Say the words ‘PR’ and press releases and text come to mind, however, images are also a vital part of the public relations toolkit and should not be underestimated.

When looking through any newspaper or magazine or on any website it is the pictures that catch your interest and attention and draw you in to read the accompanying story.  Good stories can be overlooked by Editors and readers in the absence of a good quality image, while good photos can move a mediocre story from the back pages to a more prominent position nearer the front.

Editors are always looking for images, and would rather not pay for stock shots, and so quality is crucial if it is to be used.  Jpegs that are sent to journalists that are too small or low-resolution do not cut the mustard and can cause frustration and make for a difficult working relationship.  Similarly, enormous files that clog up email systems and take ages to download are almost as bad.

Are you starting to get the picture? Images can be a powerful publicity tool – but only if supplied and used in the right way.