Video News Releases: What, Why, and How?

What's a video news release? Should you do one? If so, how?

Press releases don’t have to be text only.

Video news releases (VNRs) are segments of video designed to look like news reports and sent to media. Typically, marketing, media relations, and advertising firms create VNRs—yet sometimes the government and larger corporations give them a go as well.

The idea? To give the media ready-made content for broadcasting that puts your company, product, or line of thought in a positive light.

Visuals are Essential

If you don’t have a highly visual element to your story, a VNR will fall flat. And we don’t mean just photos and graphics—traditional news releases benefit from static visuals. With VNRs, visuals in motion are critical.

Successful VNRs show behind-the-scenes processes, events in progress, and products in action. Interviews with executives and customers can work for VNRs—but only as one element. Clips that have executives talking at a camera for the full duration won’t run.

How Long is a VNR?

Most video news releases last one or two minutes. The most valuable VNRs to news media don’t require any editing, allowing the program to air a segment with minimal effort. As media have gotten leaner in recent years (and will likely only get leaner still), the less work you give them, the better off your story will be.

Is VNR Right for Me?

Even if you have visuals, VNRs are better for some companies than others.

Companies that market to the general public will likely see a better return on a VNR investment. Although certain niche programs cater to highly specific audiences, the VNRs that get the broadest traction fit larger audiences.