The Ultimate Guide on Creating the Best Press Release
An easy way to build buzz about your business is by crafting and distributing a press release about your latest and greatest news and achievements.
There’s an art to writing the best press release.
If you’ve never written one before, this might sound daunting. Luckily, we’re here to help. Here’s the ultimate guide on creating press releases that will have an impact and get you noticed.
Know When You Need a Press Release
The first thing you need to learn is when you need a press release. You should only send one out when your company does something newsworthy.
Obviously, you’re proud of your business’s achievements, but you need to learn how to recognize what is truly newsworthy. News is something unique, something that sets you apart from other companies in your field or area. And if you want media coverage, then you need to provide journalists with a real story.
Maybe you have a special event coming up or recently hired a new specialist in your industry. Perhaps you won an award or are launching a new product line. These are all examples of newsworthy stories that you should be sending out press releases for. It needs to be something interesting and different that journalists and bloggers will want to write about.
Write a Concise, Catchy Headline
Your headline is one of the most important pieces of your press release. It tells journalists what the release is all about. It convinces them that you might have a story worth telling and that they should continue reading.
Your headline should grab their attention and get to the heart of your story. People should be able to read the headline and have a strong idea of the basic story. It’s possible a journalist might even borrow your headline if they choose to write your story.
And keep it short. Generally, press release headlines should be less than 10 words. If it’s too long and bulky, people will stop reading. If you have more information you’d like to convey in the headline, you can also consider adding a subheadline to elaborate on the headline.
Don’t Forget Your Dateline
Before you start writing the body of your press release, make sure you include your dateline. This establishes when and where your news takes place.
Journalists follow AP Style, which calls for the inclusion of a dateline. By providing a dateline for them, you’re making it easier for them to pick up your story.
Open with a Hook
When writing the body of your press release, grab their attention right away with a well-crafted lead (or lede). It should pique the reader’s curiosity and make them want to read more.
In addition to being interesting, it also includes the basic tenets of journalism: who, what, when, where, and why. With all the important information in the first few lines of your press release, this makes it easy for a journalist to determine if they want to explore your story further.
Incorporate All Important Information
In addition to those five Ws (the who, what, when, where, and why), make sure you include all important information in your press release. In fact, to make sure you don’t miss anything, before you start writing, make a list of the info you want to include.
For instance, if you’re hosting an event, let readers know if there’s a cost to attend. Or if you’re about to release a new product, include the launch date.
Don’t forget the contact information. You want journalists to know how to reach you. Be sure to let them know if you want this contact information published or not.
Use Press Releases to Boost Your SEO
In addition to garnering attention from bloggers and media outlets, you can also leverage your press releases to improve your search engine optimization (SEO). While press releases don’t build links for you, if you find the right outlet to distribute them, they rank high in internet searches.
Here are some easy ways to utilize SEO practices in your press releases and improve your visibility. Include keywords in your press release and consider using tools like Google Trends to determine the best and most current keywords for your field. Keep your headlines short, shareable, and easy-to-read. Also, include photos, images, and videos whenever possible.
End with a Call to Action
End your press release with a powerful call to action. This CTA directs readers and lets them know what action you’d like them to take.
Maybe you want them to engage further with you by following you on social media or contacting you with questions. Perhaps you want to drive them to your website where they can learn more about your products or services. Your press release should drive them to act.
Build a Media List
When your press release is done, you should send it out to all your media contacts. It’s important to have an effective media distribution list ready to go. This list might include everybody from journalists to bloggers to social media influencers.
Your media list should be built based on your industry and location. Your news might be of interest to your local publications in your area, so look for all newspapers, magazines, and blogs that cover regional news.
Then, look for industry-specific media outlets to add to your list.
Hire a Professional
If writing and distributing a press release sounds like an overwhelming task, consider hiring a professional for the job. As a business owner, you already have plenty on your plate, so let them take this load off your shoulders.
Not only that, but professionals will already know the ins and outs of writing an effective press release. Many will also have distribution outlets for your release, as well.
Understand How Journalists Might Use Your Press Release
Once you write a press release, it’s important to understand how a journalist or blogger might use it. They’re likely inundated with media releases, so make sure your news is appropriate for their outlet.
The goal of your press release is to capture their attention and leave them wanting to know more. In this case, they might reach out to you for additional information and quotes from you and others involved with your business to flesh out the story.
They might also choose to run your press release as is or chop it up to fit the section of their publication that they think is the best fit for your news. And if it’s not something they’d typically cover or they are overwhelmed with other news items, it’s possible they might ignore your press release.
