Should You Hire a Press Release Writer or Write It Yourself?
Should You Hire a Press Release Writer or Write It Yourself?
Quick Answer: A press release writer is more appropriate to hire if you prefer professional structure, enhanced media interest, and increased coverage. Self-writing a press release will save you some money, but it needs PR expertise, AP style knowledge and time. Professional writing can be helpful to secure higher visibility and publication opportunities when it comes to important announcements.
A press release — a well-established tool used in corporate communication and public relations — is considered to be one of the most useful means of informing people and media about important business news. Press releases are used by companies to publicise the release of products, collaboration, financing, new services, and significant milestones. If you are new to the concept, this overview of what a press release is explains the basics before you decide how to move forward.
The question that worries many businesses when it is time to publish an announcement is: should I write the press release or hire a professional writer?
The initial idea of writing your own press release might appear to be the more cost-effective choice. But to be able to produce a media-ready announcement, you have to do more than just describe your news. Journalists require a particular format, clarity of the message and an authentic news angle. Recognising the full benefits of press releases can help you decide whether a DIY announcement or a professional approach suits your goals.
In this guide, we will contrast them and discuss why a professional press release service can be a better investment towards achieving your objectives.
Key Takeaways
- Self-crafted press releases may be effective provided that you possess PR experience and know media standards.
- Professional writers are aware of how to make newsworthy content to appeal to journalists.
- Poor formatting and promotional language can reduce media interest.
- Professional writing and distribution are both offered in a single place by services such as King Newswire.
Writing a Press Release Yourself: The Advantages and Challenges
Writing a press release yourself implies carrying out the research, writing, formatting, and editing without professional help. Although this method may conserve money, it takes time, expertise, and knowledge of media standards.
Benefits of Writing Your Own Press Release
In some cases, it may be a good idea to write your own press release.
- No extra cost of writing.
- Full control over the message and tone.
- Faster internal approvals and revisions.
- Direct involvement in communicating company news.
- Suitable for businesses with in-house PR or journalism experience.
For simple announcements, the DIY approach can be a practical and budget-friendly solution.
The Challenges of DIY Press Release Writing
Creating a professional press release is often more difficult than it appears.
- Learning and applying AP style formatting.
- Finding a strong and newsworthy angle.
- Writing headlines that attract attention.
- Avoiding overly promotional language.
- Meeting editorial standards required by publishers.
- Spending significant time on writing and revisions.
Without the experience of the PR business, companies might fail to develop content that journalists would link to.
SEO and Distribution Restrictions
A press release should support both media visibility and search visibility.
- Limited knowledge of SEO best practices.
- Difficulty placing keywords naturally.
- Challenges with anchor text optimisation.
- Lower chances of appearing in relevant search results.
- Limited understanding of media distribution requirements.
- Limited distribution as compared to professionally distributed releases.
- Little consideration of how a press release gets cited by AI search tools and answer engines, a growing ranking factor in 2026.
Even a powerful announcement may not attract much attention unless it is well optimised and distributed in appropriate channels.
DIY vs Professional Press Release Writing: A Side-by-Side Comparison
| Factor | Write It Yourself | Get a Professional Writer. |
| Cost | Lower upfront cost | Additional investment required |
| Writing Quality | Depends on your experience and skills | Effectively composed and revised. |
| Media Readiness | May need a number of revisions. | Developed to suit media requirements. |
| Editorial Compliance | Raises the chances of making formatting errors. | Follows industry and editorial guidelines |
| SEO Optimization | Often limited | Proper positioning of keywords and links. |
| Time Commitment | Involves research, writing and editing. | Saves significant time |
| Distribution Success | Less predictable | More likely to be picked up by the media. |
| Newsworthy Angle | Can be difficult to develop | Written in a way that would attract journalists. |
| Credibility | Fluctuates with the quality of writing. | More professional presentation |
| Overall Results | Apposite in making easy announcements. | More appropriate to high-visibility campaigns. |
In case of businesses that have PR experience and simple announcements, one can write a press release internally. Nevertheless, in cases where media coverage, brand image and expanded distribution matter, professional writing can be of more value and yield better outcomes. This comparison of free vs. paid press release distribution breaks down the cost and reach differences in more detail.
How King Newswire Helps Businesses Achieve Better Results
King Newswire is a platform that integrates professional press release writing and distribution, simplifying the process of businesses sharing important news with a wider audience. Explore the full range of press release writing and distribution services available today.
Professional Writing Included
King Newswire employs dedicated PR writers to produce press releases that are media-ready with appropriate formatting, effective headlines, and news angles. This assists businesses in conveying announcements better.
Human Editorial Review
Editors preview each press release to enhance accuracy, readability, and media standards to assist in ensuring a final copy that is professional.
