The demand for press releases has increased much in the last few years and now it is one of the top priorities for most business organizations and individuals to create a strong and impactful market presence. Due to its huge demand, there are thousands of press release distribution agency emerged in the market which makes it quite confusing to figure out which would the best for you.
Well, there is a trick to it. It is fairly impossible to say which is the best PR agency in the market as there are many influential ones with a huge user base. What matters is to find an agency that is best for you, as in the most suitable one. Before availing of a press release package, make sure to run complete research on the following aspects that can help find the right platform.
1. Define the Goals
Before even you start looking for a suitable PR agency, you need to define the goals that you are trying to achieve with the press release. Without being certain about your goals, you do not know what to expect from the PR. Question yourself What are you trying to achieve by distributing the PR? Who are you targeting to reach through this content? How will you measure the success of the PR? With the vision of goals, you can easily narrow down your options and concentrate on the packages that offer exactly what you want. When you are clear about your goals, you can define them concretely to the agency you will be hiring They will know that are the requirements that need to be met.
2. Compare with Others
The distribution network is the prime aspect of PR distribution that helps to determine how successful the PR campaign is going to be based on the media channels and newswire included in it. Many press release agencies offer guaranteed placements and the chance of getting organic exposure is higher in this case than the packages that do not offer any guarantee on the matter. If you want your PR to reach journalists, media outlets, influencers, news wires, and other online platforms; then you must compare the distribution networks and the channels offered by different agencies.
You should also check whether that distribution network focuses on your industry or not. Particularly look for agencies that focus on your industry, niche, location for marketing, and target audience. This is how you can create a buzz in the market.
3. The Cost and Value for Money
The cost of press release packages can range drastically from low to high. However, it does not mean the pocket-friendly packages are less effective and costly ones more. Usually, the PR packages are balanced with their features which are further adjusted to the price. While the cost must be budget-friendly for beginners in the industry, the packages should offer value for money which means offering ample benefits in exchange for fees.
You can post multiple PRs at a time but sometimes you might just want to send one content to publish. Based on your requirements, the agency can offer personalized options just for you. For example, you can save money in the case of bulk distribution. Professional PR platforms tend to provide special offers now and then. So, look for the agencies that offer seasonal discounts.
4. Additional Features and Customer Support
A press release distribution is not only about sending your PR to different platforms but it has goals to achieve and additional features in the PR packages help to reach them. SEO optimization and audit, image addition, mobile distribution, permanent hosting, etc. are examples of additional features that ensure the PR campaign is running successfully. The agency should also provide you with real-time reports and analytics to 100% transparency throughout the whole distribution process.
Also check whether the platform has active customer support because if you find any complication in the campaign, you need to flag it to them. A 24*7 active customer support should be there that understands the client's queries and offers quick solutions to any issue that occurs.
5. Reviews and Testimonials
How do you find a product reliable in the case of online shopping? You check the reviews and comments by the previous buyers, right? It is pretty similar in this case as well and reviews and testimonials are the best medium to know whether it is a suitable one or not. Check both the good and the negative reviews to understand where the agency is lacking. Testimonials are the best elements to judge an agency's efficiency and presence in the market.
Based on the aforementioned aspects, now you can understand when not to hire an agency. Such as,
- Don’t hire an agency that does not work in your niche.
- Avoid the agency that is unable to fulfil your PR needs.
- Do not hire an agency that does not offer diversified options considering everyone.
- Avoid the agency if there are no diversified options.
How to Publish Your PR without Hiring an Agency?
There is only one way to do it and that is by pitching journalists through email. It is a rather time-consuming process that requires patience and consistency. However, by following the right steps, you can do it!
1. Find the Niche Journalists and Their Respective Email IDs
First of all, the media is filled with millions of journalists and you need to find the niche ones who work particularly in your niche and other related industries. Look for similar stories, PR, and articles from your industry, and look for the journalists who covered the news. The next you need to do is shortlist the journalists you have picked and look for their email addresses. You can also look for other media contacts in case you are unable to find the email. Once you have found their email IDs, it is time to craft the pitch.
2. Make it Pitch-Perfect
The pitch needs to be unique enough to appeal to the journalists as they are quite busy reading thousands of other pitches and PRs. Keep the pitch less than 150 words as they do not have much time to read the whole content. Make sure to add a highly attractive subject line which is the first thing the journalists are going to notice. Attractive subject lines help to improve the open rate of your pitch email which eventually increases the chance to get published by the journalist.
3. Add Your PR to the Email
Now, it is time to add the PR to the pitch email. There are two ways you can do it,
- Attach the Content - Instead of pasting the whole PR in the content you can add a link to your PR kit or add an attachment of the PR content which makes the pitch email pretty neat and clean and allows journalists to directly publish the content.
- Paste the PR - You can also paste the whole press release content into the PR. It might look a little lengthy but it allows journalists to read the content without the need of downloading it or going to some other link. This method is recommended by many as it makes the work easier for the journalists whom you are pitching.
4. Send a Pitch on the Right Day
There is a right time for everything and that is applicable in the case of press releases as well. The journalists receive a ton of press releases every day and the rush increases on Mondays and Saturdays. Some people try to make an exception by sending the PR in midweek on Wednesdays. So, you should rather pitch on Tuesdays and Thursdays when the rush for submission is comparatively less than the other days.
5. Send a Follow-Up Email
Even after all the hard work, there is a chance your PR must get skipped among the horde of other pitches. It is natural only as the journalists already have too much on their plates. So, after pitching if do not hear from them within 3-5 days; make sure to send a follow-up email asking them to check your PR. Be polite and ask them professionally without sounding too pushy. They could have already read it but still, it does not hurt to try, right?
Concluding Thoughts
Now, that you are aware of both sides; you can either opt for a professional PR package or can personally pitch the journalists to get your PR published. The latter is more applicable for beginners and independent individuals in the industry who are still short of budget for promotion. However, if you have an adequate budget for the purpose; avail of professional packages as they offer more long-lasting results and at a greater magnitude. Hopefully, that was helpful enough to start your journey of PR distribution.
