What Is a Press Kit?
A press kit is a set of approved materials an organisation prepares for journalists, usually around an announcement, a launch, an event or a person. Its purpose is practical: to give a reporter the verified names, titles, figures, images and contacts they need in one place. Merriam-Webster's definition, “a collection of promotional materials for distribution to the press” (Merriam-Webster), describes the sender's intent. The journalist's use is narrower: a press kit is a source of checkable facts and usable assets, not an argument.
In earned-media terms, it supports the “earned” part of communications, which the PESO model separates from paid, shared and owned media. The kit itself is owned material; the coverage it supports is earned, and editorial decisions stay with the publication.
Where the Term Comes From
In its print-era form, as the term is commonly used, a press kit was a physical folder of documents and photographs mailed or handed to reporters. Merriam-Webster records its first known use in 1968 (Merriam-Webster). The physical folder has largely given way to web pages and download links, but the name, and the idea of one package with everything a reporter needs, has stayed. In film and music the same idea is often called an electronic press kit, or EPK, which typically adds video and audio.
What a Press Kit Contains
A press kit usually contains the current release, a fact sheet, leadership bios, images and a media contact. No authority mandates a list, but wire services' own guidance shows what journalists are expected to need: GlobeNewswire says a release should typically include “a clear headline, a dateline, media contact information, a concise summary, supporting details, and relevant quotes” (GlobeNewswire FAQ).
| Component | What it is for | Practical standard |
|---|---|---|
| Press release | The news itself, in citable form | Dated, attributed, factual; see how to write a press release |
| Fact sheet and boilerplate | Founding year, location, leadership, scale figures, website | Identical to the boilerplate on every release |
| Leadership bios and headshots | Correct names, titles and credentials for spokespeople | Third person, verified; see how to write an executive bio |
| Logos and images | Usable visuals for the story | High resolution, captioned, credited, with usage terms |
| Media contact | A person who answers on deadline | Name, phone and email; EIN Presswire requires all three on releases (EIN Presswire editorial guidelines) |
| Optional: backgrounder, data, video, coverage links | Depth for longer stories | Only what supports the story; sources for any data |
What a Press Kit Is Not
A press kit is not an advertisement, a sales brochure or a gift box. EIN Presswire's guidelines draw the line for releases: “If your press release is primarily aimed at selling a product or service, then it is an advertisement and not a press release” (EIN Presswire editorial guidelines). The same test applies to the rest of a kit.
- Not a guarantee of coverage. GlobeNewswire notes that “editorial decisions always remain with individual publications” (GlobeNewswire FAQ).
- Not a vehicle for gifts. The SPJ Code of Ethics tells journalists to “Refuse presents, favors, fees, free travel or special treatment aimed at unduly influencing coverage” (SPJ Code of Ethics). Product samples needed to review a product are a different matter from gifts, and many outlets set their own rules.
- Not a link-building tool. Google's spam policies list “Sending someone a product in exchange for them writing about it and including a link” as an example of link spam (Google spam policies).
- Not an advertising media kit. Publishers often use “media kit” for the pack they give prospective advertisers, with audience data and ad rates. That is a different document; see the comparison below.
Press Kit vs Related Terms
A press kit is a package for one purpose or moment; an online newsroom is the permanent home for all of it; a press release is one item inside the kit. “Media kit” is ambiguous: some organisations use it as a synonym for press kit, while publishers use it for advertiser materials.
| Term | What it is | Audience | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press kit | Package of approved materials for media | Journalists, producers, event organisers | Per announcement, or kept current |
| Online newsroom | Website section holding all releases, contacts and assets | Journalists, investors, public | Permanent; see how to create an online newsroom |
| Press release | A single dated statement of news | Journalists, public, investors | One announcement |
| Media kit (PR sense) | Same as a press kit | Media | As press kit |
| Media kit (advertising sense) | A publisher's pack for advertisers: audience, formats, rates | Advertisers and agencies | Updated by the publisher |
| Electronic press kit (EPK) | A digital press kit, typically with video and audio | Music, film and event media | Per release or tour |
How Journalists and Search Engines Use Press Kit Materials
Journalists use a press kit to confirm facts and obtain usable images; search engines index the parts published as web pages and images. According to Cision's own vendor survey data, its 2025 State of the Media Report, a survey of more than 3,000 journalists in 19 markets, found that 72% of journalists “still cite press releases as the most useful resource PR teams can offer” (Cision press release, May 7, 2025); our report on whether press releases still get read covers the wider data.
Percent of surveyed journalists (more than 3,000 in 19 markets), Cision 2025 State of the Media Report, vendor survey
Source: Cision press release, May 7, 2025; PR Newswire UK, 3 Important Takeaways from the 2025 State of the Media Report.
Cision owns PR Newswire, and the full report is gated, so these are the vendor's own summaries. PR Newswire UK also says “a majority” of journalists used one or more images provided by PR pros in their stories, but publishes no figure, so it is not plotted.
