What is a Press Release?
A press release (also called a news release) is a formal written announcement distributed to journalists, media outlets, and wire services to inform them of newsworthy developments at a company. Standard press release format includes: a headline, dateline, lead paragraph summarizing the news (who, what, when, where, why), body paragraphs with supporting details and quotes from company leadership, a boilerplate company description, and contact information for media follow-up. Press releases can be distributed directly to journalist email lists, through wire services (PR Newswire, BusinessWire, GlobeNewswire), or published natively on your own newsroom or blog.
Press Releases for SaaS Companies
The most press-worthy SaaS announcements that generate significant media pickup: funding rounds (especially Series A and above, which are genuinely newsworthy in tech media), major product launches or category-defining feature releases, significant partnership or enterprise customer announcements (with permission from the partner), executive hires (C-suite from well-known companies), acquisition announcements, and research reports or data studies that reveal surprising or significant market insights. Minor product updates, internal organizational changes, and award wins typically do not generate significant press coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do press releases generate SEO value?
Press releases distributed through wire services generate syndicated links from hundreds of news sites, but these links are typically nofollow and from low-authority press release aggregators, providing minimal direct SEO value. The genuine SEO value comes from: editorial pickups (when a real journalist reads the press release and writes an independent story with a dofollow editorial link), the announcement being newsworthy enough to generate organic reporting from tech publications, and the brand mentions and awareness that improve branded search volume over time. Prioritize making announcements genuinely newsworthy and pitching to specific journalists rather than relying solely on wire distribution for media coverage.
Should I put press releases on my own website?
Yes, for two reasons: (1) your website newsroom or press page should be the definitive source for company news, and journalists researching your company will check it; (2) a well-maintained press page with company history, executive bios, product screenshots, and logos creates a press kit that reduces friction for journalists writing about your company. Avoid relying on wire service syndications as your only press release repository: the content expires from wire aggregators, and having a permanent record on your own domain provides more reliable long-term brand presence.