Every business, including marketing professionals, needs to be comfortable with press releases. Even though some people think press releases are obsolete, they are still a crucial component of any marketing plan. Journalists continue relying on press releases for timely news stories and topic ideas. The general public has instant access to an organization’s news announcements thanks to distribution services.
Due to the growth of social media, businesses can gain free exposure by creating valuable content. Marketers need to be aware of the subtleties involved in writing a press release that is both informative and attention-grabbing.
Overall, writing a press release is not an easy task to master. In addition, press releases are about brand storytelling. It contributes to the overall goal of the public relations directive: to alter how prospects and customers perceive your organization.
What are the best press release practices? The best press release practices are to begin with a relevant and timely topic, optimize SEO, use a call-to-action (CTA), and keep the press release short and impactful.
Best Press Release Practices That Public Relations Agencies Don’t Want You To Know
The best press release practices are:
1. Get to the point within the first 100 words. A journalist should be able to read your press release’s headline and opening paragraph in about four seconds within your press release. In 100 words or less, describe your story’s who, what, when, where, how, and why your target audience should be interested.
2. Begin with a relevant topic. Before you begin writing, you must ask yourself why your topic is important and why it continues to be relevant to your target audience. Announce something newsworthy to the general public. Pack the press release with concentrated information that will start the public discourse.
3. Use a strong headline. The headline of your press release should encompass the big brand story you want to tell. Even though they make up a small portion of your press release, the headlines greatly impact the press release’s effectiveness. Your news release’s headline or title establishes the general tone.
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- Use action words to grab the reader’s attention and reinforce your message.
- Take diction into account. Your headline’s rhythm could significantly affect how appealing it is to readers.
Keep it short and sweet to please both the search engine algorithms and prospective readers.
4. Keep it short and sweet.
“Please forgive the long letter; I didn’t have time to write a short one.”
― Blaise Pascal
Brevity is the soul of wit, and as a writer, you’ll attract many eyeballs with the skill of brevity. To master brevity, you can train yourself by writing Tweets, and respecting character limits.
5. Use a killer quote. By including quotations in your press release, you give the story a human touch and give readers a unique perspective. Pique reader interest and render the story worthy of sharing. It is crucial to utilize quotes if they benefit the piece and enhance the picture being painted. You are not enhancing the reader’s experience if you only include a quote for the sake of including one. Make sure that if you add a quote, it relates to the story and narrative. See step 4 for an example.
6. Show, don’t tell. The best movies follow the principle of “show, don’t tell.” Including high resolution imagery in your press release is a great way to communicate a powerful message. By giving your audience more information, explanation, and visual aid, you are improving the likelihood of readers consuming and sharing your content.
A press release with a visual component has been demonstrated to receive three times as many views. Consider including video in your press release so that people may interact with it on social media.
Focus on painting the picture you want your readers to see. Press releases are part and parcel of the brand storytelling experience; there is a reason, after all, that public relations professionals are brand storytellers.
7. Optimize SEO. In the first 250 words of your press release, make sure your point is clear. Search engine algorithms consume, digest, and organize your press release content if the pertinent content is early in the content. Never forget the human reader; keep them informed and enthusiastic about the story.
Bolding and hyperlinking should be used for important SEO keywords. Doing so will make shareable links available to readers, assisting with implementing any SEO strategy. Ensure the first couple of keywords are related. Avoid repetitive or robotic writing as the content may be flagged as spam. Search engines may penalize your website in extreme circumstances of spam.
8. Plant an indirect call to action. Professionally written press releases are devoid of sales content. Decorate your business, announcement, new product, or new partnership with gripping high-value information. Make a splash with the public by announcing something special about your brand. Focus on newsworthy content with high-quality imagery and writing to enhance the likelihood of the content being shared on social media. The ultimate goal of the press release is to make your brand known to the public and increase your customer base.
Better Brand Publicity With Brander
Writing a press release is not a walk in the park. It requires heavy editing and tight deadlines. However, producing a press release is one of the most important and strategic moves you can make if you want your brand to make a name for itself among its competitor. For one, it is easier to get the word out about your brand. Secondly, it can also attract new customers to your brand.
Brander bridges the gap between your business and your customers. To spread the word out about your brand and what it can do for others, the first step is to produce your press release, then have it distributed by none other than Brander. Check out Brander’s press release pricing and take the plunge closer to better brand publicity today!
