A good press release gets your story in front of a lot of eyes. And, unlike a feature written by a reporter, you control the narrative. With strong storytelling and a calculated strategy, your press release can bring the extra, extra exposure your brand needs.
What is a Press Release?
A press release (also called a news release or media statement) is a prepared announcement that companies distribute to news and media outlets. Press releases can build brand authority and credibility while getting the word out about your products and services.
With a strong press release, your business can generate social signals, drive shares, build targeted and organic traffic, generate public interest and potentially score major media coverage — or what’s known in the marketing and advertising industry as earned media.
When and Why to Use PR
Did something big happen within your company? That’s the perfect time to distribute a press release. These “big” events might include a product launch, grand opening, industry honor or award, significant new hire, business milestone, company rebranding, new partnership, sponsorship or philanthropic activity. If it’s of interest to your industry or consumers, then it’s probably fair game for a press release.
You can send your press release to newspapers, radio stations, TV news outlets, podcasts or blogs. With many distribution services, your release can be targeted regionally, nationally or globally depending on your company’s goals, size and location.
Advantages of Press Releases
- Instant impact that can drive sales.
- Greater ability to control your message.
- Targeted distribution to reach your industry and consumer demographics.
- Improved SEO and social media reach through keyword optimization of headlines, videos and images.
- Access to a dashboard of performance analytics (with some distribution services).
- Effective branding tool to give your company greater visibility, credibility and authority.
- Potential pathway to free news coverage.
Tips for Writing an Effective Press Release
Make sure your topic is newsworthy and come up with an angle that’s interesting to your audience. Then grab your readers’ attention with a compelling headline. Remember not to bury the lead. Use good journalistic style and start with the most important information straight at the top and answer the basic questions: who, what, when, where, why and how.
Your story has a better chance of being picked up if it can be published with minimal editing, so make sure it has stand-alone interest and doesn’t read like an advertisement. One way to do this is by relating your release to a trending topic or incorporating proprietary data, if possible.
Feature a quote that’s catchy, humorous, inspiring or intriguing. Having a professional write, edit and proof your release can help it stand out from the crowd. And make sure the format conforms to AP style and the guidelines of your distribution company.
Our marketing professionals can create a winning PR strategy for your business or brand. Contact Kymera today to plan, write and distribute your next big press release, and get ready to “read all about it!”
