Media Advisory vs. Press Release: What's the Difference?

If you’re trying to find new ways to stand out in a crowded marketplace and maximize your messaging, press release distribution is a viable investment to make. Now, with any new marketing approach comes the question of budget. And, with that, you might be wondering, how much does it cost to distribute a press release?That’s the question we answer in this blog post.

Is press release distribution right for my brand?

In this blog post, we will explore the slight differences between media advisories and press releases, which both offer potential advantages such as increased brand recognition, website visits, and potential new customers.But first, let’s take a look at the definitions of a press release and media advisory.

What’s a Press Release?

A press release is a marketing tool that’s used to distribute a company’s story to targeted media sources when they want to announce something newsworthy.

The goal is to create awareness through earned media mentions in relevant publications.

Newsworthy topics include:

• Product launch and updates - Share information about a new product with your target audience. When sharing a product launch/update press release, be sure to include the product's price and where consumers can make a purchase.
• Mergers and acquisitions - This type of release is perfect for companies that want to share valuable information with current stakeholders and potential investors. When developing the content, be sure to highlight the most important information about the companies involved. This includes quotes from the leadership teams. and any high-level details about the actual merger or acquisition.
• Special events - When developing an event press release, be sure to highlight the most important information including the name of the event, its purpose, the location, time and date and if there are entrance fees, for example.
• Partnerships - When writing this type of release, explain the purpose of the partnership and the benefits this collaboration creates for the target audience.
• Rebrand - If your company has undergone a rebrand, share this update with the public. Directly addressing the reason for the rebrand and the vision for the future can help alleviate any confusion from the general public.

No matter the topic, the content should address the who, what, where, when, why, and how.

These comprise what’s known as the  inverted pyramid  which helps brands effectively tell their story.

What’s a Media Advisory?

A media advisory is a one-page description of an event that’s sent to the press to encourage their attendance.

Start with writing MEDIA ADVISORY in bold font at the top of the page. On the left side of the page, include the date of the alert and details about the contact person: their company name, full name, email address, and phone number. Include your contact information to the right, then put a hard return followed by centering the title of the event for immediate release.

Here’s an example so you can see how all of these pieces come together to build a media advisory for your event:

4 Differences Between Media Advisories and Press Releases

When it comes to media advisories and press releases, there are four main differences.

‍Message Intent
‍As mentioned before, a media advisory is an overview that’s meant to encourage media attendance at a future event.

The goal of a press release is to share the most important details of a newsworthy company update.

‍Length of Content
‍A media advisory should be kept to around 100 - 150 words while a press release, on the other, can and should be between 400 and 500 words.

‍Distribution Cadence
‍Media advisories should be sent two times before the event.

The first time should be at least 5 - 7 days prior to the event and the follow-up should be sent as a reminder the day before the event.

The timing of a release is more flexible as it doesn’t have to be tied to a specific event.

To build on this point, the number of campaigns a business distributes is contingent on its business goals.

However, a consistent cadence of press releases is an excellent way to improve a brand’s digital presence, build awareness, attract website traffic, generate leads and more.

If you’d like to learn about the best practices of effective press release distribution, check out our  Best Time to Send a Press Release  blog.

‍The Target Audience
‍A media advisory is much like an invitation. It’s sent to relevant media personnel to encourage them to attend a specific event. 

Press releases, on the other hand, are distributed on the wire and are intended to reach a wider, yet targeted audience.

Connect with your Audience

As one of the top newswires in the industry, we offer global distribution, predictable flat-fee pricing, and top-tier customer service that's been recognized by numerous G2 badges including, "Easiest To Do Business With," "Best Relationship," "Most Implementable" and more. Combining our innovative technology platform and network of journalists and media outlets gives our customers peace of mind and confidence knowing their stories will reach their target audiences.

When distributing a press release with us, you'll never have to sacrifice text, images, or media in your story.

There are NO …

‍Word counts or coverage fees.Multimedia fees (Embed YouTube videos for free!).

You CAN …

‍Include all social media links without worrying about extra wordsUse logos in the contact information to promote branding

‍ Click here to schedule a complimentary demo  of our platform and learn more about our flat-fee pricing and wide network reach.