If you’ve ever tried to get your cybersecurity news picked up by media outlets, you’ll know just how much of a challenge (and how disheartening) it can be. You pour hours into what you think is an excellent announcement about your new security tool, threat research, or vulnerability discovery, only to watch it disappear into journalists’ overflowing inboxes without a trace.
The cyber PR space is brutally competitive. Reporters at top publications receive tens, if not hundreds, of pitches each day, and they have no choice but to be highly selective about which releases they choose to cover and which to discard. Your challenge then isn’t just creating a good press release, it’s making one that grabs attention and stands out in an industry drowning in technical jargon and “revolutionary” solutions.
Why most cybersecurity press releases fall flat
Let’s first look at some of the main reasons why many cyber press releases fail:
- They’re too complex from the start, losing non-technical reporters
- They bury the actual news under corporate marketing speak.
- They focus on product features rather than the real-world impact or problems they solve.
- They lack credible data or specific research findings that journalists can cite as support.
Most of these problems have one main theme: Journalists aren’t interested in promoting your product or your business. They are looking after their interests and seeking newsworthy stories their audiences care about. Keep this in mind and make their job easier by showing them exactly why your announcement matters.
Learning how to write a cybersecurity press release
What does a well-written press release look like? Alongside the reasons listed above, many companies make the mistake of submitting poorly formatted releases that journalists will be unlikely to spend time reading.
It’s worth learning how to write a cybersecurity press release properly, including the preferred structure (headline, subheader, opening paragraph, boilerplate, etc). And, be sure to review some examples of high-quality press releases as well.
AI strategies that transform your press release process
Let’s examine how AI tools can significantly enhance your cyber PR at every stage.
1. Research Enhancement
Use AI tools to track media coverage patterns and identify emerging trends in cybersecurity news. You can analyse which types of security stories gain traction, and this can help you position your announcement in that context.
Another idea is to use LLMs (like Google’s Gemini or OpenAI’s ChatGPT) to analyse hundreds of successful cybersecurity press releases in a niche similar to yours. Ask it to identify common elements in those that generated significant coverage, and then use these same features in your cyber PR efforts.
To take this a step further, AI-powered sentiment analysis can help you understand how different audience segments receive specific cybersecurity topics. The intelligence can help you tailor your messaging to address current concerns and capitalise on positive industry momentum.
2. Writing assistance
If you struggle to convey complex ideas and terminology in more accessible language, consider asking the LLM to help simplify your messaging. This can help transform technical specifications into clear, accessible language that non-technical journalists can understand.
Since the headline is the most important part of your release, use an LLM to generate a handful of options based on your core announcement, then select the best one based on clarity and impact. Once your press release is complete, run it through an LLM to identify and replace jargon that might be second nature to your security team but may be confusing to general tech reporters.
3. Visual storytelling
If you are struggling to find ways to explain your product or service in accessible language, visuals can help. AI image generation tools, like Midjourney, create custom visuals based on prompts that help illustrate your message. The latest models can handle highly complex tasks.
With a bit of prompt engineering (and by incorporating the press release you want help with), you should be able to create accompanying images and infographics that bring your message to life.
4. Video content
Going one step further than a static image, a brief AI-generated explainer video can sit alongside your press release, providing journalists with ready-to-use content that explains complex security concepts. Some ideas include:
- Short Explainer Videos: Use text-to-video tools to turn essential sections of your press release into a brief (60 seconds or less) animated or stock-footage-based video. You can usually use narration and text overlays directly on the AI platforms as well.
- AI Avatar Summaries: Several tools now enable you to create a brief video featuring an AI avatar that presents the core message of the press release. A human-looking avatar reads out the content and delivers an audio and video component for your release.
- Data Visualisation Videos: Use AI tools to animate key statistics or processes described in the release for enhanced clarity.
Final word
Even as you use the AI tools you have at your disposal, remember that the most effective cybersecurity press releases still require that all-important human insight and expertise. Your goal isn’t to automate the entire process. Instead, use AI to enhance your cyber PR efforts and make your releases stand out from the crowd.
AI should help emphasise, not replace, the human elements that make security stories so engaging and compelling. Be sure to shine a spotlight on the researchers who made the discovery, the real-world implications of any threat vulnerabilities you uncover, and the people security measures ultimately protect.
Combine this human-focused storytelling with the power of AI automation, and you’ll ensure that your press releases and cyber PR campaigns get the maximum mileage.
