20 June 2024 |
By - Sudha Mariappan
Media has been around since the 1920s and has been a crucial element in spreading news.
Effective communication is pivotal in many aspects, and it comes down to even the smallest of communication. Whether you're launching a new product, or starting a new partnership, there should be a means of communication where you can set yourself apart from your competitors.
What could that means of communication be?
One tool with which you can powerfully communicate with people, and make them know your worth, is the renowned press release. With media coverage, you can get more publicity hence get more customers for your business.
Press releases have the power to completely build your businesses reputation and to engage with your stakeholders, who are your customers, employees, etc.
Let’s discuss what a press release is, its benefits and how to leverage it to generate media coverage for your business.
A press release is an official written statement issued to the media to announce major events, product launches, or updates.
It mostly intends to give journalists and editors upcoming news to help them create a news story.
So it takes the form of a short newsworthy piece which is mostly structured to answer the "who," "what," "when," "where," and "why" of a story.
Here is how you can write a press release. The typical format of a press release consists of a headline that will grab attention, an introductory paragraph summarizing the story, the body contains detailed information along with the quotes from the source, and often ends with background information on the Company.
A press release is usually followed by contact details for media inquiries to provide journalists with a direct line to someone who can answer more questions.
Effective press releases are informative but also attention-grabbing, so they will have wide appeal among journalists searching for great stories.
They follow a pretty standard format, which means that they are comparatively very easy to spot and process. This gives journalists an instant way to assess the 'newsworthiness' of content.
Not only your content is spread through press releases, but also through numerous channels such as newswire services, email, and through direct pitch to media contacts.
Benefits of Having a Press Release:
If you need exposure tied to the media, which would benefit your business greatly, you would take the opportunity immediately. A press release is an affordable means of getting media exposure.
Although most companies pay for ads, the press release gives businesses a way of getting free publicity because they can share newsworthy stories that attract viewers to take action.
This is usually approved by journalists, and often the news articles are written by them. If your company has done something newsworthy, then such earned media can yield articles, interviews, and features in popular publications.
A press release has the power to cultivate credibility and authority. When a remarkable media publication picks up your news, it lends credibility to your business and really cements your leadership in industry positioning.
For a startup or small business, this could be especially important in building a reputationwithin fiercely competitive markets. Also, the regular distribution of news releases can strengthen your branding by detailing ongoing achievements and developments, telling a story of success and growth.
They drive website traffic and improve search engine optimization.
Think about it, you need SEO for your business one way or another. With this press release feature, when a news website covers your company, it redirects to your company website through backlinks.
It helps your web page rank first by bringing in more visitors. This added visibility gives way to higher engagement, sales, or partnerships.
Press releases also give you the advantage of controlled messages. Unlike social media or any other unofficial channel, the press release will allow you to draft an exact message that goes much closer to reflecting your brand's personality and objectives.
It's controlling the message in such a way that it puts your news before your target audience in the best possible light, minimizing any chances of misinterpretation.
All press releases provide official documentation of your company's history. Each of them is a document contributing to a milestone for the major achievements, and activities over some period. This archived file can become so useful for future reference, providing a thorough timeline regarding the growth and evolution of your business.
How to Generate Media Coverage for Your Business Using a Press Release:
The generation of media coverage using a press release requires a strategic approach based on the combination of writing compelling content, targeting the right audience, and using the best channels of distribution.
Create an Attention-Grabbing Press Release: The foundation of any good media publicity should be based on a press release that is going to create interest and offer value. You can create a catchy headline that clearly conveys what your news is about. To achieve the maximum impact, a press release needs to be attention-grabbing. It should have an eye-catching headline, focus on newsworthy information, provide useful quotes from company executives, use an engaging and compelling writing style, and have a clear call-to-action.
It should be short but descriptive enough to encourage journalists to read more of what it has to say. Follow up with a lead paragraph summarizing only the most critical pieces of your announcement that build curiosity.
The body of the news release needs to contain detailed information that includes all the important facts and figures, key quotes from stakeholders or other individuals, and so on.
It's what lends a human aspect to your story, makes it more personal, and attaches people to it. Make sure that it is clear, free of inaccuracies, and appropriate for a larger audience. Add multimedia components such as images, videos, or infographics to increase the ability of your release to tell a story visually.
Find and Pitch to Relevant Media Outlets: Get in touch with the media and specific journalists that are most relevant for the industry and audience your news story is going to resonate with. You need to find a journalist to match the niche of your business.
Make a note of the publications, blogs, and news sites running stories on topics relevant to your business. This way, you might be able to make a list of journalists and editors who have written articles previously covering subjects like those that your press release describes.
By doing this, you can raise the chances that your press release will get picked up by a tremendous amount because it adds personalization to your pitch.
Distribution is The Key to Media Coverage: To get the most publicity possible, consider using all of the following methods to distribute your news release.
Newswire services can help you distribute the release to thousands of media, even local and national publications of general interest, trade, and industry pubs.
Owned Channels and Social Media: Distribute your news release within the company's social media channels, website, and email newsletters.
Social media is quite an effective means for spreading the news and thereby getting shares, likes, and comments. Coming up with a compelling social media post that includes critical elements from your news release will greatly develop your business.
Don’t forget to add some eye-catching visuals and relevant hashtags if you need it to get more reach. You should probably create a press section on your website, like we have created in our Ontogen press release section, where press releases will all be posted.
This basically creates easy access for journalists researching info about your company and enhances your website's search engine optimization with fresh relevant content.
Follow-up and Pitch: Once you distribute your press release, be sure to follow up with any interested journalists or those who have covered similar topics. Sometimes a friendly email or call can help keep them in mind of your announcement and further provide information if they need it.
But be cautious not to be too much of a pusher, this can ruin relationships with media contacts.
It doesn't end at publishing a press release.
You also need to monitor how the media picks up your coverage, track the performance through analytics, and share major publications across your social media channels, showing your gratitude and the work of media publication.
This is not only a tactic for goodwill towards journalists but also makes sure you get expanded reach of your press coverage.
A well-written press release stands out as one of the greatest tools for getting media coverage out of anything that happens within your business.
Just write compelling content, target the right media, and use effective distribution strategies, and you will witness the increasing visibility of your business in the market.
So take advantage of the press release feature to share your story and communicate effectively with your audience to move your business forward.
Check out our website for more of our services. We’re a digital marketing agency thriving on the satisfaction of our clients, whether local or international. If you’re in need of any services, connect with us at info@ontogendigital.com. Subscribe to us for more blogs.