A press release is a media statement of a company to communicate with its customer base. The content is usually written by public relations professional. Then it is distributed through a reputed press release distribution service to vast relevant media outlets. There are certain things you need to keep in mind while crafting a press release:
- The language of your press release should be clear, simple, and error-free. It must be readable for all. Do not use unnecessary flowery language. Keep it precise on the subject.
- The main message that you want to convey must be in the headline. Write an engaging headline that is brief and to the point. It should be interesting enough to attract the attention of the journalists and the target audience.
- Press releases are a lot different than traditional advertisements. It is more similar to news than advertisements. That is why you must make it informative. Answer the 5Ws (who, what, why, when, and how) in the opening paragraph.
PRs are the best communications tool in the marketing world. They inform the media outlets about a specific event or subject. If the news is relevant to their readers, they will publish it. It will increase your online exposure. A press release is used to raise public awareness about a particular subject. It also spreads brand awareness among the target audience. You will easily boost your online exposure with a well-crafted press release.
The Main Characteristic of A Press Release
Press releases have been in use for decades. They have gone through many changes over the years, but the basic aspects remain the same.
- A press release should not be too long. The readers do not have the patience or time to go through long content. So, make sure it is not longer than 5 paragraphs.
- Press releases are crafted using a reverse pyramid structure. You must put the most significant details in the first paragraph. Then, add the less important information to the rest of the content.
- The subject matter of a press release must be relevant to the target audience. There are lots of events happening within your company. But not all of them are to be shared with the world.
- Press releases are not purely news or advertisements. They are both. So they must be informative as well as objective.
- People love data. It makes a story more convincing and effective. That is why it is wise to add numerical data about the product or service in the PR. It will make the press release lot more intriguing to the readers.
- A successful press release should have the relevant dates and contact information of the company. That way, the publishers will be able to contact you whenever they want additional information. Add your website address at the end. So your customers can visit your site to purchase or know more about your brand.
- There is usually a separate paragraph for the quotes from the prominent figures in the company. Make sure the quotes are relevant to the topic of your press release.
- Multi-media is used for years to make press releases more compelling. A press release with a video, image, or infographics has a better chance of reading by the target audience than content without any.
The Purpose of A Press Release
A press release is a piece of news that you distribute to major media outlets. It spreads your brand awareness in your industry. The particular event described in the PR gains a media profile. The main goal of a press release is not to increase sales. It is to make your customer base aware of the brand’s existence. It lets them know how it is better than its contemporaries. A PR about an event, new hire, personal changes keep the company in the constant view of the consumers. It makes sure the company or brand's name appears in the SERPs of the consumers whenever they search for something similar. With a professional paid press release site, you can submit your story to the most relevant media outlets and reaches the maximum audience.
Online Press Release
Before everything went digital, press releases were published in print media. But now, they are mostly distributed online. Online distribution makes everything more effective, time-efficient, and wide-ranging. Online press release distribution has become the most useful tool for marketers. You can build a positive relationship with journalists and media outlets in your industry with it. And it can be beneficial in the long run.
Why You should Use It
Press releases convey the message of a company to the world, raising its public profile. You can craft newsworthy content by writing about the products or services around relevant news. It will help you reach more readers by increasing the value of your brand. This is the main aspect of the online content marketing strategy.
Incorporating your story with trendy news is called newsjacking. It is the process of benefiting from the popularity of some relevant news to boost the media coverage of a specific subject. If you do it correctly, your press release will boost your online exposure, audience engagement, search engine optimization, reputation, and more.
A press release works best when it is distributed through a professional PR distribution site. Most of them offer distribution on hundreds of major media and news outlets. At affordable rates, they make sure your story reaches the target audience and the investors in just a matter of time. You can go for a free press release site if you are tight on budget.
Media outlets are always looking for a fresh and relevant story to publish. That is why journalists visit professional PR agencies are regularly. Submitting your content to a reputed PR agency will open the doors to countless possibilities for your brand.
Most PR companies also offer PR-related services other than distribution. You can get your press release written by the expert writers at these firms. They ensure that PR is journalistic, more precise, and informative. They are well-aware of the needs and requirements of every industry. They can craft your press releases according to them. Thus, the PRs have a better success rate compared to others.
A PR written following the right format along with a timely distribution creates a positive image of your brand in front of the public. It is highly effective at introducing your corporate values to the public.
A timely press release hits the target audience at the right time and right place. Though online press releases are quite similar to traditional press releases, they are far superior in terms of providing excellent search engine optimization. Online press releases have a better and wider reach as well. They use thousands of media outlets, websites, and social media platforms to distribute PRs. Online media outlets are also preferred by readers more than traditional news sources by internet users globally. Most companies, both big and small scales, rely on online press releases to improve their brand image and reputation. Once you publish your press release online, it stays there forever. It offers you an excellent SEO boost for a lifetime.
Press releases have become much more accessible due to vast digitization. Due to their vast reach, they successfully improve brand value among the press, target audience, investors, and the general public across the world.
Online PR Writing
Online PR writing is quite similar to traditional press release writing. The basics like a brief and attractive headline, the use of reverse pyramid structure in the body, quotes, multi-media, boilerplate copy, and others remain the same. But the main objective of an online PR is to increase the SERP rank of the brand. That is why trendy keywords are included in the content when distributed online.
Benefits of Online PR Distribution
Online press releases distribution is widely practiced all over the world.
- Most of the world population is online right now. The best way to reach them is through the internet. Online PRs are the best way to do so with their user-friendly and brief structure. Experienced online PR companies offer professional media communication services to spread your message into the world. They place your story on the most influential online media outlets.
- The media outlets are visited by your target audience regularly. Thus your story gets huge audience engagement by getting published.
- The best part of online PR distribution is its affordability. Compared to traditional advertising methods, it is very cheap. Most PR agencies have multiple packages as per the needs and budgets of their clients.
- PR agencies host the copy of the PR indefinitely. That way, it has a chance of appearing on the SERPs of your customers even after many years.
Online press releases offer more opportunities and possibilities for a company in this highly competitive market. The biggest and most successful companies in the world use online PR services. Employ a reliable PR company for a brighter future.
