Find Unique Ways to Present Your Press Release Stories
You can find unique ways to present your press release stories so that you get the exposure you need. Some experts have declared that traditional press releases are dead. Because of the number of press releases that come into media outlets each day, in some ways the experts are right.
There was a time when a good story was enough to get the attention of media professionals. But now, because of the added competition and the dwindling resources of many media outlets, the challenge to get your story told has become more complicated.
On the other side of the coin, there are more media outlets today than ever before. Social media and mobile devices have helped to shape the way people share information. These new opportunities mean that with a little creativity and ingenuity, you can still create earned media with your press releases.
Help Your Press Release Story Stand Out
Social Media – Word of mouth advertising has always been one of the most powerful tools. The talk around the water cooler has moved to talk around social media. You can share elements of your press release on the different social media formats that conform to the information shared on those sites. Include a link back to your website that offers the full story or press release.
Be Unique – Do something different without breaking the industry guidelines or understood rules. Different can be good, as long as different falls within the guidelines. Coloring too far outside the lines leaves you looking unprofessional or unbelievable.
Avoid the Gimmicks – If everyone else is doing it, then it can no longer be called unique. Skip the “different” tactics that everyone else is using. If in doubt, then follow the structured expectations of the industry instead of trying to break out of the box.
Add visuals – The best way to tell a story is to show that story. The expansion of technology has made it easier to use the images in place of the “thousand words.” Visual stories also are more likely to go viral and spread organically. The addition of infographics, photographs, or charts provides visual interest that readers will find more entertaining, engaging, and sharable.
There is still power in the press release, but you may have to look at the press release through the lens of the new media. Social sites, mobile technology, and even the 24 hour news cycle has changed the way that people get and share the information they gather. Your press release needs to address these new directions.
Stepping outside the box without breaking the box to pieces can be a fine line to walk, but it can lead to great earned media results. You want to format your story in several ways so that it will translate to different social media. You need to be unique without breaking the rules – bending is usually okay. Dynamic visuals are the friend of the modern press release. These are just a few of the unique things that allow you to present your press release stories.
