Many companies use a press release to announce their product, website or special offer to the world. An engaging, informative press release has the potential to reach thousands or even millions of people. The challenge is writing a press release in the format of a news article but maintain the basic aspects of a good sales letter. Editors and reporters seek interesting press releases to fill up their publications.
Submitting a press release to a wire service helps ensures journalists can find information about your product, services or company. A Middleburg/Ross survey shows 98 percent of journalist go online daily and 73 percent of them look for press releases.
A press release should actually announce news. Editors seek information which benefits their readers, typically about a product or service that solves a business problem saves money or provides a new way of doing something.
Gain Media Attention with a Press Release
To gain media attention, focus on pleasing editors and communications professionals. They read hundreds of press releases; to grab their attention using approaches and angles which make your product or service stand out from the competition. When considering what to publish, editors consider the demands of their audience. Find out what’s popular in the target publications and find a way to connect your press release to a current hot subject.
Press Releases and Search Engine Optimization
Submitting press releases via a wire service is a great way to enhance a search engine optimization plan. After the press release goes out it’s picked up by publications, news organizations and search engine news services such as Google news, which link back to your website. An array of online news portals may also syndicate the content. Also, some social media websites monitor newswire syndication.
The more legitimate links you have pointing to your website the better the search engine rankings. Search engines respond favorably to one way inbound links from relevant websites. These links help a website move higher in search engine results for specific keywords. Also, include a couple of relevant links in the press release to your website.
A press release shouldn’t praise the company. Don’t use words such as “unique,” “revolutionary” or “best” in the press release. Editors prefer testimonials or quotes from customers instead of praise coming from someone representing the company. Write simply and clearly and don’t include jargon.
A Useful Press Release Concept
One approach is stating a problem and writing about a solution. The problem should be a pressing issue of your target audience. Discuss how the benefits of your product or service deal with the stated problem, but take a business approach, don’t make it look like a sales pitch.
Tips for Writing a Press Release:
- Editors and reporters get bombarded daily with press releases so it’s best to keep it to one page.
- Include quality keyword rich content and a couple of links to your website.
- Use a short title and clearly display your news announcement. The title should entice people to read the press release.
- Grab the reader’s attention, put the important information in the first paragraph; who, what, why, where, when and how. Impress the editors and readers with the first two lines or else they won’t continue to read it. Subsequent paragraphs expand on the important points with more details and relevant information. Don’t jump from subject to subject, stay focused. If appropriate include an image.
- Link some information in the press release to something else that’s newsworthy. Communications professionals and publishers seek ways to connect your story to something else that’s popular. They’ll appreciate it.
- Near the end of the press release, but before the “About the company” paragraph inspire the readers to find out more about your products or services with an interesting statistic, a quote, how your product or service ties into a current trend or provide a thought provoking question.
- Provide details about the company in the “About the company” paragraph but keep it short and don’t use a lot of praise; it turns off editors and journalists.
- Base the tone of the article on the audience.
- Provide contact information at the end of the press release.
- Make sure all the facts in the press release are correct and make sure the press release has no typos. Proof read it several times and have a few staff members proof read it. Errors can easily harm the reputation of a brand.
Send the press release to editors and writers of relevant newspapers, magazines and trade journals and obviously send it out online. Free newswire services such as pr.com and prleap.com are a possibility, however many companies prefer to pay a newswire service such as prweb.com or prnewswire.com to give the press release its best opportunity to gain attention.
An informative, engaging press release, connected to a popular topic easily grabs attention and enhances your search engine rankings.