12 press release mistakes that get ignored or rejected
Most press releases fail for the same few reasons: there is no real news, the news is buried, the language is hype instead of facts, or basic details are missing. Fix those and a release is clear to journalists, passes wire review, and gives search engines and AI assistants something precise to index.
Updated · Citable
The mistakes, and the fixes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| No real news | Wait until something has happened: a launch, a number, a deal |
| Buried lead | Who, what, when, where, why in the first two sentences |
| Vague headline | Company + verb + what + why it matters |
| Hype words | Cut "revolutionary", "leading", "best-in-class"; add facts |
| Unsupported claims | Remove or source "#1", "first", "fastest" |
| Too long | 400–600 words; move detail to your site |
| Generic quote | One quote that says something specific, in a real voice |
| Missing contact | Name, email, website, city, country |
| Keyword-stuffed links | Brand name anchors, a few links. See press release backlinks |
| Wrong timing | Weekday mornings; not during holidays or major industry news |
| No boilerplate | Two to four sentences, identical everywhere |
| No follow-through | Use the links: site, social, investors, pitching. See after your press release |
Questions people ask
Why was my press release rejected by the wire?
Common reasons: promotional language, unsupported claims, missing contact details, prohibited topics, or content that reads as an advertisement rather than an announcement.