Why Your Press Release Isn’t Getting Coverage (and What to Do About It)
You’ve written the press release, had it distributed, and waited for the coverage to roll in, but your inbox stays quiet, and no articles appear. Even strong stories can miss out on media coverage, and it doesn’t always mean your news wasn’t worth sharing. The key is knowing why your release didn’t land and what you can do to improve your chances of success.
What matters when sending a press release
Journalists receive hundreds of press releases every week, often every day. With deadline pressures and overflowing inboxes, they have to be quick and confident when choosing a press release. That means small details can make a big difference.
Ask yourself: is this timely, relevant, or genuinely interesting to someone outside my organisation? Product launches, data-led insights, expert commentary, and major milestones tend to perform better than more promotional announcements.
Why your release isn’t getting coverage right now
If your press release didn’t get picked up, it’s rarely down to a single factor. More often, it’s a combination of circumstances.
Competition for attention
Even great stories can lose out when news agendas are crowded. Breaking news, trending topics, or major industry announcements can easily overshadow your release.
Burying the lede
Your story’s news value can be buried under non-essential details or text that sounds too much like marketing. If your press release is focused too heavily on selling rather than informing, it might be overlooked, even if the core news is strong.
Wong timing
Releasing news at the wrong moment. During major news events, seasonal lulls, or outside working hours, visibility can be reduced. Timing won’t guarantee coverage, but poor timing can prevent it, and if there’s no clear reason for immediate coverage, some media outlets may pass.
Editors want to know why this matters now. Your headline and opening paragraph should communicate the core story instantly. If the angle isn’t clear within a few seconds, the release is likely to be skipped.
What to do if your release didn’t publish
Review and refine – look at your headline, opening paragraph and angle. Can the story be reframed? Is there a stronger hook, statistic or insight you could lead with?
Add new content – Releases without quotes, data, or high-quality images can give journalists more work to do, and that can be enough to deter them.
Reuse the content – Don’t let an unpublished press release go to waste; reuse it in your next campaign for another chance at visibility.
Learn for next time – Every release provides insight, helping you improve future campaigns.
Making the most of your content with guaranteed publishing
While earned media is valuable, it’s not guaranteed. That’s any service that combines traditional PR with guaranteed publishing, allowing their news to be published on established news sites, ensuring visibility, increased online presence, and high-quality backlinks. This approach can help you:
- Build credibility and brand awareness
- Support SEO with authoritative links
- Ensure your news is visible
- Maximises the return on the content you’ve
Guaranteed publishing doesn’t provide coverage, but it can ensure your story is seen, shared, and searchable.
Need help getting your press release out there?
PR Fire is the UK’s leading press release distribution service. Our goal is always to create a custom media list for each and every distribution campaign we work on.
We prioritise relevance over list size, but each list typically contains approximately 500 contacts. We use the press release content, key search terms, your industry and sub-sector guidelines, and geo-location preferences to build the list for you. We’re also happy to take any suggestions from our clients on publications or journalists they’d like us to target, so we can include them, too.
If your release hasn’t achieved the coverage you hoped for, it doesn’t mean the opportunity is gone. With the right positioning and strategy, your news can still deliver real impact to your brand.
Whether you need support refining your message or ensuring your press release gets published and seen, expert help can make all the difference. Order online here or book a call with us