For many businesses, hitting “submit” on a press release is the finish line. The content has been drafted, proofed, approved, and distributed — the hard part is done, right? Not quite.

The truth is that submitting your press release is only the beginning. What you do in the hours and days after your press release goes out can distinguish between being noticed by the media or disappearing into the noise. Every company should take these five essential steps after distribution to maximize its chances of getting coverage and building relationships.

1. Make Yourself Available
One of the most common mistakes PR folks make is not being reachable.

Journalists often work on tight deadlines and need quick access to the right source. If they can’t reach you within a few hours, they’ll move on to another story — or worse, another company. Always double-check that your release includes a direct email address and a phone number monitored during business hours. Avoid generic emails like “info@” or voicemail black holes that no one checks until days later. If you have a designated spokesperson, ensure they’re briefed and ready to respond with accurate information and prepared talking points. In short: don’t just distribute your story, be ready to discuss it.

2. Monitor Media Mentions and Social Channels
Once your release is live, watch news outlets, blogs, and social media platforms. Journalists may publish your announcement as-is, but in many cases, they’ll add their own context or commentary. Awareness of how your release is being shared allows you to amplify the coverage and engage with readers. Set up Google Alerts for your brand name and relevant keywords, and track hashtags if you’ve included them in your distribution. When appropriate, thank reporters for covering your story, and share links through your social media accounts. This strategy not only increases reach but also builds goodwill with the media.

3. Prepare for Follow-up Questions
A well-received press release opens doors — but they also raise questions. Journalists may want data to back up a claim, a quote from your leadership team, or more details on your product or service. Have supporting materials, such as high-resolution images, background documents, or case studies. This level of preparedness shows professionalism and makes it easy for a journalist to include your story. The more effort you save them, the more likely they will feature your news prominently.

4. Leverage Your Own Channels
Distribution through a newswire gets your press release into the right places, but don’t stop there.

Amplify your announcement across your owned channels. Post the release on your company’s newsroom or blog, share it on LinkedIn, tweet highlights, or feature it in your customer newsletter.

Owned media builds momentum and can even spark earned media if influencers or journalists notice your post. Think of your press release as fuel for your broader marketing and PR engine — the more you put it to work, the more visibility you’ll gain.

5. Measure and Learn from the Results
A press release isn’t just a one-off announcement — it’s a learning opportunity. Take time to review the analytics. At 24-7PressRelease, you can see how many headline impressions your press release has made, how many actual views of your story within our network your press release received, and where in the world people have viewed your press release, to name a few. Combine this data with insights from your web traffic, social media engagement, and customer inquiries. Over time, you’ll see patterns telling you what headlines, angles, or timing work best for your audience. This kind of measurement turns press release distribution from a shot in the dark into a strategic, repeatable process.

The Bottom Line
Submitting a press release is just one part of the equation. The real value comes from what you do immediately afterward — being available, monitoring coverage, preparing for inquiries, amplifying through your own channels, and analyzing the results. By treating distribution as the starting point rather than the end point, you’ll increase the chances of media pickup and strengthen your long-term visibility and reputation. The worst mistake we see at 24-7PressRelease is when a PR individual includes the minimum contact information (sometimes not even a phone number), almost like they don’t want to be contacted, defeating the purpose of using a press release to spread your news.