Difference Between Press Release and Media Advisory

Making the public aware of your business is one of the most crucial tasks. In order to do so, it is important to release a combination of press releases and media advisory. But first, it is important to understand the difference between press release and media advisory. By understanding it, marketing campaigns can be improved. This can further increase the competitive advantage as well.

What is a Press Release?

A press release is any important news that is published in the media to bring awareness to the public. It could be about a product launch, any events taking place in the company, an acquisition or merger, or other similar matters which happen in the organization.

Format Of A Press Release

The best press releases follow a certain format. This format allows those reading the press release to skim through the information and receive that only which is required. Most press releases have the following format:

Want to learn more about writing a killer press release? Click here to read our comprehensive guide to writing a press release.

Purpose Of A Press Release

Press releases are like columns in newspapers. They deliver important information to the world. The purpose of a press release is to catch the eye of important media personalities. Once they see a good press release, those journalists publish it on their own platforms. This way their target audience becomes aware of the press release as well.

What is a Media Advisory?

In order to invite journalists or media personalities, a media release is written. It helps in increasing the number of people attending a business event. At the same time, journalists may bring other people with them who can get interested in the business. Media advisory can also be used as a tool in order to improve public relations with the public.

Format of A Media Advisory

Since media advisory is an invitation, it is of utmost importance to keep it short and precise. There should be no extra paragraphs included in the document. This format should include the following:

1. A small introduction in the form of a headline

2. Answer the 5 W questions, which are:

3. Contact Information of the business

Purpose Of A Media Advisory

Media Advisory is like invitation cards, just a lot more formal ones. This can help in increasing the number of people who are attending any business event. It also helps in introducing the business to a specific audience selected by journalists.

Difference between Media Advisory & Press Release

Usage

The difference between press release and media advisory is simple. A press release is used when a company wants to announce news related to their company to the world or for a news conference, press conference, or a grand opening of a business. It increases the knowledge of the target audience about a business. An Advisory is written to invite different media personalities and journalists to an event. This helps in increasing the number of people attending the event. The main difference between media advisory and press release depends a lot on the usage and the timings.

Length

Even though press releases are kept short and precise, the media advisory is even shorter. A maximum of 150 words should be used while writing a media advisory. But on the other hand, a press release can be easily 400 to 500 words long. Both of these should be kept to the point and straightforward.

Read more: Perfect Press Release Length to Improve Visibility

How to Distribute a Press Release?

There are many press release distribution services available for businesses. One such service distributor is Release Live, a product of iCrowdNewswire. These service providers ensure that the press release reaches the target audience and increases business. A media advisory is distributed through the means of E-mails or direct mail to whomever a company is interested in inviting for the event. Some people suitable for media advisory can be senior journalists, company directors, editors, and every person who can have an interest in the business.

Also Read: Steps to Follow When Sending a Press Release

When to Distribute a Press Release?

Press releases are delivered to the public a day before the event is to take place or a day after the event has happened. But on the other hand, a media advisory must be released at least a week before so that everyone’s attendance can be ensured. Through this courtesy, all the guests can plan their schedules accordingly.

Read More: Best Time to Send a Press Release

When to do a press release vs media advisory?

Timing Is key in both the mediums. Press releases can usually wait for the entirety of the duration the topic stays relevant. However, things are not that easy for a media advisory. Since media advisories are essentially media reports intimating people of an upcoming event or a product launch, therefore, timing for them is more crucial than a press release.

To send a press release, any time during which your topic of interest is trending can be released. No such timing (other than the point mentioned beforehand) is imperative for a press release. Whereas a media advisory will need to be distributed prior to an event unfolding, since it is essentially an invitation to the event, therefore, a media advisory needs to be sent out before the event. If there is still time in your event, you can use a media advisory. If time is not an issue, a good old press release will suffice.

So, media advisory vs press release; which will you choose? Aside from usage and time, there is also an inclusion of aesthetic and looking at what would fly for what event. In a debate of press release vs media advisory, most people would go with a media advisory, since it is brief and can capture interest more easily. Whereas for people siding with the releases in the whole media advisory vs press release talk, these are more efficient but take time to show results.

Conclusion

Making a good impression on the world is what makes any business successful. But it is not easy to do so. It requires a lot of strategic work and marketing plans. Organizations make the common mistake of not understanding the role of a press release and media advisory in the industry.

A good marketing strategy includes both media advisory and press release in it. In order to make a strong marketing mix, it is important to understand the difference between both of them. At the same time, it should be ensured that both of them are used appropriately; at the right time, and in the right places. Organizations fail to realize the importance of a press release and media advisory. This leads to them having no competitive advantage from their competitor organizations.

Visit here to know more about iCrowdNewswire Release Live product: https://icrowdnewswire.com/release-live/