Press releases are a great way to get your business or organization in front of journalists, but they’re not all that useful unless you distribute them properly. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps of distributing your press release to ensure that it meets its intended audience and isn’t lost in the shuffle.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Understand the Different Types of Press Releases |
| 2. Identify Your Target Audience and Media Outlets |
| 3. Craft an Engaging and Newsworthy Headline |
| 4. Create a Compelling Press Release Body |
| 5. Incorporate Relevant Keywords and SEO Optimization |
| 6. Utilize Multimedia Elements to Enhance Visibility |
| 7. Personalize Pitches for Journalists and Media Contacts |
| 8. Leverage Social Media Platforms for Distribution |
| 9. Consider Using Press Release Distribution Services |
| 10. Send to Local, Industry-Specific, and National Outlets |
| 11. Build Relationships with Journalists and Media |
| 12. Monitor and Measure the Success of Your Distribution Efforts |
| 13. Adjust and Refine Your Strategy Based on Analytics |
| 14. Utilize Email Outreach for Targeted Distribution |
Create A Press Release Distribution List
You’ve spent weeks and months preparing your press release campaign. Now, it’s time to send out the information so that media outlets can share your story with their readers, viewers, and listeners. The first step towards this is creating a distribution list for all of your press releases.
So what does a distribution list entail? Well, there are some things you need to make sure of before adding someone’s name to your list:
Building a strong foundation for your press release strategy involves understanding different types of releases. Explore our guide on mastering various press release types to enhance your press coverage tactics.
Correct Contact Information: Name, Email Address, And Title Are Crucial
Correct gender: It’s important to know whether or not someone is male or female when sending them emails (especially if you’re contacting an editor)
Location information: Even if they don’t live in New York City as you do!
Send your press release to the right people at the right time.
Choosing the right news cycle to release your content is important. If you’re releasing a press release about a new product launch, for example, then it would make sense to send that out on a Friday or Monday morning (when people are most likely to read it). If you have an event that you want to be covered by the media, then sending your press release on a weekday could work well.
You should also consider seasonal trends when choosing when to distribute your press releases.
For example, if you’re promoting an office Christmas party or festive sale in December/January then it might be best not to send out your release until after the holidays so that it doesn’t get lost amongst all of the other Christmas-related news stories coming out at this time of year.
Choose A Press Release Distribution Service That’s Right For You
You’ve determined the type of distribution service that you need. Now it’s time to pick one. This is an important decision, because there are different types of services, with different price points and features.
Consider your goals first: is it a local or national story? Do you want a press release distribution service with a large reach, or are you willing to pay more for more targeted distribution?
Once you have this information in hand, look at each service’s website and review its features and pricing structure.
Make sure that they offer all the features that suit your needs and make sure they provide them at a reasonable price! If a service has good reviews from past clients (whether on their site or others), ask if they can offer any referrals who can share their own experiences using the company’s services (and be wary if they don’t have any).
Finally: make sure the company will distribute your newsworthy announcement at the right time for maximum impact!
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Consider Your Audience
It’s important to consider your audience when distributing a press release. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
Who is my target audience?
What do they know about my company or brand, and how can I educate them further?
What do they care about?
Why should they care about this press release?
Once you’ve answered these questions, it will be much easier to distribute your press release effectively.
Write Your Headline With Seo In Mind, Too.
The next step is to write your headline. The headline is what will draw people in, so make it catchy and relevant to the content of your press release. To do this, there are a few things you need to keep in mind:
Make Sure That Keywords Are Used Appropriately
Make sure that the keywords used in the body of the press release are relevant to what’s being discussed in that section. When writing about an event, for example, you should use keywords related specifically to that event (e.g., “annual” or “celebrating”).
You should also use industry-specific terms when referring back to previous company achievements (e.g., “We have been recognized as one of Chicago’s top startups”) or talking about plans (“Our goal is…”).
Customize Your Subject Line
A catchy subject line will get the attention of your audience. It should be related to the story and include keywords that match the content of your press release.
Make sure it’s short and sweet so that readers can see the rest of your message quickly, then decide whether or not they want to read it. Your goal is to pique interest and intrigue, not scare away potential buyers by being too long or complicated in this section.
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Include Pictures And Videos When Relevant
As you’re writing your press release, think about the images or videos that would help to illustrate your story and make it more memorable. If you have a video of a product in action, include that in the body of your press release as well. This will help to emphasize and expand upon what is being said by adding visual elements to the text.
If you have any pictures of what’s going on, include those as well! For example: if there is a new product being introduced that has been designed by an individual who works at your company (or even yourself).
Consider including photos from when they were first conceptualizing this idea through all stages until completion. Adding these kinds of images will make readers more interested in learning about what drove them to create it because they’ll be able to see exactly how far along each step was taken before reaching its final form!
Make Sure Your Contact Information Is Correct And Easy To Find
Include a phone number. You must make it easy for people to call or email you, so include an easily-accessible number in the body of your press release. If someone wants more information about your product or service, they can reach out directly from their desktops instead of having to hunt down a separate contact form on your website.
Include an email address don’t rely solely on social media platforms as your main means of communication! Email addresses often get lost in the shuffle when it comes to social media posts, so including one directly in any communications with journalists will help ensure that there are no missed opportunities for engagement between you and them.
