How to Use AI to Write Press Releases That Actually Get Media Coverage

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97% of Press Releases Never Get Covered

Here’s a sobering reality: 97% of press releases never get picked up and covered by the media. That means the vast majority of companies are wasting their time and money on press releases that journalists simply ignore.

The flood of AI content has made this problem even worse. Everyone has access to AI now, making it easier than ever to produce content. But most of that content is mediocre and vanilla.

You can use AI to write your press releases effectively, but only if you approach it strategically. The key is understanding what AI does well and where it fails completely. When you master this balance, you’ll join the 3% who actually generate earned media from their press releases.

Why AI Press Release Writing Works (But Only When Done Right)

AI can write a press release very well. The writing that AI produces is competent and professional. Journalists don’t care whether AI wrote your press release or not.

If AI generates a well-written press release for you, you should absolutely use it. But never tell AI to write a press release and let it decide what to write about.

Here’s a critical distinction you need to understand: AI is excellent at writing but terrible at coming up with ideas. AI has been trained on all the bad press releases that don’t generate earned media.

When you let AI choose your topic, it draws from that massive database of failed press releases. It will suggest the same tired angles that 97% of companies use – things like announcing a new hire, speaking at an event, or copying what competitors are doing.

You want to focus on the types of press releases that are more likely to get picked up. The ones that actually result in earned media coverage. That means you need to be strategic about your topics before you ever interact with AI.

The Strategic Approach: Come to AI with Your Idea Ready

You must approach AI with a well-thought-out, newsworthy idea.

This is the foundation of successful press release writing. You need to know exactly what you want to write about before you start.

I never let AI choose my topic and hook. Instead, I approach AI and say, “Here’s what I want my press release to say. Here’s the hook I want to use, and here’s a little background about my company. How would you structure this press release?”

This approach puts you in control of the strategy while leveraging AI’s writing capabilities. You’re not asking AI to brainstorm topics or come up with angles. You’re asking it to help you execute your already-developed concept.

Don’t give AI full reign.

The moment you say “write a 600-word press release on this topic,” you’re setting yourself up for mediocre results. AI is lazy when you give it too much freedom.

Instead, you want to be very specific about what you’re asking for at each step. This strategic approach separates successful press releases from the 97% that get ignored.

The Piecemeal Method: Breaking Down AI Press Release Creation

Instead of taking one minute to ask AI to write everything, spend 12 minutes breaking it down piece by piece. You’ll end up with a much better release using this method.

Here’s exactly how to structure your AI interaction:

Step 1: Create the Outline

Start by asking: “How would you structure a 600-word press release on this subject?” Let AI give you the outline and template.

Step 2: Work on Headlines

Say: “Give me five different headlines for this release.” If you really like one, you can go with it. If not, tell AI to drill deeper on one of them or to focus more on a specific angle.

You can take this further: “Give me three headline variations, and between each one, think about how you can make the next headline more succinct, more powerful, and almost have a call to action.” Generally, the third headline is better because AI has had time to refine its approach.

Step 3: Tackle the Opening Paragraph

Ask for three different opening paragraphs. Look at each one and check: Is all the who, what, when, and where information included? Do you want to work with one of these as your foundation?

Step 4: Focus on the Quote Section

The quote section is an area you probably want to write by hand to ensure the human element is in there. Make sure it’s really strong and fits your voice.

The quote is crucial because when a journalist sees a great quote, they know they can write a great article around it, even if the rest of the press release is pretty soft.

Advanced AI Prompting Techniques for Better Results

Tell AI to stop, slow down, and pause.

This is one of the most powerful techniques for getting better results from AI.

When you ask AI to generate multiple ideas, add instructions like: “Every 10 ideas, stop and think about how the next 10 ideas can be more strategic or better.”

AI doesn’t stop for very long, but it does give you a more measured result. This pause technique encourages AI to be more thoughtful rather than simply generating generic responses.

You can also use strategic prompting between each element: “Between each headline, stop and think for a minute and say how can I make this next headline a little bit more strategic and differentiated from the previous one.”

This approach works well even if you only ask for three headlines. Without this pause instruction, they tend to be weaker. The additional thinking time consistently produces better results.

Critical Warnings: What AI Gets Wrong

AI makes stuff up.

They call it hallucination, but it’s essentially lying. AI will create references and data points that sound good but don’t actually exist.

When you’re doing a press release, look for opportunities to take publicly available data points and put them in there. These help anchor your story and show the stakes.

For example, if you have a logistics software solution, you might give AI a fact you want it to include in your prompt, like: “67% of new transportation companies fail in their first five years because they don’t master backhauls.” This shows why your solution matters.

You definitely want to make sure that if you use any “facts” or statistics that came from AI output, you verify them. AI wants to do a good job to the point that it’s willing to make things up.

There are lawyers who have been referred to the bar because they used AI to reference cases in their legal briefs – cases that turned out to be completely fictional. It’s foolish to lean on a machine without double-checking that the information it provides is real.

The Human Element: Where You Still Need to Take Control

You don’t want to give up too much and stop putting in critical thinking.

Once you stop dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s, what’s the use of humans being involved at all?

The quote section is where you especially need the human element.
Make sure it fits your voice and sounds authentic to your company’s personality.

You want your quote to sing because when a journalist sees a great quote and knows they can write a great article around it you’ve just scored a major coup. Go back and look at any quotes included in your release – is there a way to beef it up? Use more powerful verbs? Make it stronger?

A lot of times AI content ends up being very vanilla.

It doesn’t get into the meat of anything. Even if you get really good at driving AI, you have to ask: is that authentic? Will anyone care? Can I go deeper? Can I better hook my audience?

Choosing the Right AI Tool for Press Release Writing

ChatGPT is not the only AI tool available, and it’s currently not the best at writing natural-sounding copy.

There are many different AI writing tools on the market, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

You should consistently test different tools and their prompts to find the one that best suits your style, provides copy that feels like a human wrote it, and is authentic to you.

What works perfectly for one company might not work for another. The goal is finding the AI that requires the least amount of editing from you.

Different AI tools have different writing personalities.

Some produce more formal copy, others are more conversational. Some excel at technical writing, while others are better with creative angles.

Test the same press release prompts across multiple different AI platforms and versions

Use the exact same strategic approach – the same topic, the same piecemeal method, the same prompting techniques. Then compare which tool gives you copy that sounds most like your brand voice.

The AI landscape changes rapidly.

What’s best today might not be best in six months. Make testing different tools part of your regular process, not just a one-time decision.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Using AI to Write Press Releases

 

Using AI to Craft Amazing Press Releases

AI can absolutely help you write better press releases, but only when you use it strategically. Come to AI with your newsworthy idea already developed. Break down the writing process piece by piece rather than asking for everything at once.

Remember that AI is good at writing but bad at ideas. Don’t let it choose your topics, and always verify any data points it suggests. Focus on adding the human element, especially in your quotes.

The 97% of press releases that fail aren’t failing because they’re poorly written – they’re failing because they’re about topics that journalists don’t care about. Use AI to execute your strategic vision, not to create it.

When you’re ready to distribute your strategically-crafted, AI-assisted or human-written press release, eReleases can help you reach the journalists who matter. Our press release distribution service ensures your newsworthy story gets in front of the right media contacts who are actively looking for stories like yours. Don’t let your strategic press release get lost in the noise – give it the professional distribution it deserves.