What kind of image should I attach to my press release?
An image tells a thousand words
When faced with hundreds of press releases from different organisations, journalists will often choose which news to feature according to the quality of the images sent to them.
Here are some top tips to think about when choosing images to accompany your press releases.
Make sure your photo relates to your news content
Generic stock images are unlikely to win over readers, so it’s best to go with original ones that illustrate exactly what your press release is about. Featuring real people, products and services will generate far more interest.
Check the size and resolution
High-resolution images are best, but they shouldn’t be so large that they’ll exceed inbox size limits. For pictures to come out well in print, it’s preferable that they’re around 300dpi (dots per inch) or 1MB in size. Check your images by clicking on ‘Properties’ and looking under ‘Details’. If you have images too large to send as email attachments, you could send them via WeTransfer or Dropbox.
Steer clear of filters and too much editing
Photos are best submitted to journalists looking like originals. Slightly tweaking the brightness or contrast of images is fine, but dramatic editing, filters or superimposing your company logo onto photos means that they’re unlikely to get used.
Caption your images
It is harder for a journalist to publish your news with uncaptioned images. This is especially true if your photos feature people. At the end of your press release, include photo captions detailing the full names of all key people in your photos and, if applicable, their job titles and the organisations they’re representing. It can help to name your image files too.
Provide a few options
Sending too many images will only be time-consuming for journalists and clog up their inboxes, but you may want to select three or four of your best. Editors often appreciate a choice of landscape and portrait photos. If you have more images than can fit in one email, let journalists know that they can get in touch for additional ones or higher resolution files if they need to.
Seek permission before sending out
Before sending out any images to the press, it’s vital to make sure you’ve got permission to use them first. Check that you own or have sought permission to use any photos before sharing them. There are lots of template photography consent forms online that can help with the approval process and GDPR compliance.
