Creating Newsworthy Press Releases -12 Tips And Ideas
There are a number of ways to create newsworthy press releases that won’t be a nuisance to journalists and professional bloggers. In the past few years, press releases have been used and abused by online marketers trying to use them as a shortcut to quick sales.
Press releases can boost the number of backlinks you get to your site, and your search engine optimization (SEO), but your release will only be one small part of those overall activities. Press releases are also not sales letters. The real purpose of a press release is to tell people what is new and newsworthy in your business.
1-Craft a great headline
It should tell people what is new and hook them into wanting to learn more.
2-Avoid the hype
A press release tells the news. It doesn’t try to sell a product. Think like a reporter rather than a salesperson. You will be much more likely to get media coverage.
3-Announce you are open for business
Let it be known you are available and add an interesting story about how and why you started the company and how it can benefit others.
4-Announce new products and services
Look at the media frenzy every time a new iPhone comes out. Let people know what’s new as soon as it is new.
5-Offer the results of new surveys or studies
If you’ve conducted a study about an important topic related to your niche or industry, don’t be shy about sharing it. “Woman cardiologists earn an average of less than $100k per year than their male colleagues-new study now available,” would be an example of something that was new and noteworthy.
6-Special dates
Anniversaries of being in business can be worth a press release if it is also used as the occasion to announce new initiatives.
7-Holiday Tie-ins
It can sometimes be hard to connect your business to a particular holiday, but a special Christmas sale or fare you are hosting, with a percentage of the profits going to a worthwhile charity such as Toys for Tots is relatively newsworthy.
8-Don’t be ashamed to be local
Local journalists are always looking for something interesting to write about. Announce your big news, and then localize it with implications or more information for those near your business. For example, if you are launching a new line of women’s wear, also mention you are hosting a fashion show on X date at Y time and Z location.
9-Announce significant mergers, acquisitions, partnerships and rounds of funding
They are not the most exciting news items in the world, but they will be of some interest to those following the movers and shakers in your industry.
10-Don’t overdo it on the background information
At the end of the release, put a short company history and a biography of the CEO or other significant staff who are worth boasting about.
11-Don’t forget to include media
Images, infographics, videos, and decks can all push your press release to the top of the newsworthy list.
12-Target the right journalists
Pitch your story to reporters and bloggers interested in your niche.
Try these 12 tips for making your releases more newsworthy and see what a difference they can make to your ROI and success.
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