Are Press Releases Still Necessary?

The short answer is yes, but not always. This is one of those questions clients ask all the time, usually followed by: Do we really need to pay for a wire service?

After nearly three decades in PR, it is amazing that the press release still holds a prominent role in our constantly evolving media landscape. The format endures because it was built on something timeless. 

Early press releases were designed to package the most pertinent information about a topic — who, what, where, when and why —  into the most concise form possible. Reporters demanded this format then for the same reason they appreciate it now. In the chaos of the news cycle, it gives them exactly what they need: basic facts supported by a quote or two about why the development really matters. 

This format still holds value, but with so many competing platforms and channels, a press release should only be reserved for when your company or organization has something truly substantive to say. Think of it this way — if it’s one of the three most important developments your company needs to communicate in the next 12 months, write the news release and pay for the wire distribution. 

Release Frequency 

Many seasoned communications people have worked with that one especially sales-oriented client who has insisted on doing a news release for every event, award and new hire. Fortunately, those days are largely gone, thanks to LinkedIn. Company developments aimed at potential talent, partners and customers can now be readily communicated to the platform’s nearly 135 million daily users. 

The frequency of press releases differs for public companies versus private, but generally you want to limit your news releases to only major organizational news: new funding, significant partnerships or M&A, leadership changes, or genuine new offerings like products, reports, or data. Beyond that, cadence varies greatly based on a company’s industry and ecosystem. Some companies publish three or four a month, while others do no more than three a year. 

For lower-stakes announcements or budget-constrained teams, skipping the wire is perfectly reasonable provided your communications team maintains close media relationships with the reporters covering your market, or your owned channels have enough reach that you’re confident your stakeholders will see the news.

Why and When To Use the Wire 

If you’re not a public company, the largest motivation to invest in wire distribution is the extended visibility it provides. Wire services help brands get indexed and found in search for the long-term. Costs vary by global distribution region and length, but most standard news releases focused on domestic audiences shouldn’t run more than $3,000. Yet keep in mind the more global regions you add, the higher the cost, and it can get expensive, quickly. 

At Sun PR, we strongly recommend using a credible, trusted wire service that regularly supports publicly traded companies, such as Business Wire or PR Newswire. There are more cost-effective options out there, but in our experience, you get what you pay for.

PR Newswire recently held a webinar outlining new developments on the press release front, and its experts shared timely insights we are seeing with clients as well that are worth sharing.

Latest Best Practices for News Releases

News releases are ripe content for AI models, but they need verifiable facts, clear formatting and consistency with other company content across existing channels. 

Don’t bury the lead. Get to the point quickly and make it clear why it matters right up front — the faster you communicate the core news, the better it performs. Headlines also carry a lot of weight; those between 76–100 characters tend to drive the most clicks and the strongest read-through rates.

Multimedia plays a central role in helping press releases stand out today, with visual-driven releases consistently outperforming text-only versions. Short, vertical videos perform well right now, whereas longer, horizontal videos are not seeing the same engagement. Graphics and charts not only break up text, but also add value when content is reused across channels — something 91% of communications professionals say they’re already doing.

Communications strategies have evolved tremendously in recent years, but news releases still have their place. Whatever channel you use, succinct, straightforward and informative content still resonates with audiences.