What Does Press Have To Do With It Anyway?
In larger companies, comprehensive marketing strategies involve consistent collaborations between PR and marketing teams to announce big company updates, new products, promotions, etc. In smaller businesses, the lock-step of marketing with press initiatives can take some getting used to – to simplify, I’m a fan of this checklist for creating and evaluating press releases that are compelling, attention-getting and effective.
The press release is a bit of an art – and is a critical piece of content for building your brand, getting media coverage, and telling the story of your company, product or service. Press releases should cover newsworthy topics and should be aimed at a media audience – journalists, bloggers or people in your industry – to give them insight into something new that your company is doing. Do you have big news? Something to celebrate? An award you want to get exposure for? A new offering? These are the types of things to include in a press release.
A press release is easy to read, quippy and concise. Grab a reader’s attention right up front, and limit the content to just a few paragraphs. Focus on one main announcement with a single central message. Your headline and quick summary – a phrase or sentence – should convey the gist. Press release articles should begin with confidence and a fun, exciting tone, followed by some supporting details or research. Unlike other content marketing, you don’t want to come across as too salesy – this is not an advertising moment, it’s a newsworthy moment.
Also, a key distinction from other forms of content marketing: press releases really can’t be scheduled. You want to have a real story to tell, rather than meeting schedule requirements you establish for yourself in other content marketing initiatives.
Lastly, it is vital that you understand the best method for distribution in order to make the most of your press release, once it’s written. You might share it with media contacts you’ve cultivated over time (or research new ones), or you might individually contact a few trusted people. Include your press release on your website and amplify it on appropriate social media channels like Twitter or LinkedIn. Finally, be sure to work-in some SEO-related keywords to give your press release that little bit of extra SEO boost.
Are you ready to crack the code on connecting PR and marketing campaigns? Make ASTRALCOM your partner – we can help you merge your marketing goals with a comprehensive digital strategy. Reach out to learn more about our expertise.
