The press release still has a place as a crucial online marketing tool. It’s what makes people look up and pay attention. Despite its use amongst larger companies, smaller businesses can still benefit from it. Submitting it to various directories and local online news outlets could yield you the publicity you need to bring in new customers.
Whilst the success of a press release hinges on who sees it, you can increase your chances of making sure the right people see it by writing something intriguing. Here are the main aspects of a great press release.
It All Starts with the Title
Everything starts with the title. You need a headline which grabs your potential audience. This is where targeting a niche readership really comes into its own. Attempting to target a large audience will only lead to problems because you’ll have to dilute the title in order to do it.
Gear the press release towards a niche and make it stronger. It should catch the eye and evoke interest instantly.
Sum it Up First
This isn’t a novel where people are going to necessarily read the whole thing to find out what’s going on. Journalists (including the online ones) are very busy people and they don’t have time to read through every press release which comes their way.
Your first paragraph should sum up the entire story. Write about what happened in the first sentence. It gives readers a chance to decide if this is going to interest them.
Pack with Facts
A press release isn’t supposed to reveal a good writer. You don’t need to be a good creative writer to create a press release. These are about hard facts. As a business trying to market yourself online, you’re trying to attract the attention of professionals. In many cases, businesses attempting to connect with other businesses will send them a press release instead of a load of marketing spiel.
Fill your release with real facts and figures. The more statistics you have the better.
So What?
Once you’ve explained what happened and revealed the exact extent of the scenario, you need to explain what it means. This is the equivalent to your call of action in your web content. How should your readers react to this news?
If you’ve had greater than expected sales figures over the last year, don’t just tell us about it. This isn’t your opportunity to brag. Tell us what you’re going to do with this news. You might build a new website or take on more staff.
Make your press release even more effective by spending some time explaining what it does for your customers.
Use press releases sparingly. Too many companies have completely overdone it by releasing them on a monthly basis. You should only see a press release when something special has happened. If it’s not something major, stick to a blog article you can share on Facebook. You want people to instantly sit up and take notice once you share news of a brand new press release.