Need Help Creating the Best Press Release?
Let us help you craft the best press release that grabs the attention of media outlets every time.
If you want to create a media release that will draw in readers, contact eReleases’ team of professionals for assistance. We’re here to help the smaller business grow their footprints and build their brands.
PR Writing: When You Should Hire a Professional
Did you know about 83% of small businesses believe in the effectiveness of a digital marketing campaign?
If press releases are not part of your online marketing strategy, you could be missing out on many business opportunities. You can benefit from professional press release writing services if you’re nee to press releases.
Read on to learn why PR writing in the way to go.
Achieve Instant Exposure
As a business owner, you want to achieve the most exposure for your business without having to spend a lot of money on advertising.
By hiring press release writing services, you will be able to get instant exposure without going over your advertising budget.
Many people understand that content is king, but if no one sees your content, then it will lack exposure.
Press releases create instant exposure and create more leads to your site.
Increase Your Sales
The purpose of your business is to sell products or services, and a press release can help you achieve your goals.
Because many people will get the chance to see your press release, you will be able to increase your profits. For example, if you launch a new product or service, a press release will allow you to announce it to the world.
With a press release, you will be able to reach a wider audience because you will give people a glimpse of what you have to offer.
Industry Expert
Let’s face it, people like press releases because they see those businesses as legitimate. When you put out press releases for your business, you establish yourself as an industry expert.
Industry experts get involved with their industry, they write about it, they pitch ideas, and they get involved with the media. Writing and putting out press releases helps you check off some of those boxes.
When your customers read your press releases, it will solidify you as a high authority and an industry expert.
Boost Your Marketing Plan
When you think about creating a marketing plan, you automatically think about expensive efforts to attract new customers.
After all, if you don’t let your customers know you’re open for business, they won’t know about you.
If you don’t want to completely change your marketing plan every time you release a new product or service, sending out a press release is the best way to do it. You will spend a fraction of the price on press release writing than you would re-launching a new marketing campaign.
Think of a press release as an extension of your marketing plan because its purpose is to deliver useful information to your customer base.
Increase SEO Rankings
When you distribute a press release in many different media outlets, your SEO possibilities will grow immensely. For starters, press releases offer many valuable backlinks to your site.
Optimized press releases also make your content more searchable on search engines. You can give your PR writer a set of relevant keywords, which will allow the content to be optimized.
The Google algorithm is always looking for newsworthy, relevant, and well-written content, and a press release touches all those points.
Every well-written press release also has catchy and sharable headlines, which also wins you major SEO points.
Boost Website Traffic
What’s the main goal of writing press releases? While there’s not one specific answer, one of the main goals of a press release is to create more leads to your website.
Whether you want to launch new products or sell services, chances are you’re going to do it from your website.
Because all press releases include a call to action, this is the perfect opportunity to lead readers back to your website to learn more about who you are and what you have to offer.
Also, press releases will also allow you to maximize the use of keywords, videos, headlines, photos, descriptions, hashtags, and more.
Increase Distribution Potential
If you’re used to sharing new content on only on your social media handles, press releases will increase your distribution potential.
You can distribute your press releases across many different channels, such as social media, newspapers, magazines, etc.
Target Audience
Whenever you release a new product or service, your success will depend on whether it reaches your target audience.
Aside from writing the piece, press release distributions are also important. With the help of strategic press release distribution, you can maximize on ways to reach your target audience.
For example, if you’re an LA-based business, you will want to distribute your press release with local publications. While you can still alert national media, you will reach your target audience by distributing locally.
Opportunity to Attract Investors
Do you have a killer product or idea? Are you looking for ways to grow your business?
Writing press releases is a great way for you to attract new investors. Because you will deliver your press release in the hands of the right people, you can attract new investors.
Build a Relationship with Journalists
Well-written press releases also you to build strong relationships with journalists. They will grow to respect what you do and will be excited to work with you in the future.
Journalists care about their reputation, so you will always want to produce the best content possible.
Stay on Top of the Competition
Another perk of hiring a press release writer is that you can stay ahead of the competition. If you’re working hard to create exposure for your business, chances are your competition works just as hard.
When you consistently publish press releases, you create exposure, which will help you stay on top of the competition. By putting out press releases, you will let the world know about your accomplishments.
Are You Ready to Take Your PR Writing to the Next Level?
Now that you know more about press release writing benefits, you can decide if this is the right move for your business.
PR writing can help your business stay on top of the competition, help you attract new investors, bring more traffic to your website, and help you achieve instant exposure.
Are you ready to learn more about how PR writing can change your business? Contact us for more information.
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