| Want to ensure your press release or blog post gets ignored? Avoid these common pitfalls—and learn how to craft content that resonates. |
1. Underestimate Your Audience
Treat your audience as if they know nothing, and you’ll lose them quickly. Overexplaining basic concepts or belittling readers drives them away. Instead, respect their intelligence by providing context where needed, but trust them to understand nuanced content.
Pro Tip: Focus on creating content that educates, inspires, or solves a problem for your audience.
2. Ignore Your Audience’s Preferences
Writing for an audience without understanding how they consume content is a surefire way to miss the mark. Do they prefer short, snappy articles or detailed, long-form content?
Fix It: Segment your audience and tailor content formats to their preferences. Use analytics PR tools or feedback to understand their habits.
Example: If your audience skims content on mobile, focus on short paragraphs, bullet points, and visuals.
3. Disregard Media Outlet Guidelines
Sending a press release that doesn’t adhere to a media outlet’s style or guidelines wastes everyone’s time.
Pro Tip: Research the outlet’s tone, preferred structure, and target audience before submitting. Make journalists’ lives easier by providing ready-to-publish material.
Further Reading: Check out our guide on how to write great press releases to ensure your content hits the mark.
4. Skip Credible Sources
Unsubstantiated claims undermine your credibility. Always back up bold statements with credible data or sources.
Fix It: Link to reputable studies, include quotes from experts, and ensure all statistics are verifiable.
Example: Instead of saying, “Our product saves time,” say, “Our product reduces task completion time by 30%, according to a recent study."
5. Miss Deadlines and Fail to Communicate
Missing deadlines without giving a heads-up can damage your reputation and relationships.
Fix It: Be upfront about any delays and communicate early. Journalists work on tight schedules—respect their time.
6. Write Purely Promotional Content
Journalists and media outlets are not interested in blatant self-promotion.
Pro Tip: Focus on providing value. Share unique insights, trends, or solutions that align with your brand but serve the reader’s interests.
Example: Instead of “Our product is the best,” highlight how it solves a specific problem in your industry.
7. Use Poor Structure
Disorganized content with no clear beginning, middle, or end makes it hard to follow.
Fix It: Use a structured approach with subheadings, bullet points, and concise paragraphs. Ensure each section flows logically into the next.
8. Choose Confusing Headlines
A headline that doesn’t match the content confuses readers and turns journalists off.
Fix It: Write clear, specific headlines that reflect the main takeaway of your piece.
Example: Instead of “Big News from Our Company,” use “How Our New Product Reduces Task Time by 30%.”
9. Create Superficial Content
Unoriginal, shallow content adds no value to readers or journalists.
Pro Tip: Offer a fresh perspective or actionable insights. Avoid repeating industry clichés without adding anything new.
Example: Instead of “Social media is important for PR,” share practical tips like “Three Ways to Boost PR Results with Instagram Stories.”
10. Handle Feedback Poorly
Even if a journalist or editor is interested in publishing your content, dismissing their feedback is a guaranteed way to ruin the opportunity.
Fix It: Be open to revisions and collaborate respectfully. Constructive feedback can often elevate your content and strengthen professional relationships.
Want to Get Published? Reverse These Mistakes!
To create content that resonates, focus on your audience’s needs and preferences. Use clear, credible, and structured storytelling to provide value—and build strong relationships with journalists by respecting their time and expertise.
