The Ultimate Press Release: What You Need
A good press release is essential for any band or artist with a new single, ep or album scheduled.
When it comes to promoting your work, preparation is key, and a press release is a direct reflection of this preparation. As a journalist and publicist who has been on both the receiving and sending end of things, I would encourage acts to never underestimate the power of information or good writing.
Every journalist, blogger, and outlet is a little different, and everyone has their preferences, but every press release should contain the standard assets, and be accessible.
WHAT DO I NEED IN A PRESS RELEASE?
Date of the release: Outlets need to know the date of your release, so they can schedule their work accordingly, or determine if they have the time to cover your release. Many outlets do not cover music that has already been released, so press releases should always be sent well in advance of your release date.
Act biography: This does not need to be extremely long, but do include some information about your formation, where you are based, and your main influences. Some outlets (including myself), like to prioritize local acts, so use it to your advantage!
Song/EP/Album biography: This may seem like a no-brainer, but I have received many press releases where the act has said nothing about the release except the genre. This is quite a turn-off to writers, because they do not have the time to spoon-feed questions about the release, hunt down scraps of information from your previous releases, or decipher everything about the song through listening. Every creation process is unique, so don’t neglect your opportunity to tell the story. After all, you are the original source!
Think of your press release as a conversation about your new song: What are your main points? You need to make the other party interested in what you’re saying. Here are some questions to consider:
Was the release self-produced, or made in a studio with a great team?
What is the main message of the release, if any?
What is the inspiration behind the song?
Did the release come together quite naturally, or was it a long/difficult process?
Does the music steer away from what you’ve created before, or does it build on the sound you have been crafting to date?
If the release is a single, is it leading to an upcoming project? (an album/ep?)
An audio file and online streaming link to the release: The outlet needs to be able to listen to your work to determine if it fits their publication or is up to their standards. To save you from altering your press release for radio stations, blogs and playlists, save yourself time and include everything: An MP3 file, a WAV file, and a private online SoundCloud link. By doing this, a platform can listen using whatever medium they see fit, and no one will have to chase you to request a specific format. If you have never sent a press release before, don’t worry, these files are strictly confidential.
Press Images: It is always good to include at least one or two clear images of your act, and the release artwork if you have it. You can embed your main image in the press release itself, and include a link to a Google Drive o Dropbox Folder with other images.
Social Links: If you leave all of your social links, hopefully you will be notified of the article once it goes live (if not by email).
And that’s it! Those are the key assets needed for a press release. They may seem obvious, but gearing up for a new release is an exciting, stressful and busy time, so it’s incredibly easy to forget some of these components.
Here are some more tips from me that you might consider:
I have never received a press release that was “too long”. I regularly receive press releases that are too short. Obviously, it would be better not to send a three page essay about how the track came to be, but I would always prefer too much information than too little. Writers can always pick and choose the excerpts they would like to use, so don’t obsess over cutting down your biography to two lines.
Don’t just send the press release itself to outlets - always include a short introductory message introducing yourself and what you’re sending. A good first impression is as important as a good press release! Be professional and cordial, always.
I’m not picky when it comes to the format of a press release - it can be a Microsoft word document, external website link, or the best option, in the email itself. PDFs, though they look good, are not the best format for two reasons: You cannot copy and paste images from most PDFs (meaning that a link to photos is essential), and copying and pasting text from PDFs rarely formats correctly. Basically it will take a bit of extra time for the writer to fix gaps and alignment issues if copying quotes, for example. Make their life easier by choosing a different format if possible!
Hopefully you’re feeling a little more confident about how to approach a press release. If you have any questions or comments, please get in touch via the contact page, or to cobrapromotionsireland@gmail.com. If you don’t ask, you won’t know :) There’s no such thing as a silly question.