Why Should You Include Multimedia in Press Releases?

"A picture is worth a thousand words." This famous phrase coined by Norwegian playwright and theater director Henrik Ibsen highlights the power of visual storytelling.

And he was right - words carry a lot of power, but multimedia adds color to a story where words cannot.

In today's increasingly visual world, adding photos, videos, infographics and more to your press releases help you tell more powerful stories - across both public relations and investor relations.

In this blog, we'll specifically look at press releases – a cornerstone of any communications strategy - and outline the top reasons why multimedia should be included in your approach.

6 Reasons Why You Should Include Multimedia in Press Releases

You can create a far more comprehensive and engaging press release and increase your chances of getting coverage by including embedded (and downloadable) images, videos, audio clips, graphics and other media.

Having these compelling storytelling assets, that are easily accessible, makes your story more appealing to journalists.

Let’s explore the top reasons why multimedia should be an integral part of your communications strategy - especially within press releases.

1. Multimedia Makes Stories More Memorable

Imagine a press release announcing a new product launch. If the release only contains text describing the features and benefits of the product, it might convey the information effectively but may not leave a strong impression on journalists or readers.

Now, think about the same press release with accompanying visuals, such as high-quality images or videos showcasing the product, its unique features and how it addresses consumer needs. These assets not only make the press release more visually appealing but also provide journalists with assets they can use in their stories.

Remember: Journalists often receive numerous press releases daily, and often those with compelling visuals stand out from the sea of text-only announcements.

2. Multimedia Makes Information Accessible for Everyone

Approximately 16% of the world's population deals with some form of disability, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Here are just a few reasons why multimedia can help improve accessibility:

• For Those Who Can't See Well: Adding audio clips, including those describing pictures and videos with words, helps people with visual impairments understand the content when their devices read it out loud.
  
  
• For Those with Learning Challenges: Simple videos or images help people with cognitive disabilities understand information better, compared to long paragraphs.
  
  
• A Focus on Inclusion: Making press releases accessible through multimedia shows a commitment to fairness and ensures that a wider audience, including those with disabilities, can understand and engage with the content.

3. Multimedia Enhances Social Media Engagement

Today, everyone lives on social media platforms where information spreads faster than ever before.

Visuals, such as images and videos, are more likely to be shared and interacted with compared to plain text.

Algorithms on platforms like LinkedIn, X (Twitter) and Instagram favor posts with multimedia elements, giving them higher visibility in users' feeds.

4. Multimedia Helps Improve SEO

Multimedia is more likely to help your content rank higher in search engine results, improving the online visibility of your brand or client.

Specifically, Google prefers content that includes video. When you use multimedia, it boosts the chances of your content being easily found by others.

5. Multimedia Transcends Language Barriers

When you use visuals in your message, more people around the world can understand it - no matter which language they speak.

In press releases, using multimedia is like adding a universal language that everyone can understand. It makes your message clear and reaches people from different places, helping your news travel far and wide.

6. Data Visualizations Can Make Numbers Easier to Understand

Using visuals can make numbers and information easier to understand and more interesting. This is important because it helps people grasp complex data and statistics.

For Example: If a company has important numbers to share, such as in an earnings release, instead of just listing them, they can create an infographic or simple video paired with the words that explains the information. It makes the important content clearer and more understandable.

How Can Media Snippets Improve Your Storytelling?

Now that we’ve covered some of the top reasons, how can you easily and effectively integrate multimedia elements into your press releases?

Notified's Media Snippets provide the perfect solution!

Media Snippets are embeddable modules that can be seamlessly integrated into your press releases, blogs and web content. They allow you to create an immersive, information-rich experience through images, infographics, PDFs, video, audio and more.

The key benefits of Media Snippets include:

• Responsiveness: Innovative HTML technology displays multimedia content optimized for any device: desktop, mobile or tablet.
  
  
• Integration: Snippets integrate seamlessly into content published directly through platforms like GlobeNewswire and IR websites.
  
  
• Measurability: Detailed analytics show exactly how audiences engage with your Media Snippet.
  
  
• Reusability: Every Snippet has a unique, standalone link to embed across websites, social media, etc.
  
  
• Shareability: Built-in social sharing buttons expand reach and provide deeper data on what resonates.

For press releases, Media Snippets enable you to move beyond plain text to tell your story in a compelling, visually engaging way.

We hope this article makes it clear why adding multimedia to your press release strategy is a smart choice. It’s time to go beyond text-only releases and start using multimedia to tell your story in a more compelling way!

Share Your Stories Using GlobeNewswire by Notified

Ready to learn more about how Notified can help with press release distribution?

With press releases distributed by GlobeNewswire reaching 158 countries in 35 languages, you can target your news to relevant journalists, media outlets and consumers based on geography, industry and media type using over 1,000 newslines!

If you're looking to boost visibility and engage your target audience, contact us today for more information!