For images, Google recommends short, descriptive filenames and informative alt text, and says it uses alt text with computer vision and page content “to understand the subject matter of the image” (Google image SEO best practices). Google also supports licence metadata (creator, credit text, copyright notice, licence page) through structured data or embedded IPTC fields, which “can make the image eligible for the Licensable badge” in Google Images (Google, Image metadata in Google Images). For the organisation itself, Google says Organization markup on your home page “can help Google better understand your organization's administrative details” and can influence which logo is shown (Google, Organization structured data). None of this guarantees a particular display in search or an AI answer.
How to Put Together a Press Kit
Assemble the kit from approved, current materials, publish it as a web page with downloads, and keep one person responsible for updating it. A short checklist:
- Write or update the release for the announcement.
- Update the fact sheet and boilerplate so they match the release word for word.
- Collect current bios and headshots for every spokesperson.
- Export logos (vector and high-resolution raster) and select images you have the rights to distribute; add captions, credits and usage terms.
- Add a named media contact with phone and email.
- Publish it on a page in your newsroom, without a login or form, and link it from the release.
- Send the link, not large attachments, in pitches to journalists on your media list.
Common Misconceptions
| Myth | What the source actually says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A press kit is a sales brochure | Content “primarily aimed at selling a product or service” is “an advertisement and not a press release” | EIN Presswire guidelines |
| A good kit guarantees coverage | “editorial decisions always remain with individual publications” | GlobeNewswire FAQ |
| Gifts help the kit get noticed | Journalists should “Refuse presents, favors, fees, free travel or special treatment aimed at unduly influencing coverage” | SPJ Code of Ethics |
| Sending products for a linked review builds SEO | “Sending someone a product in exchange for them writing about it and including a link” is listed as link spam | Google spam policies |
| Press kit and media kit always mean the same thing | In PR they often do; publishers also use “media kit” for advertiser rate and audience packs | Common usage (see methodology) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What should be in a press kit?
Usually the current press release, a fact sheet and boilerplate, leadership bios and headshots, logos and images with captions, credits and usage terms, and a named media contact with phone and email. Add a backgrounder, data or video only when they support the story.
What is the difference between a press kit and a media kit?
In public relations the terms are often used interchangeably. Publishers also use “media kit” for the pack they give advertisers, with audience figures, ad formats and rates, which is a different document. Ask which one is meant.
Is a press kit still a physical folder?
Rarely. Most press kits are now web pages or download folders, often inside an online newsroom. A link in a pitch is usually better than large attachments.
What is an electronic press kit (EPK)?
An EPK is a digital press kit, common in music, film and events, that typically includes video, audio, photos, bios and contact details alongside written materials.
Should a press kit include product samples or gifts?
Samples needed to review a product are different from gifts. The SPJ Code of Ethics tells journalists to refuse presents aimed at unduly influencing coverage, and Google lists sending a product in exchange for a linked write-up as link spam.
Where should a press kit be hosted?
On a public page of your own website, ideally in your online newsroom, with no login or form. That keeps the materials current, linkable and under your control.
How often should a press kit be updated?
For every major announcement, and whenever leadership, figures, logos or contacts change. Out-of-date kits are a common source of errors in coverage.
Does a press kit help with search or AI visibility?
Indirectly at most. Published pages and images can be indexed, and image licence metadata can make images eligible for Google's Licensable badge, but nothing guarantees rankings or AI citations.
Sources and Methodology
No professional body defines a press kit, so this explainer uses the dictionary definition (Merriam-Webster, read via an Internet Archive copy of September 1, 2026, because the live site refused automated requests), wire services' own published guidance (GlobeNewswire, EIN Presswire, and a PR Newswire guide citing Cision research), the SPJ Code of Ethics, and Google's documentation. All were read on October 8, 2026. The advertising sense of “media kit” and the description of an electronic press kit (EPK) are given as common usage: Wikipedia's Press kit article notes it, but we could not access a dictionary entry for “media kit” and do not rely on Wikipedia as a source. The print-era history is likewise given as common usage. The component list and the checklist reflect common practice and wire guidance and are our recommendations, not a mandated standard. The 72% figure is Cision's own vendor survey data, quoted from Cision's May 7, 2025 press release (read October 10, 2026); Cision owns PR Newswire, and the underlying report is gated. We did not test press kits with journalists.
- reference Merriam-Webster, press kit. Read October 8, 2026.
- official Society of Professional Journalists, SPJ Code of Ethics. Read October 8, 2026.
- official Google Search Central, Spam policies for Google web search. Read October 8, 2026.
- official Google Search Central, Google image SEO best practices. Read October 8, 2026.
- official Google Search Central, Image metadata in Google Images. Read October 8, 2026.
- official Google Search Central, Organization structured data. Read October 8, 2026.
- vendor GlobeNewswire, PR Distribution Platform FAQ. Read October 8, 2026.
- vendor EIN Presswire, Editorial Guidelines, December 2, 2025. Read October 8, 2026.
- vendor PR Newswire, Four Easy Steps to Write a Press Release. Read October 8, 2026.
- vendor Cision, Cision's 2025 State of the Media Report Reveals a Tipping Point for Trust, Technology, and PR-Journalist Partnerships, May 7, 2025. Read October 10, 2026.
- vendor PR Newswire UK, 3 Important Takeaways from the 2025 State of the Media Report. Read October 10, 2026.