How to Share Press Coverage the Right Way
Seeing your business featured in the press is an exciting and significant moment. Whether it is a thoughtful interview, a product mention, or a feature that tells your brand’s story in a new way, coverage represents recognition from journalists who have chosen to share your work with their audience.
Naturally, you may want to celebrate and share this coverage with your audience, whether that means showcasing it on social media, adding it to your website, or including it in newsletters. However, it is important to remember that once an article is published, the content belongs to the publication that created it. This means there are a few important rules around how it can be shared.
Understanding these boundaries does not mean you have to stay quiet about your coverage. In fact, there are many ways to highlight it while remaining compliant with licensing laws.
Why Sharing Coverage Needs a Little Care
When a journalist writes about your business, the article itself is protected by copyright. Even if you provided the story, photography, or interview, the finished piece belongs to the publication that produced it.
Sharing screenshots, copying headlines, or reposting sections of an article without permission can breach that copyright.
Without the appropriate licence, copying or republishing articles from newspapers or magazines can be considered copyright infringement. This is why sharing coverage requires a little more thought than simply posting a screenshot of the article online.
The Simplest and Safest Way to Share Coverage
The easiest way to celebrate press coverage is also the one journalists tend to appreciate most: linking directly to the original article.
Sharing a link to the publication’s website respects copyright and drives readers back to the source. It also reinforces the relationship between brands and media outlets, which rely on readership and traffic to continue producing journalism.
A simple social post or story acknowledging the coverage is often more than enough. You might pair this with original photography related to the story, such as product imagery, campaign visuals, or photos from a location featured in the article, alongside a link to the coverage.
Other Ways to Highlight Your Coverage
There are several ways to acknowledge your press coverage without reproducing the article itself.
Many brands create “As featured in” sections on their websites, listing the publications that have written about them. Mentioning the name of the publication, or displaying a logo (with permission), allows you to celebrate the recognition without copying the article content.
Another approach is to write your own reflection on the feature. A short blog post or social caption discussing the story, or the topic of the article keeps the focus on your perspective rather than republishing the journalist’s words.
If a journalist has included a positive comment about your product, service, or experience in their article, it is often possible to reference a short quote or testimonial in your marketing. This is particularly common with product features or travel and hospitality reviews.
However, it’s important that quotes are used accurately, attributed clearly to the publication or journalist, and kept short rather than reproducing large sections of the article. When in doubt, checking with the journalist or publication is always the best step.
When a Licence May Be Required
If you want to go further, such as hosting full articles on your website, sharing screenshots, or including press cuttings in newsletters or presentations, you may need a licence from the relevant agency.
Different licences cover different uses. For example, organisations that wish to republish news articles on their website or social channels may require a corporate website republishing licence, while businesses that copy articles internally often require a separate business licence.
These licences exist to ensure that journalists and publishers are compensated when their work is reused.
Celebrating Coverage Responsibly
Press coverage is always something worth celebrating, but it should be shared responsibly. Linking to the original article, using quotes correctly, and understanding when licensing may be required helps ensure your coverage is promoted in the right way.
Following these guidelines protects your business, respects the work of journalists and publishers, and helps avoid potential copyright issues or fines.