Press Release Tip 57

Why photos and graphics are important

You’re starting Module 9 and learning how to use photos and graphics, and how to incorporate audio and video into your press releases.

Let’s start with photos and graphics. If you think that only the words you write are important, today’s lesson is for you.

A survey of journalists by Bennett & Company PR firm shows that PR professionals may not even have to type a sentence to gain the media’s attention. Forty-one percent of the 543 journalists who responded to the survey said that visuals could dictate their content, and a whopping 90 percent of journalists said visuals are somewhat important or very important to them.

“A release emailed with a jpg or tif file has a much better chance of making it into our newspaper,” said Tom Wharton, a writer for the Salt Lake City Tribune.

But that’s not the only reason photos are important. Including them with a press release means that if consumers search the Internet and find your press release, they’ll find your photo. And if they like what they see in the photo, it might prompt them to visit your website, take a look at your products, and buy.  

Photos can also be shared on social media, especially Instagram and Pinterest.

Magazine editors have told me that press releases for new products get priority if they’re accompanied by good-quality high-resolution photos of the product. But they receive too few photos. What a shame!

Opportunity #57 to write a press release: Predictions

Make a prediction, then write a press release. Experts can predict things such as when gasoline prices, the stock market or interest rates will rise and fall. For fun, predict who will win the Super Bowl or when the first snowfall will occur in your area. You can even predict who will win an election. Explain why.

Next: Your options for photos.