Nowadays, brands must work hard to stand out in the online space, and the key to achieving success is generating your own buzz.
Customers no longer stay up-to-date with the latest news by relying on the daily newspaper – that’s unnecessary in the social media era, with platforms like Twitter and Facebook providing all the information they need.
To secure positive coverage about your brand, you must offer the media a great story. In other words, you must write a great press release meant to capture the public’s attention and inform people of the latest innovations within your company.
Why is it worth writing a press release?
A press release is an official document covering different topics, including major events, company rebranding, new product launches, etc. It represents a great tool that allows your business to send a message to a broader audience, thus gaining more exposure. Below are some of the top advantages of writing a press release.
Establish a relationship with the media
Journalists are constantly inundated with many irrelevant press releases, so if you want to get to them, you must ensure your document is well-written and relevant – that’s how they will notice your brand. Once a journalist picks up your press release, driving interest toward your organisation will be much easier.
Increase SEO traffic
SEO is critical for all businesses, as it helps boost the visibility of your website on search engines. A well-written press release can increase exposure to your actual and future customers, but it is essential to be thoughtful when creating it to ensure the best outcome.
Shape public views of your brand
While sharing the message about your business is essential, what matters most is ensuring that people have a positive impression of your brand, and a good press release can help you achieve this goal. Building a solid reputation is imperative because it enables you to thrive in such a competitive landscape, attracting customers and contributing to sales. However, you must remember that reputation is fragile, and you can lose it a second if you let your guard down. For instance, experiencing a data breach can significantly impact your company’s bottom line.
Websites that help victims deal with data breach effects, such as https://www.databreachcompensationexpert.co.uk/, clearly mention that organisations should adhere to some essential principles when handling personal data. If they fail to do so, serious consequences will follow, leading to a tarnished reputation.
How do you write a successful press release?
As previously mentioned, writing a press release is essential for growing your business, but you have to do it right – otherwise, you may not see the desired results. Here are some tips to ensure the effectiveness of your press release.
Understand your audience
When writing an impressive press release, one of the most essential aspects is understanding your target audience. Consider who are the individuals you are trying to reach, as well as their pain points and interests. This is essential information for your brand because it helps ensure the press release will capture the prospect’s attention.
Write a captivating headline
If you want to grab the attention of editors (and readers), you must come up with a compelling headline. This will ensure that your press release won’t be overlooked, so take the time to choose your words carefully when working with that one line. Keep in mind that the headline plays a crucial role in determining the success of your press release, so make it stand out by using action verbs and keeping it short. And, of course, try to be as specific as possible and make it interesting to ensure it reels consumers in.
Focus on the first paragraph
The opening paragraph is critical, setting the tone for the rest of the content and allowing you to hook the reader right away. So, take the time to plan your words methodically and answer relevant questions such as who, what, why, where, and how.
Convey value to readers
Your press release will be newsworthy only if you give people a reason to care about its content. To achieve this goal, you can use the reverse pyramid formula, which means starting with the most important information and ending it with the least important one. Reporters can’t sift through many details because they lack the time to do so. Therefore, they need relevant facts so that they can tell your brand’s story to people from a position of authority.
Use an alluring quote
While you can write a good press release without adding any quotes, it is best to do the opposite. Why? Because quotes give context to a story, painting a picture of your news’ impact on the industry. Ideally, you can use quotes from stakeholders in your business, such as project leads or the executive team.
Add relevant data and research
If you want your press release to be enticing, you should add numbers and facts – this will make your news relevant in people’s eyes. For instance, you can add facts and figures when mentioning your company’s growth – this will make an editor more likely to publish your press release.
Include your contact info
Why should you do this? After all, you send the press release to the journalist so that they will have your email. Well, yes, but that’s not enough because they may decide they don’t resonate with the story and send it to a colleague. In such a case, the journalist is unlikely to search for your contact information everywhere – they will not move forward with your press release. Therefore, it is highly recommended to include any relevant information regarding your business, including phone number, email, social media handles, website, etc.
Contact editors
You can write the best press release, but it won’t be successful unless you contact editors and secure placement. You want to connect with them to ensure your press release will be received. Ideally, you should tailor the document depending on the publication’s needs. After contacting editors, consider following up with them to see if they featured your press release – if not, ask them why. You can use this feedback to improve your future press releases.
The bottom line
By following the tips mentioned above, you will succeed in creating a credible and engaging press release that will get your message across to your audience, helping you build your brand.
