What All Successful Press Releases Have in Common
Distributing a press release online makes for an excellent opportunity to spread information about your small business to a massive target audience. Some of the best instances in which to issues a press release include:
- Announcing a new partnership for your business.
- The release of a new product or service.
- Improving brand image by relaying positive information about your business, such as successful customer service stories or product reviews.
- Your business’ involvement in special events, like attending a tradeshow or hosting a grand opening.
However, don’t make the mistake of issuing a press release for routine matters or internal office issues. As the name would imply, a press release should only be issued when you have newsworthy information that’s both relevant and interesting to your target audience, not simply when you want a little free advertising.
Once you have a good reason to actually create a press release, it’s recommended that it:
- Have an attention grabbing headline
- Remains short and to the point
- Include compelling quotes
- Offer resources for learning more
Attention Grabbing Headline
With so many readily available sources of information, the first hurdle you need to overcome is finding a way to stand out from the competition and win the attention of readers. Using just a few words, explain the topic your press release is covering and why it’s beneficial to the reader to pay attention to what you’re saying. Include a teaser as well to generate curiosity and motivate readers to find out more.
Get to the Point
The average attention span of humans is roughly 8 seconds, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. To help ensure that readers absorb your message, keep press releases short and too the point. Additionally, make sure to summarize all pertinent points in the first couple of sentences. While more detail can follow in the body paragraphs found later on in the press release, getting to the point quickly will help you better connect with readers
Include Compelling Quotes
To support your cause and make what your relating more compelling, use quotes. The type of quote you use will depend on what you want to achieve from your press release. Your business could incorporate a quote from a spokesperson of your brand to enhance the significance of the news or include a testimonial from a customer to add credence to any claims you make about your product.
Offer Resources
Provide readers with outlets where they can find more information and that encourages them to learn more. Include links to both your business’ website and any other sites that offer additional useful content. Also make sure to add information that covers the basics of your company, as well as contact info.
The Internet marketing firm Wisdek has found that 64 percent of journalists use search engines to follow the news, and more than 80 million people get their news online every day. No matter what the purpose of your press release or which online media outlet you choose to help spread your message, distributing a press release that includes these four basic components greatly enhances your likelihood of effectively communicating your message to the biggest target audience possible.