Broad Distribution Network
King Newswire releases press releases with more than 1,000 proven media outlets and 180,000+ media contacts, enabling businesses to become more visible. Knowing how to distribute a press release effectively helps businesses get the most out of this kind of network.
SEO-Friendly Press Releases
Strategic anchor text links can also be incorporated by the business to aid in search visibility and referral traffic, as well as boosting exposure across the search engines and news outlets. This is part of what makes SEO-friendly press release distribution such a valuable part of a broader content strategy.
Clear and Open Pricing
King Newswire is flexible in pricing its products to businesses, agencies, and high-volume users and has several package options, white-label services, and scalable solutions.
When Writing Your Own Press Release Makes Sense
When you possess the appropriate skills, resources, and expectations, it can be viable to write your own press release. Although it might not be the most appropriate option in all cases, there are businesses that can effectively deal with press release writing internally.
If you have experience in public relations, journalism, or corporate communications, writing your own press release may help you save money while maintaining full control over the message. It is also effective in the event of a mere announcement that does not involve a lot of media reach or exposure.
Small updates, internal milestones, local events, or announcements where the media presence is not the main objective in many cases require the DIY approach. Nevertheless, one must know about the format of press releases, editorial guidelines, and newswriting rules to prevent frequent errors that may limit effectiveness.
When Hiring a Press Release Writer Is the Better Choice
It is usually more appropriate to hire a press release writer when it is necessary to make an announcement more visible, credible, and professional. Seasoned authors understand how to make company communication interesting stories, which can attract journalists and media. This is also why many businesses look into whether paid press release distribution is worth it before committing budget to an announcement.
Product announcements, new services, funding news, partnering, company expansions, and other high-impact events are especially useful with professional writing. Such announcements tend to be major business opportunities, and it is necessary to communicate them understandably and professionally.
The professional worker is also likely to save time and eliminate chances of mistakes. Businesses do not have to learn about media standards, formatting rules, and SEO best practices, but instead concentrate on their operations, and experts are tasked with the writing process. Professional press release writing can be a valuable investment tool for an organisation that wants greater exposure and better outcomes.
Conclusion
When it comes to hiring a press release writer or writing your own press release, it depends on what your experience, what your goals entail, and what is the significance of the announcement. The DIY strategy may be effective in the case of straightforward updates and companies with internal PR skills, but in many instances, it may be quite time-consuming and may involve a learning curve.
In cases of announcement where visibility, professional presentation and distribution are desirable, it is often preferable to hire a skilled press release writer. Professional writers know how to develop newsworthy content, how to maximise media appeal and how to maximise releases in search engines as well as in the distribution channels. A trusted press release distribution platform brings all of this together in one place.
The process is even easier with services such as King Newswire that take into consideration professional writing, editorial review, SEO optimisation, and access to a vast media network.
About the Author
Daniel Ortiz is a Senior PR Strategist at King Newswire with more than 8 years of experience in press release writing, media distribution, and digital PR. He has worked with startups, agencies, and enterprise communications teams to prepare announcements across product launches, funding news, and corporate milestones, with a focus on AP style accuracy, editorial compliance, and search-friendly formatting. Daniel regularly reviews changes in media distribution and search behaviour to keep King Newswire’s press release guidance aligned with current industry practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I write my own press release?
Yes, it is possible to write your press release provided that you know how to format a press release, the AP style rules and how to make the information look newsworthy. Nevertheless, professional writing tends to produce more powerful outcomes for key announcements.
Is hiring a press release writer worth it?
Yes, to many businesses. An announcement can be refined by a professional writer, made more attractive to the media, and save precious time. This is particularly necessary with product launches, alliances, capital announcements and other high-impact news.
How much does a professional press release writer cost?
The cost may be different depending on the provider, the complexity of the announcement and whether distribution is included. Some services have low-budget packages, and there are those with advanced writing and media outreach services. A closer look at what press release distribution typically costs can help you budget more accurately.
What should I look for in a press release writer?
Seek PR writing experience, media standards, excellent writing skills, knowledge of editorial reviews, familiarity with search engine optimisation, and availability of credible distribution channels. These can greatly affect the success of your press release.
Additional Press Release Resources
Explore more press release guides from King Newswire:
- a free press release template for 2026
- optimising a press release for SEO
- a complete guide on how to write a press release
- choosing the best distribution service
- the standard press release format
- real press release examples worth studying
- how a press release differs from a media advisory
- whether a press release actually helps SEO
- writing a fintech press release
- writing a SaaS press release
- writing a press release for a gaming launch
- a biotech press release guide
- choosing the right keywords for a press release
- writing a press release for a book launch
- writing a press release for musicians
- announcing a new hire in a press release
- writing a healthcare press release
- getting featured on Forbes through a press release
- writing an IPO announcement press release