You've got something exciting to announce—maybe a product launch, a new partnership, or a major milestone. Your team is pumped, your content is polished, and now you're staring at the calendar wondering: When’s the perfect moment to drop this bombshell?

Great question. Timing your press release is everything. It’s the difference between getting top billing and getting ghosted by journalists. Think of it like trying to throw a surprise party—if everyone’s out of town, all your effort is for nothing. In this post, we’re digging into the art and strategy of timing your press release for maximum attention and results.

Why Timing Matters More Than You Think

It’s tempting to think that good news will speak for itself. But here’s the harsh reality: even the juiciest announcements can flop if they’re released at the wrong time. Editors and reporters are bombarded with pitches daily, and if your release hits their inbox at a bad moment, it might never see the light of day.

Worse? You could get buried under bigger news—hello, surprise celebrity divorce or tech giant earnings reports. Understanding when to send your press release can help you beat the noise and get in front of the right people.

Best Days of the Week for Press Releases

Let’s start with the basics—day of the week. You’d think Monday would be ideal, right? Everyone’s back in the office, checking emails... except they’re also swamped, catching up on a weekend's worth of messages. Friday? People are mentally checked out, dreaming of their couch or that happy hour mojito.

Sweet spot? Tuesday through Thursday.

• Tuesday tends to be the most favorable. Journalists are settled into the week and more receptive.
• Wednesday is also solid—newsrooms are fully staffed, and readers are actively engaging with content.
• Thursday can work too, especially for events happening the next week. But steer clear of late Thursday afternoon.

Avoid:

• Mondays, unless your news is urgent or ties into something launching that day.
• Fridays, because no one wants to work harder than they have to before the weekend.
• Weekends, unless you’re announcing a viral pop-up or breaking news—most reporters are offline.

The Ideal Time of Day to Hit “Send”

Okay, now that you’ve nailed the day, let’s talk clock time. You want to give editors time to read your release and potentially act on it the same day. That means...

The golden window? 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM in the recipient’s time zone.

That’s the sweet spot where inboxes are open, coffee’s kicking in, and journalists are scanning for stories to assign. Early enough to make it into their editorial meetings, late enough that your email isn’t buried under a morning pile-up.

Afternoon drops aren’t totally off the table, especially for industries that thrive on late-day news (like finance or entertainment). But early morning is your safest bet for visibility.