A good release needs the right spokesperson

Choosing the right spokesperson for a media release can make it more likely to be published or even featured.

Most media releases include direct quotes from somebody within the company that's making the announcement. Who is chosen to be this spokesperson is an important decision.

Editors will prefer someone who has a high profile within the company - such as a CEO or managing director - but only if they have a thorough understanding of the announcement being made and are available for comment.

If an editor is interested in the release content and intends to feature the story, they will want to get in contact with the spokesperson for more information. And there's nothing worse for a journalist on deadline than a spokesperson who has gone interstate just as the release is issued or is constantly in meetings and unavailable for comment.

In such cases, it's better to choose someone like the product manager as the spokesperson.

At the end of the day, a good spokesperson needs to be: familiar with the details of the announcement being made; available for comment around the time the release is issued; and comfortable answering questions from journalists and editors.