It’s easy to feel a pang of envy when you see one of your competitors in the headlines. A glowing news story about a new product or an exciting brand can be transformational for some businesses.
But you don’t need to look on from the sidelines. Getting your business name in the press is easier than you think.
Read on to learn about using a press release submission search for your business and some top tips for getting the most out of this strategy.
What Is a Press Release Submission Service?
If you want to expand your brand’s reach and your marketing, a press release service can help you do that. It distributes your business’s announcements to targeted news outlets, websites, and independent journalists.
A submission service has access to a more advanced and expansive network online than an individual company could muster.
Due to the massive size advantage, it allows you to target your reach to the audience you need, like a specific geographic location or demographic.
This extensive network includes major news brands, enabling you to get your company featured on a well-known news website and enjoy a viral news story if you have something unique and exciting to share.
The Importance of Choosing the Right Service
Before mastering press releases, choose a submission service that best fits your needs. A good fit will help you get the most from the distribution.
First, look at the reach on offer. It’s not only the size of the reach but also the type. You want a reach that’s targeted to your niche.
You may have a unique specialist audience. So, you should ensure the service has a distribution network that covers that niche. You’ll get a more effective response that way.
Look at other capabilities and features on offer from the distribution service. These can have a positive impact on the success of your press release.
For example, they may offer SEO capabilities to ensure your release stands a good chance of getting a high Google ranking. Some also have social media sharing to tap into a broader audience.
Remember to examine the reputation of any submission service. Look at past clients and testimonials. It’s worth reading customer reviews online, too.
An established business will be able to demonstrate evidence that they’ve helped other companies to grow via PR distribution services.
Planning and Writing Your Press Release
With a press release, you have one opportunity to make an impression. So you need to get it right. Here is how to plan and execute the perfect press release.
Research Your Target Audience
Perfecting your press release starts with some research. It’s the foundation for any effective marketing – including a press release. If you know a bit about your audience, it will make it easier to fine-tune your message.
Your content will have clarity, and you’ll find it easier to connect with the right people. When conducting some. audience research, think about your primary goal. What do you want to achieve with this press release?
Who do you want to read it, and what action do you want them to take?
Make Your Headline Appealing
If you want people to read your press release, you need an attention-grabbing headline and introduction. It must engage people with unique, concise, and intriguing information.
You must put the most pertinent information early in your press release because few will read to the end of an article. So, when drafting your copy, test different ideas until you find a heading and introduction that makes an impact.
Write the Body of Your Press Release
Next, it’s time to write the body of your text. It should be comprehensive enough to convey your message but don’t forget the importance of making it readable.
That means bullet points and subheadings to break up your content. Use data and facts where you can, as that’s the information people will scan. Remember to keep it on-topic and relevant to your target audience.
Make Your Content Keyword-Rich
You want your press release to rank on Google, which means considering the SEO elements. Research keywords popular with your customers and ensure you use a good mix in your content.
Add rich content, like videos and infographics, to help your reach and engagement. Remember that SEO is there to boost your content, not to monopolize it. The article should still be engaging and relevant.
Be Credible
If you make claims in your press release, you’ll need a way to back that up. It’s particularly important if you aren’t a well-known brand. Find ways to add credibility to your article to help strengthen your message.
That could be a quote from a high-profile expert or industry leader or some data and research to support what you say.
Add a Strong Call to Action
Your press release is most effective when people take action after reading it. That might be visiting your website, entering a competition, or buying a product.
Whatever you want customers to do, make it clear towards the end of the article. It’s also a natural way to wrap up the press release. Be persuasive, but make sure your message is easy to understand.
Opaque suggestions and hints will pass people by. Finally, as you wrap up your content, take the time to review it to ensure you haven’t missed anything important.
Consider Your Timing
Timing is everything with press releases; it takes some planning to perfect it. Aim your timing to coincide with trends happening in your industry.
If something in the news headlines and your topic is relevant, it’s more likely to get traction. For example, suppose your sector is celebrating its centenary year. You could write a story for your business relevant to that particular milestone.
Similarly, avoid times when it will get lost in other news stories likely to make the headlines.
For example, avoid a product launch during Black Friday unless it’s related to a special Black Friday deal.
You could time your release to coincide with internal dates, too. For example, if your business is celebrating its tenth anniversary, use this as an opportunity to mark it with something fun, like a competition.
How to Measure the Success of Your Press Release
It takes time and effort to put together a good press release. So, you must get to know what your return is on that investment. That’s sometimes called the ROI (return on investment) in marketing terms.
It means understanding how many dollars of business you get back for every dollar you spend on that marketing strategy.
You can gather many metrics about a PR campaign, but you will need analytics tools to measure that data. You will also get metrics via some submission services.
For example, at eReleases, we provide a comprehensive report with key data about your press release after its distribution.
Measure metrics such as the reach, traffic numbers, and engagement rate. But try to measure the conversion rate, too. That will help you to understand if people went beyond reading your press release and took action.
Analyzing your data is an essential step in optimizing it for future campaigns. So, never skip this vital step.
Use Social Media to Your Advantage
If you have a presence on social media, use this during your press release cycle. It’s a great way to get more readers to your press release and get a bigger release.
If your article is exceptional, you could also go viral on social media. Take time before your press release to build your social media audience. Make sure your account is active and has lots of fresh posts.
You could also connect with influencers in your field to help widen your audience. Finally, don’t forget the importance of adding hashtags to your posts to help target the content toward your customer avatar.
Avoiding Common Mistakes When Using a Submission Service
Mistakes in your press release can cause various problems for your business. Minor mistakes might be an inconvenience.
But a big mistake could cause your submission to fail or, worse, cause reputational damage. So, knowing the common errors businesses make with a press release is helpful.
Don’t fall into the trap of jargon or complex technical information in your press release. That might be readable to industry insiders, but such complicated language will alienate others and limit the reach of your press release.
Secondly, don’t do things in a rush. That’s where mistakes happen.
You could release an article with the incorrect launch date of your product, for example. And rushed releases risk clashing with other significant news events you hadn’t considered when submitting your article.
Using Press Release Submission Services to Grow Your Business
Even in the days of digital marketing, the traditional method of PR is often the most effective. But only if you get the small details perfect. Use this guide as your starting point to create a press release that makes a big impression on your audience.
The most crucial ingredient to successful PR is the right press release submission service. eRelease has a wealth of experience and an established industry reputation.
Starting your first order is easy – simply head here to complete your details.