Many experienced marketers and especially online marketers will tell you that press releases are bygones. For your information, these are the people who have only tried it out a few times or maybe once that was poorly constructed. Or maybe, they didn’t put in enough hard work. A true recipe for success is a well-written PR that allows you to deliver keyword-rich and targeted copies to the audience.
Yes! Why would you believe anybody who speaks otherwise?
Stop being misguided and teach yourself the several immediate benefits of this efficient tool.
1. Grow your brand’s image
2. Paint yourself as an industry expert
3. Grow relationships with the influencers
4. Build credibility for your brand
5. Spike in sales and traffic
But some companies do not wait for the correct event to send out a PR. You must remember that newspapers and journalists will not simply pick a piece saying how amazing a business is.
There are a few events that might justify your approach better. These include:
- Launching a new business
- Moving to new premises
- Winning an award or prize
- Celebrating a success or anniversary
- Offering new service
- Launching a new product
- Special offers and events, etc
Now, when everything is said and done, your mouse is hovering over the Send button and you’re probably wondering, why is Wednesday the best day of the week to send a PR? Well, that’s a good question to ask yourself, and most importantly when it comes to press release open rates.
Have you ever wondered as to why despite all the efforts some PRs fail miserably in the market? Well, the answer is quite simple. Timing matters! The path from curating a proper PR to sending it out is often crisscrossed with multiple hurdles.
Apart from every other thing, it is crucial to pick up the correct time slot to send your PR because it directly affects the chances of your story being picked up by the media officials. Do not be alarmed. The journalists are extremely busy people and therefore it is your job to choose the hour wisely.
Different factors alter the best time for your press release. It largely depends on the publication, the type of news, industry, the outlet, and also the journalists. This settles down your query. There is no such best time to send a press release. But, you can always decide your route and pick the best day for yourself.
Some suggestions that may help you outline the best time are:
1. Choose your target:
It is of course very important to figure out where you want your news to appear. In case you’re targeting the daily newspapers, distribution timing plays an important role.
2. Pick the right Keywords:
To ensure that your PR appears in dozens of places, do some keyword research. Make a list of the most used keywords and pick the best ones to suit your purpose. This greatly improves your ROI and also increases your chances of getting picked up.
3. Abide by the Email guidelines:
If your brand relies on email distribution for sending out your press release, it must stick to the email distribution rules. Most of the service providers publish the reports on the best times.
4. Have News in your PR:
You might think you have a wonderful story to share, but is it so? Harsh but true. Read the PR loud and evaluate for yourself that whether or not the story is newsworthy. If not, go back and make it more interesting to avoid rejection.
5. Expect Traffic:
Getting press for sending a PR is not necessarily the outcome. If you aim to get exposure on the internet, then an SEO-friendly PR is going to serve your purpose just right. Share it across the various social media platforms for better results.
6. Pick an off-hour:
To improve your chances of getting noticed, keep a track of your competitors. Sounds creepy? But figuring out when others are sending gives you an added advantage. Choose to distribute at off-hours for better outcomes.
7. Avoid Conflicts:
Look out for the holiday season. Avoid sending out a PR during times that will affect your PR. Unless you have holiday news, avoid conflicts.
However, if your open rate is still lower, what measures would you implement?
To lessen your worry, we have conducted thorough research, and by the recent data; Tuesday to Thursday are the best days to send a PR and the best time is between 10 am and 3 pm. Reasons?
- The email open rate spikes up to 27%
- The journalists are comparatively less burdened with work
- They lookout for new stories
- High PR open rates
This might seem a bit arbitrary but yes, it is what it is. In case you miss all these days and timings, then what? Would you wait for the entire week or publish it urgently. The answer is yes. It is always advised to send a PR than to send nothing at all.
Few things to avoid are:
- Don’t send a PR on Monday or Friday
- Don’t send PRs on Weekends
- Don’t send after 3 pm
- Don’t send during early morning hours
- Don’t send at night
- Check your journalist’s time zone
Most companies choose to hire professionals to handle the competition and increase the chances of their being read.