Press Release vs. Advertorial: What is the Difference?

When it comes to content marketing through media coverage, press releases and advertorials are two of the most popular choices for brands. 

However, the difference between the two is still confusing for some people. If you are one of them, make sure you read this article to the end.    

Press Release 

A press release is an official announcement created by a company to be published by media partners. The aim is to reach the media partner's audience. 

So that they will know about the company and slowly but surely become customers. In short, a press release is a message written by a company.    

This release must contain accurate and concise newsworthy information to be edited and published by media partners. Press releases can be used to promote an event, the launch of a new product or service, or to inform audiences about CSR activities the company has undertaken.  

A press release is a free form of content marketing, so you do not have to pay for it. However, there is no guarantee that it will be published. So you need to make sure that the press release is newsworthy and well written. 

Then you need to make sure you send it to the right media partner. The right media partner is one that has a large audience that matches your target customers.  

Press releases are factual, so they are written without flowery language. Instead, they are usually one page and consist of the answers to the 5Ws (who, what, where, when, and why) in the first paragraph. 

Advertorial 

Advertorial is a combination of "editorial" and "advertising", so it is a paid advertisement written in a journalistic style. 

Advertorials contain opinions and are written by a company. It can be written by their PR staff or a freelance copywriter.  

This marketing tool is used to promote new products or services. So an advertorial expresses the writer's opinion about the product or service in order to subtly influence the audience to make a purchase.     

Some audiences tend to skip over hard sell advertisements and prefer to read the article in the publication. Therefore, you need to turn your ad into an interesting story in the advertorial. This is an effective way to persuade them to buy your product or service.

Press Release vs. Advertorial 

Although press releases and advertorials are written by a company, there are some differences between the two: 

1. The Aim 

Press releases aim to provide objective information and official statements. Press releases are used to create brand awareness and brand image. 

On the other hand, an advertorial aims to attract people through the company's opinion about its product or service, so it is subjective. It is therefore used to subtly persuade the audience to make a purchase. 

2. The Cost 

Press releases are free, so there is no guarantee of publication. Unlike an advertorial, which is a paid advertisement, it has a guarantee of publication based on the agreed terms and conditions. 

3. The Writing 

As a free tool, a press release needs to be well written to increase its chances of being published by the media partner. On the other hand, an advertorial can be written in a more subjective and informal way, but it will certainly be published by the paid media partner. 

4. The Control 

The company that wrote the press release has no control over how it is published. On the other hand, the company that wrote an advertorial has full control over how and when it is published. It can even be promoted on the publisher's website or social media. 

Now that you know the difference between a press release and an advertorial, which is right for you?