⚠️ Important: Content Restrictions Across All Distributors
Before submitting a press release, users must review and comply with the applicable content guidelines for distribution channels.
All distribution partners share common baseline content restrictions; however, individual outlets may apply additional editorial standards specific to their publication. Search Atlas cannot override individual outlet editorial decisions, and outlet-level rejections do not qualify for refunds.
Submissions rejected by individual outlet editors after distribution has begun do not qualify for refunds. Refund eligibility is limited to full platform-level rejections that occur before any distribution takes place.
📋 Summary
These guidelines are mandatory for all submissions and are designed to ensure editorial quality, SEO value, brand safety, legal compliance, and maximum syndication compatibility across distribution channels.
Prohibited Content & Restrictions
- Advertorial content or promotional hype
- Misleading or exaggerated promotional claims
- Medical claims (including supplements, COVID cures, etc.)
- Sexual, adult, or dating content
- Illicit drug promotion (including Cannabis, ketamine, psychedelics, etc.)
- MLMs, scams, or celebrity impersonations
- Weapons, gambling, politics, religion, or legal accusations
- Digital currency promotions (NFTs, play-to-earn, metaverse real estate, etc.)
- Profanity or slang (e.g., "kick ass", "WTF", etc.)
- Content that does not follow a traditional press release format and tone
❌ What Happens If an Outlet Rejects My Press Release?
Platform-level approval does not guarantee acceptance by every individual outlet editor. Each distribution partner operates independently with its own editorial team and publication standards.
If one or more outlets reject your press release after distribution has begun:
- Failed outlet slots cannot be forced or retried from the platform side. Individual outlet editors make independent editorial decisions based on their publication's standards and audience.
- You will not be charged for rejected outlet slots. You are only charged for outlets that successfully distributed your press release.
- Partial distribution rejections do not qualify for refunds. Refunds are issued only for full platform-level rejections that occur before any distribution takes place.
- You cannot republish the same content to failed outlets. Each outlet has its own editorial queue, and resubmission does not override an editor's rejection decision.
If you believe an outlet rejection was in error or if you have questions about a specific rejection, please contact our support team with the outlet name and your submission details.
📚 Helpful Definitions
What Is a Press Release?
A press release is an official, written statement issued to media outlets and the public to announce something newsworthy. It is typically used by organizations, businesses, or individuals to share updates such as product launches, company milestones, partnerships, events, or other significant developments. Press releases are written in a standardized format and are intended to attract media attention, generate publicity, and provide journalists with the key information needed to develop a story.
What makes up a Traditional Press Release?
- Clear Header and Dateline
- Proper Company Identification
- Contact Information
- Inclusion of a Boilerplate Section
- Limit the Superlative Language
- Structured in a Natural Third-Person Tone
What Is an Advertorial Content Post?
An advertorial content post is a paid, promotional article designed to resemble editorial content in tone and style, while subtly promoting a product, service, brand, or message. Unlike traditional advertisements, advertorials provide valuable or informative content that aligns with the interests of the target audience, often blending storytelling, insights, or tips with marketing objectives. The goal is to engage readers while building brand awareness or driving specific actions—all while maintaining transparency about its sponsored nature.
What makes an Advertorial Content post?
- Promotional Tone
- Product-Centric Messaging
- Customer Testimonial-Style Anecdotes
- Call-to-Action or Sales Framing not related to information
- Missing Press Release Conventions (see below for further defined detail)
- Unattributed Author ("Joes Crab Shack")
🔒 Step-by-Step Instructions
🛡️ Step 1: Prohibited Content & Restrictions
Any content violating these terms will be rejected or removed without notice.
• Advertorials, MLMs, scams, or celebrity impersonations
• Medical claims (including supplements, COVID cures, etc.)
• Sexual, adult, or dating content
• Illicit drug promotion (incl. Cannabis, ketamine, psychedelics, etc.)
• Weapons, gambling, politics, religion, or legal accusations
• Digital currency promotions (NFTs, play-to-earn, metaverse real estate, etc.)
• Profanity or slang (e.g., "kick ass", "WTF", etc.)
Linking & Technical Requirements
• No broken or misleading links
• No station logos or network names (e.g., ABC, NBC)
• Tracking pixels must comply with PII & GDPR
• All images/videos must be legally cleared
⚙️ Step 2: Structure
• Document Title: Descriptive and versioned (e.g., Acme_ProductLaunch_PR_FINAL.docx)
• File Formats: .docx, html, or .txt
• Encoding: UTF-8
• Language & Style: U.S. English, AP Style
• Word Count: 400–600 words
• Spacing: Single-spaced, with breaks between paragraphs
• Alignment: Left-aligned
• Ending Marker: ### or – 30 –
Headline Requirements
• Each press release headline must be unique across the platform
• If you receive a "Headline Already Taken" error after confirming your title is original, please contact support — this may indicate a platform validation issue that requires engineering review
• Note: A bug causing valid headlines to be incorrectly flagged as duplicates was resolved. If you previously encountered this error, please retry your submission. Contact support if the issue persists.
🧩 Step 3: Core Components
Logo
• Format: PNG/JPEG, 72–300 DPI
• Placement: Top-left or center
Media & Image Requirements
• Supported Formats: JPG and PNG only. WEBP files are not supported by distribution partners and will cause distribution failure.
• File Format Verification: Before uploading, verify that your image files are in JPG or PNG format. Some image editors may automatically convert files to WEBP during export — ensure you explicitly save in JPG or PNG format.
• If you encounter a "WEBP not supported" or similar file format error during distribution despite using a compliant JPG or PNG file, please contact support — this may indicate a platform conversion issue.
• All images/videos must be legally cleared and have proper usage rights
• Resolution: 72–300 DPI
Headline (Recommended)
• ≤ 70 characters
• Title case
• One main keyword
• Avoid hype or jargon
Example: Acme Corp Unveils AI-Powered Thermostat to Cut Energy Bills
Sub headline/Summary (Optional)
• ≤ 120 characters
• Sentence case (no period)
Example: New platform improves delivery efficiency by up to 30%
Dateline (Required)
• Format: CITY, State – Month Day, Year –
• Start lead paragraph: CITY, STATE, Month Day, Year
Lead Paragraph
• Covers Who, What, When, Where, Why
• 1–2 direct sentences
• Third-person, factual tone
Body Paragraphs
• Follow the inverted pyramid structure
• Max 2–4 sentences per paragraph
• Include: context, quote, proof point, and call to action (optional)
• Attribute all quotes and claims
Example: "We're excited to bring this to market," said Jane Doe, CTO of Acme
Corp. Boilerplate
A brief about the company (no marketing fluff)
Example: About Acme Corp - Founded in 2015, Acme Corp develops smart home devices powered by AI, serving clients across North America.
Call to Action (Optional)
Referrals for additional information are allowed, but we will not allow any call to actions involved for click to buy actions. Example: Visit www.acmecorp.com/demo to learn more.
Contact Block (Optional)
Include at the bottom:
Media Contact
Name
Title
Phone
Website
🔎 Step 4: SEO & Syndication Optimization
• Keywords in headline, subhead, lead, and body
• Up to 3–5 embedded hyperlinks (no bare website URLs in body text)
• Include meta title and meta description for hosted content
• No clickbait, misleading, or hidden keywords (keyword stuffing)
• Avoid redundant or near-duplicate headlines to improve newsworthiness
• Use authoritative, factual language throughout