Publishing The Best Press Release Possible
Posted by Gina S., Operations Manager, Articlez.com
In the past, press releases were written in hopes of a larger newspaper picking it up and providing extra exposure for a company. These days, that’s still the primary desire, but online press releases compete with a number of outlets for exposure. Today, there are a number of ways to publish a PR.
PUBLISH IT ON YOUR OWN SITE
This is a kind of hit and miss way to do things, but if you have a controversial topic the wire services won’t pick up such as cannabis, weight loss supplements or gambling, publishing your own PR could be a good idea.
PRESS RELEASE DIRECTORIES
As a comprehensive online directory, directories house all kinds of press releases, a database for journalists to search for information regarding topics they’re writing on. Your press release could be accessed here…if the topic is in demand.
JOURNALISTS IN PARTICULAR NICHE
When you’ve been in the business a while, you get to know the writers who cover your industry. By distributing your press release to these professionals, you have a good chance of having your information picked up.
Whatever way you decide to go when it comes to publishing your PR, one thing is for certain. If it’s not well written, it will never see the light of day. With focused, targeted copy, you can capture the attention of readers, providing them to-the-point information about your product or service.
Below are some tips to keep in mind when writing your PR or when giving instructions on having the PR written for you.
—Have A Decided Angle. Anything can be the topic of a PR from a spring sale to the hiring of a new general manager, but if you’re hiring a company such as Articlez to write it, provide them with the news in the instructions.
—Make Your Keywords Natural and Grammatically Correct. Remember, a writer can only use the keywords as you provide them, so if your keyword is plumber in Wichita, don’t give it to the writer as PLUMBER in wichita, as that’s exactly as they will have to use it, and it makes your company look bad in the process.
—If Writing Your Own PR, Do Not Use the Words “You” or “Your”. While they can be used within a quote, you aren’t writing directly to the reader as you would in sales copy, but issuing a news story, instead.
—Put in a Boiler Plate At The End of The PR…an “about us” section if you will, but written in 3rd Person.
—Use Short, Easy to Read Paragraphs, as online reading is much different than newspaper or magazine reading. It’s difficult on the eyes and short paragraphs make reading easier.
—Bullets Cannot Be Used in a PR. This is not a typical article like you might post on your blog or on a website. Instead, it’s a news articles and bullets are not acceptable.
—Provide the Responsible Party’s Information, one who could be contacted in the future if the article is picked up by other news sources.
—Don’t Overdo It.Press releases should not be released more than once a month for optimal exposure.
Ultimately, PR writing is a learned art form, and if you’re not familiar with the nuances, you could be costing your company the exposure it desires by trying to wing it by yourself. By providing all the information to us, we can write a professional, easy to read Press Release about your business or services. Try us out today.
