Sending Press Releases

How do I issue a press release?

From the dashboard, simply click the orange “Send a Release” button, or if you’re on the “Press Releases” tab just click the “New Press Release” link on the upper right of the page.

What is a saved press release?

A saved press release is a press release that you have previously written and saved in your account. They can be accessed on the “Press Releases” tab. For more on saved press releases, click here.

What is the media advisory template?

You can choose the Media Advisory template as an alternative to the standard press release template when sending your news. This standardized template makes it easy to provide the necessary information that all media advisories should have, in a user-friendly format for the media.

What are letterheads and logos?

Letterheads are banner images that appear at the top of your press releases that are delivered by fax and at the top of your printer-friendly releases on-line.

Logos are small one-inch squares that appear on the readMedia Newswire beside your release summaries. They help enhance your brand and identity on the Web, and create clickable links to an archive of your news on the readMedia Newswire.

For more about logos and letterheads, click here.

Why is headline a required field?

The headline of your press release is also the email subject line when it is emailed to media recipients and contacts. It is also used in the web address for the release when it is posted on the readMedia newswire. This helps in search engine optimization and social media sharing. Please note: readMedia requires detailed press release headlines. Simple headlines like “Media Advisory” and “Consumer Alert” are not descriptive and will not help your online visibility.

Why is “News From” a required field?

This field, combined with your website’s URL in the box below it, creates a “live link” to your organization's web site directly from your press release. This allows readers to easily navigate to your web site, and acts as a Search Engine Optimization tool.

How do I schedule a press release to be sent out at a future date?

Here you have the option to schedule your press release for future delivery by selecting a date and time using the dropdown boxes in the dateline section. Once you send your release it will be queued and delivered on the date and time you specified. NOTE: Unless your membership plan includes expedited delivery you cannot schedule an immediate press release for free.

Do I have to type my press release into the “body” section?

Nope. You can copy and paste from any application.

What type of attachments can I include?

You can (and should) attach any supporting documents, media, reports, photos etc. that will help reporters, editors and other recipients pursue the story you’re telling in your press release. These attachments must be no larger that 5 MB in size. You can attach Word and Excel files, pictures, charts, PDF’s, and even audio or video files. You may not attach or upload executable files.

How are attachments sent to recipients?

We store all attachments on our server network and insert a link to the file in your press release so that the recipients can download the file. Attaching files directly to e-mails generally triggers corporate spam filters.

What are “My Favorite Lists”, "My Saved Lists, "Suggested Lists, and “Other readMedia Lists”?

You can send your press releases to as many distribution lists as needed. On the list selection screen, these lists are listed in order of importance.

• My Favorites Lists – These lists have been marked as favorites inside your account. They are lists that you (or your coworkers) use regularly and are found at the top of your available lists.

• My Saved Lists – These are free lists in your account that were created by people from within your organization. They are comprised of media contacts and personal contacts that fall within your organization’s reach.

• Suggested Lists – These are paid lists that can be used to send a press release to an area outside your free reach.

• Other readMedia lists – These lists are commonly used lists that we’ve built so you can easily access a geographic region or topic.

For more about Distribution lists, click here.

What is a Public Release versus a Private Release?

A Public Release is the kind of press release most people want – it’s distributed to your media list and then a variety of partner web sites, news aggregators, search engines, and information databases. This is the option to choose if you want publicity! It’s selected by default.

A Private Release is sent ONLY to the recipients on your media list – it is not posted on the Internet, not included in RSS feeds, and not sent to any partner media. This option is simply a way to prevent your transmission from being hosted on the Internet.

What does “E-mail BCC” do?

If you need your boss or a colleague to get a copy of the press release when it’s sent, enter their e-mail addresses (separated by commas) here, and we’ll “blind copy” the release to them. You can BCC up to three people per release.

How much will my press release cost me?

The cost of your release depends on the type of membership plan you have signed up for. Most users sign up for unlimited press release distribution to media outlets within their reach. Others elect to pay every time they issue a press release.

If you incur any charges while sending a press release you’ll be notified on the “Review & Send” page. Here you can also add any coupons you may have.

If I click “Send Release” and realize I need to change it, what do I do?

Call us immediately! Your release will go over the wire within minutes but we may be able to stop it. Alternatively, if you need to make a change to one of your archived press releases on the readMedia Newswire, you can use the "Web Edit" link under your "Recently Sent Releases" on your Dashboard.

What is “Editorial Hold”?

If your release is on editorial hold, it means that there’s either a problem with the release or one of our editors has a question. If a release goes on editorial hold an editor will contact you by phone or email.