How Often Should You Send a Press Release? It is one of the most common questions in PR, and the honest answer is: as often as you have genuine news, and not a day more. But that does not mean you should wait around for a once-in-a-decade announcement. Most businesses have more newsworthy material than they realise. Here is how to work out the right rhythm for yours.
Quality beats quantity
A press release is only as good as the story inside it. Sending weak releases frequently trains journalists to ignore you, while sending strong ones at sensible intervals builds a reputation for being worth reading. If a release would not interest someone outside your own company, hold it back or turn it into a blog post or social update instead.
A sensible starting point
For most small and medium-sized businesses, one press release a month is a healthy and achievable target. It is frequent enough to build momentum and keep your name in front of editors, but not so frequent that you run short of real news. Larger organisations with several departments might send more, while very small businesses might manage one every six to eight weeks and still see a good return.
Factors that affect your frequency
Your industry. Fast-moving sectors such as technology, finance and retail tend to produce more news than slower-moving ones. Trade media in these areas also publish more often, so there is more room for your stories.
Your goals. If your aim is search visibility and backlinks, steady, consistent output helps. If you are focused on a single big launch, you might concentrate your effort into a short, intense campaign.
Your resources. Writing, approving and distributing a release takes time. A realistic schedule that you can maintain is better than an ambitious one that falls apart after two months.
Your news pipeline. Look at what is genuinely coming up. If you have a product launch, an event and a new hire in the same month, spread them out rather than sending them all at once.
Where to find regular news
If you struggle to find stories, read our Newsworthy Insights Post or try looking at these sources:
- New hires, promotions and team milestones
- Product or service launches and updates
- Customer success stories and case studies
- Awards, certifications and accreditations
- Charity work and community involvement
- Original research, surveys and your own data
- Expert comment on trending industry topics
- Anniversaries, openings and expansions
- Seasonal angles and awareness days
Do not bunch your releases together
Sending three releases in a week and then nothing for three months wastes much of their value. Spacing stories out gives each one room to breathe and keeps your brand visible over time. It also lets you reuse coverage in your social media and newsletters between releases.
Timing within the month
Avoid sending important news at the busiest points in the media calendar unless it relates to them. Plan around major national events, bank holidays and school holidays, when journalists are often away or focused elsewhere. Mid-week, mid-morning releases tend to work well because newsrooms are fully staffed.
Build a simple PR calendar
The easiest way to maintain consistency is to plan ahead. List known events, launches and seasonal dates for the next quarter, then slot in releases at regular intervals. Leave space for reactive news and unexpected opportunities. Even a basic spreadsheet is enough to keep you on track.
Not sure whether your news is strong enough, or short on time to write and distribute it? PR Fire can help you plan, write and distribute releases at a pace that works for your business or get started here
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be, unless you have real news every week. Weekly releases often dilute quality and can annoy editors. Monthly is our recommendation.
Consistent, newsworthy coverage can help build authority and backlinks over time, but only if the releases are high quality and well distributed.
Best practice is to send it once, follow up politely if appropriate, and move on to your next story.
You can update and refresh old material if there is a genuinely new angle, but do not send the exact same text again.
PR Fire is a UK press release service that helps businesses write and distribute press releases. It offers distribution to a targeted list of journalists and media contacts for organic pickup, as well as other Digital PR options for businesses wanting coverage in relevant regional and national outlets.
You can submit your press release to PR Fire here. If you’d like to talk through your options first, you can book a discovery call to find out how PR Fire can support your brand.