To press release and when not to press release? The don'ts of press releases for SMEs and startups

Stef Palmer Derrien
Oct 7, 2023
1 min read

We've answered the questions so you don't have to!

We know your business is your world. Your livelihood! So it's only natural that you want to shout about every little success. However, unfortunately, not every success is newsworthy. And if you fill up journalists’ inboxes with a release for every little thing, they’re going to get fatigued. Of you. And pretty quickly. And they might be less inclined to cover your big stories when they do come along.

When is not writing a press release a good idea for your SME and startup?

Product launches

Adobe’s latest software rollout is newsworthy in some circles. But if you’re an SME, it’s likely that your latest update won’t be. You might be able to roll the news of your latest product into a story about something else, but it’s probably not worth a press release in itself.

New hires

Again, C-suite hires at global companies can sometimes be newsworthy. And if your SME or startup has bagged a high-profile, well known business personality as CEO, then yes perhaps that’s worth a story.

However, generally your new hires are something you’ll be excited about, but others won’t. Consider singing their praises in a blog or LinkedIn post instead.

Commentary

If there’s movement or controversy in your industry or area of expertise and you’ve got something to say about it – great!

However a press release might not be the best way to get your thoughts across. Have a look at our guide to pitching commentary to the media here, and save press releases for news and announcements.

Awards

If you’ve received a business award, congratulations! That’s amazing news, but probably not newsworthy. Sometimes publications will do round-up articles of awards nights, featuring all the winners. If that’s the case, again consider sending some commentary, including a few quotes on why you’re so pleased and what this means for your business.

Taking a stand

Your business should live its values, and if there’s something going on in the world that’s got you riled up, you should definitely speak up. But a press release might not be the right way to go about it.

No publication is going to run a story on how your business feels about a particular political issue. So, again, think about the publications that might be covering whatever it is, and consider sending some commentary. You can also use your social media platforms to communicate your stance to your customers.