Invented decades ago, a press release is still the heart and soul of every business and organization there is. Their marketing strategy obviously includes press releases as the most impacting and useful way of attracting the public eye. Earlier press releases used to be published on print media but now the picture is a little different. Mass digitization has enabled companies to widen their reach by spreading their news across the world. You can now reach your target audience on the other side of the world by publishing your story on major online news and media outlets. But before you decide upon issuing a press release for your brand, you have to understand PR distribution in-depth and how you can utilize it to the fullest:
What is press release distribution?
Press Release distribution is a process that allows businesses of all scales to spread the news about their brand to the global audience through ample press coverage. Most companies select the most relevant and important news about their products or services and craft a journalistic press release about the topic. Then they distribute it to the top media outlets covering their specific industry. If the journalists like the news they will publish it. There is no guarantee that your story will get published if you distribute it on your own. It is better to get the help of professional press release services that offer a 100% placement guarantee of the major media and news outlets across the globe.
Crafting a press release is very challenging and distributing it successfully is even more troublesome. The effort and time that you put into PR writing will be a waste if you do not do your best to distribute your PR. Research your PR company thoroughly before employing their help for best results.
How to do it?
Press release distribution can be done in two ways. The first way is to do it on your own. Though there is no guarantee on how much online exposure and engagement you will receive, it is the best plan if you are just starting up.
1. Write a worthy PR
If you want journalists and media outlets to publish your story, you have to impress them with your content.
Star the PR with a catchy headline because it is the first thing they are going to read.
Add keywords and action words in the title. Make it short yet informative.
Make sure your opening paragraph tells what the PR is about in short. Answer the 5Ws (What, Who, When, Where, and Why) to keep the readers hooked.
Make a separate paragraph with one or two important quotes from the CEO or other important figures in your company.
Don’t forget to add a boilerplate consisting of all the contact details of your company.
2. Make a list of the journalists
To get your story on the biggest media outlets you have to approach the journalists working there. Find out about them with the help of the internet. Find out which journalists and bloggers cover your industry. Go through their writings to know whether they will be interested in publishing your story. Make a list with the name and contact information of all the possible journalists.
3. Send your pitch
Journalists are busy people. They do not have time to go through hundreds of press releases they receive every day. Once you have figured out which reporters to send your PR to, prepare a pitch that will get them interested in reading your content. Tell them you are familiar with the kind of topic they cover and what their readers like. Assure them that your PR also falls under the same category and is relevant to their readers.
4. Distribute through an agency
Distributing your PR through an agency may cost money but you will be able to receive all the benefits of PR distribution for your business.
- PR agencies submit and guarantee placement on hundreds of top global media outlets.
- They offer quality PR writing services as well with keywords inclusion and multimedia embedding.
- You will be able to boost the SEO of your PR and brand and rank higher in the search engines.
Mistakes to avoid
Though the use of press releases is very common, not many succeed in acquiring their full benefits. Here are some mistakes that you must stop making to achieve success:
- Targeting the wrong audience. Not everyone in this world is your target audience. You need to filter the wrong group out and focus on targeting the right ones to get organic engagement. Find out who is actually interested in what you are selling and craft your PR approaching them. Distribute to those sites they visit regularly.
- Long PRs. People have shorter attention spans these days. A long copy that does not even have a single image or infographic, will make readers get bored and move on to another story. Make sure your PR is no longer than a single page and between 400 to 500 words. Keep the paragraph count between 5 and 6. And add appropriate multimedia in between paragraphs to keep things interesting.
- Don’t be promotional. Press releases are not advertisements; they are closer to the news. They are treated as news by the publishers and the audience reads them as news as well. Overly promotional press releases often fail to get published. So, make sure to make your press release informative and explain the characteristics of your products and how they contribute to the target audience.
- Unclear on the contact details. You may write an amazing press release but all will be wasted if people are confused about how to reach you. Your PR should be leading the readers to your business. That is why you must write a good boilerplate copy that has all your contact details like phone number, email address, website link, and social media links if you have any.
How to select the perfect distribution partner?
The success of your press release depends on how much of a good job your chosen PR agency does at distributing. Here are some tips to select the best PR distribution company for your business and gain maximum ROI:
1. The level of reach
A good PR company must be able to provide you with maximum media exposure across the world. Your news can reach different parts of the world if you use the right press release distribution agency that distributes to major media outlets in your specific industry. Appearing on various media outlets and websites will increase your authority in the market and create a better perception of your brand among your target audience. The amount of trust you will gain from the audience will boost the chances of your products getting purchased.
2. Brand exposure
Branding shapes your customers’ purchasing behavior. Most people buy products solely based on the brand name. Brand names establish trust in people and it directly influences their perception of the product. A PR distribution company can help you create a unique identity, a brand name that separates you from your competitors. it will not only boost your credibility in the eyes of the customers but the investors and media as well.
3. Affordable
Press releases are the most cost-effective marketing tool in the world. So, distributing a PR should always be affordable. A press release service must offer high-quality distribution on hundreds of top media outlets and websites without burning a hole in your pocket. Some companies offer free PR services too. But make sure it is ad-free and effective at bringing media attention.
4. PR writing facility
Most PR agencies offer press release writing services as well. They have experienced writers who are well-versed in the rules and regulations of the latest PR writing methods. They also keep themselves updated about the changes in requirements of the PR world. They can provide you with journalistic PR writing that will not only attract the media but get your target audience hooked as always.
5. SEO services
Press releases are published online these days. So, whenever your target audience is searching for something similar to your product, your press release must appear in their search result. To achieve a higher ranking in the SERPs, your content must be optimized thoroughly. PR companies offer additional SEO services alongside distribution. They embed keywords in the press releases to make sure the Google search engine favors them and increases their ranks. Some services host the copy of the press release permanently on their websites giving the content a lifetime of an SEO boost.
6. Good customer support
The success of a press release depends on the relevancy of the time it was released a lot. So, if you have any queries or changes in the PR writing or distribution, they must be processed as soon as possible. Otherwise, there will be a delay in publishing and you will lose the golden moment to spread your news. Make sure the PR company you chose, has excellent 24x7 customer support.