Later on down the road when another story pops up around similar topics using different sources/sources who may not be aware of how much interest exists within those communities because they weren’t sent out any press releases before now…
Find A Local Angle For A National Press Release
The next step is to find a local angle for the press release. You want to pick something that will appeal to the journalists at your target news outlets. This can be anything from a connection between your company and their city, or even just a mention of something happening in their community that ties into your product or service.
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Test The Waters Before You Make A Big Splash With A National Press Release Campaign, Though
Before you make a big splash with a national press release campaign, though, it’s smart to first test the waters. A pilot test is an excellent way to see if your newsworthy story is worth investing in and if the facts are correct. If your pilot test was successful, then go ahead with distributing the full version of your press release.
You Can Conduct A Pilot Test In One Of Two Ways
1) Send out just one article about your new product/service or even just an email highlighting what you’re doing; or
2) Follow up with every single publication that has previously covered any stories related to what you do by sending them another article or email detailing more information about what you are up to now
Research The News Anchors And Reporters Who Cover Stories About Your Business Or Industry
So, you’ve written your press release and are ready to distribute it. Before you hit send on that email, there’s one more important step: research the news anchors and reporters who cover stories about your business or industry.
Go to Google News or the local newspaper’s website and look up the names of the news anchors and reporters who cover stories about your business or industry.
Now that you know who will be most likely to see your press release, make sure they see it by following these next steps!
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Think Of Online Editors When Pitching Traditional Media Outlets, Too
Another trick is to think of online editors as a way to get your press release in front of a wider audience. While traditional media outlets are still the best way to reach large numbers of people, many smaller ones don’t publish their releases on their websites.
If you’re trying to target a specific demographic, it might be beneficial for you to send your press release directly to an online editor at the publication who can then share it with the rest of the staff via social media or email.
Also keep in mind that while many generalist news sites have strict deadlines (the same day), most specialty magazines and niche blogs can take longer (one week).
If your subject matter isn’t time-sensitive and has been covered before, consider sending it out later when other publications are putting together their next issue or month’s newsletter or just updating their website and will need fresh content anyway.
Don’t forget trade publications! They can be an invaluable part of your press release distribution strategy. (And they’re likely to come green-lighted with an influencer seal of approval.)
Remember that trade publications can be an invaluable part of your press release distribution strategy. (And they’re likely to come green-lighted with an influencer seal of approval.)
Trade publications are niche outlets dedicated to a particular industry or profession. They can be great places to find some new readers and get your name out there plus they tend to have a large online presence, so they could help you build up your online authority. Many trade publications are also free for anyone to read!
The people who write these articles are usually experts in their field, so if you’re looking for content that is well researched and written by someone who knows what they’re talking about? These are the places for you.
Time your release strategically (and make sure it gets there on time).
Now that you’ve put together your release, here are some additional tips for sending it out:
Send your press release at the end of a month or quarter. You want to make sure that the information and research you provide in your release gets published when people are most likely to see it.
Therefore, if you send it on the last day of a month, there’s more time for editors to review what they’re seeing before they go into their next issue.
Similarly, if you’re trying to reach key decision makers at certain companies (like banks or other financial institutions), sending it during major meetings can help ensure that those decision makers have time to read through everything before making any commitments themselves.*
Make sure your press releases get there on time! It might seem like common sense, but one of the biggest mistakes we see is failing to account for lag times between when something is sent out and when people receive it.
Always double-check yourself by contacting someone else who has access directly from where yours was posted online; this way if there are any issues with delivery or reception (which do happen), then hopefully they’ll be able to put things right as soon as possible so nothing slips through the cracks!
Press Releases Can Be Valuable If You Distribute Them Correctly
You can use press releases to get media attention for your business, product, or service.
You can use press releases to get links from popular websites that drive traffic to your website and help build credibility for you as a brand (in addition to directing traffic back to yours).
You can also use press releases as part of a content marketing strategy that drives sales for your business or product/service.
Conclusion
If you want your press release to be read, you need to do more than just send it out. You need to think about who will most likely cover it and what they need from you, then make sure that information is included in the right places. With a little bit of research and planning, though, you can build up a huge audience for your next newsworthy announcement!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to further your understanding of press release distribution:
HubSpot’s Guide to Press Release Distribution Short Description: Explore HubSpot’s comprehensive guide to press release distribution, covering strategies, best practices, and effective channels.
Prezly Academy: Press Release Distribution – The What, Where & Who of Press Releases Short Description: Discover the essential aspects of press release distribution with insights on what, where, and who should receive your press releases.
Respona Blog: Press Release Distribution Short Description: Dive into Respona’s blog post on press release distribution, offering tips and tactics for optimizing your distribution strategy.
FAQs
What is the importance of press release distribution?
Press release distribution is crucial for getting your news in front of the right audience, increasing brand visibility, and attracting media attention to your announcements.
How do I choose the right distribution channels for my press release?
Select distribution channels based on your target audience and industry. Consider newswires, industry-specific platforms, and social media channels to maximize reach.
What are some best practices for effective press release distribution?
Effective press release distribution involves crafting a compelling headline, including relevant keywords, utilizing multimedia elements, and sending personalized pitches to journalists.
Can press release distribution help with SEO?
Yes, well-distributed press releases can improve SEO by generating backlinks and increasing online visibility. Including optimized keywords and providing valuable content enhances the SEO benefits.
How can I measure the success of my press release distribution?
Monitoring metrics such as media coverage, website traffic, backlinks, social shares, and engagement can help gauge the effectiveness of your press release distribution strategy.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.