Making Your Earnings Release Stand Out

 


Every quarter, thousands of companies issue earnings statements, but only a fraction earn real media coverage. If your financial press release isn’t optimized for both journalists and search algorithms, your story could disappear in the noise. Learn how the timing, formatting and distribution of your earnings statement can affect your visibility, and get tips on optimizing your release for human readers and algorithms.

1. Timing: When Do Companies Release Earnings?

Companies typically release earnings statements before markets open or after they close.

  • Pre-market drops (4-9 a.m.) let journalists report your earnings during the morning news cycle, with market reaction throughout the day. Since there's little time to share the results, an early release may work best for standard announcements that don't require extensive analysis. 
  • Post-market drops (4-7 p.m.) delay coverage but provide time for overnight analysis and next-day feature stories, which can be ideal for technical or complex business operations. You might also choose an evening release to coordinate with offices across international time zones or enable global market reaction.  

The best time for your company to release earnings depends on your needs. Consider market hours and when your target audience (journalists, analysts and investors) needs the information. You may also align the release with your working hours and executive availability.

2. Structure and Order: Hook Readers and Algorithms Early

Human readers and artificial intelligence (AI) tools will analyze your earnings report. Lead with the most important highlights before exploring the commentary to emphasize newsworthy data. 

For example, present key results, such as revenue, earnings per share and year-over-year growth, in a skimmable bulleted list at the top of your release. Once you've provided clear takeaways, shift into a detailed analysis for readers who want more context.

Another important element you should incorporate into your earnings report is multimedia (i.e., infographics, images, videos). Adding these elements to earnings reports boosts engagement, simplifies complex data (like charts/infographics), increases media pickup, enhances SEO, improves memory retention and builds trust by making financial news more accessible, memorable and visually compelling for investors, analysts and the public across digital channels

Format the rest of the release so readers and search crawlers can scan and find information with ease: 

  • Organize information into sections.
  • Use clear and concise headers.
  • Use bulleted lists and short paragraphs.
  • Highlight notable points with bold formatting.

3. Optimization for AI and Search Visibility

AI-driven search has changed how your stakeholders find and understand information. For example, Google and Bing use generative AI to create overviews at the top of search results pages. Similarly, tools such as ChatGPT scan and condense information in response to user queries.

Follow these tips to optimize your reporting so AI tools can readily understand and process your information: 

  • Structured data: Use search-engine-friendly formats, such as schema markup, to label key information in your content and improve discoverability. 
  • Natural language: Write in a simple, concise and conversational style to help AI tools identify patterns and context to infer meaning.
  • Linking: Consider adding links to recent relevant information, such as previous earnings reports, since search engine crawlers follow links to compare and gather information.
  • Optimized titles: Use standardized titles for your releases to clearly indicate what information is covered, such as "Q4 2025 Earnings Results" or "2025 Year-End Earnings Summary."
  • Standardized identifiers: Ensure your earnings release is matched to your company by using consistent ticker symbols, exchange names and other company identifiers.
  • Alt-text: Add alt text to describe the context of graphics and charts so search engines can crawl images.

4. Targeting and Distribution Strategy

Maximize your reach by using multiple channels and tailoring content to each audience segment. 

  • Journalists incorporate key performance results and quotes into their reporting. Deliver your earnings release through your media lists and news wires specifically targeting financial reporters and influencers.
  • Analysts look for context and trends. Reach them through direct emails, investor wires and investor portals. Provide supporting materials and access to historical information, such as previous earnings reports.
  • Shareholders prefer concise highlights. Integrate key data, engaging visuals and relevant hashtags in social media posts to increase visibility for your earnings and drive traffic to your website. 

Consider using syndication partners to connect with news outlets and aggregators and distribute your earnings announcement widely. Readers view reputable services as credible and trusted news sources, which can enhance your company's visibility. They also publish your content using standardized formats to improve search engine discoverability.

5. Crafting Compelling CTAs and Follow-Up Links

Build on the initial interest in your earnings release by encouraging readers to engage with your brand.

  • Add relevant calls-to-action (CTA) at the end of the release or in your social posts, inviting readers to "Learn More" or "Read the Full Report." Direct readers to relevant publications or your company's investor relations page.
  • For social posts, use the Open Graph protocol, which is code on the page section that lets you control how your content looks when shared on social media. The title, description and image can influence whether someone clicks through.
  • Utilize SocialBoost to provide social post copy that adheres to your brand's message and makes it easier for your audience to share your content.

Monitor how your audience interacts with your content. Trackable links can tell you which CTAs are most popular so you can refine anchor text, phrasing and link placement in future releases.

Common Mistakes to Avoid when Creating Earnings Releases

Maximize the impact of your earnings announcement by focusing on timing, readability and engagement. 

  • Avoid releasing your news when readers expect major announcements, such as those from the federal government or large corporations.
  • Don't use jargon or technical terms that may make your information difficult to understand.
  • Optimize titles and add links to provide context. Readers should understand the information and how it connects to your company.
  • When sharing material news in an earnings release, you should explain why the reader should care about this information and why it’s important to your business.

Highlight Your Company's Performance 

You write impactful earnings releases for humans and algorithms. To gain visibility and exposure for your brand, present your performance results clearly and concisely, and use different distribution channels to reach key audiences. Check out PR Newswire's Financial Earnings Press Releases Guide for tips, best practices and examples of real-world financial press releases to get you started.