Mondays (or in some countries – Sundays) are very hectic since it is the first day of the week. Most people have to go through a pile of mail and email that was sent to them over the past weekend. Fridays (or Thursdays) meanwhile are also busy days because everybody is rushing to finish outstanding tasks before the weekend. Besides, many people look forward to having the weekend off. - Events and Holidays in certain locations
One UK company claims that the best time to issue a press release to UK publications is during US public holidays such as Thanksgiving or Independence Day. During these days, UK companies do not have to compete with hundreds of stories from the US therefore UK press releases have a greater probability of being used.
Conversely however, Christmas is usually not a good time to send out a press release unless it is tied in with the Holidays. Most people are wrapped up in everything that takes place during the season that they are not particularly interested with anything else.
When there are major events like the Haiti and Chile earthquakes, earthquake in China, Hurricane Katrina, World Trade Center attacks, death of Princess Diana, etc., it is not wise to send a press release. You cannot control events but you can control the time when you will send your press release. After all, you want to make sure that you have the attention of your audience when your press release comes out. - Sending an embargo with your press release
This is probably more effective with large corporate communications professionals. These pros usually send their press release to key reporters on a Sunday or in some cases even on a Friday, with a Monday embargo which these reporters must agree to honor or they will not receive the release. According to one such corporate communications pro, “The combination of stories that hit at the same time the release is generally distributed increases awareness of the story, and likewise, increases pick-up by other outlets that day and often, into a second news cycle.”
Regardless of the time that you send your press release, make sure that your story is newsworthy. It should not be advertising or marketing. If you already have such a story, make sure that your press release meets all editorial guidelines of the magazines, newspapers and other forms of media that you are sending it to.
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