One way to modernize the all-important press release for your business is to give it a catchy headline. This post will talk about the importance of distributing a press release, and include what changes you can make to make it more effective.
We’ve previously shared with you the basics of writing a press release. The news you are sharing should, of course, cover the “who, what, when, where, why and how.” However, you’ll want to employ resources to get them to not only read your release, but to further share and report on it.
Business Wire advises, “Stop hiding your great news content inside a text-only box with a boring headline. The two most important activation elements of a news release are the headline and a supporting multimedia asset.” This refers to photos, as well as videos, and more.
To address an uninteresting headline, refer to Google Trends for headline suggestions. However, you have to have something meaty in the main text body to keep journalists interested. We also advise including some media FAQs, a photo library, and more, on the news section of your site.
Cision, an online press release portal, advises including multimedia to help a release stand out. It touts the use of video press releases or embedding videos into press releases. This helps when a brand needs to show how a product works, or the visual aspect of an announcement.
Cision also suggests linking to one’s blog in a press release to drive traffic. Other ideas you can include: a teaser line, infographics, and tying your headline and story angle into a trendy social responsibility.
Interactive release distribution through companies, such as Cision and PR Newswire, provides metrics on how many people view your news, and can show which parts of a release are the most interesting to reporters.
Entrepreneur.com sums it up nicely, offering extra tips on distribution: “Yes, companies still use press releases as a means to spread their news, but it is not only limited to that. These days, companies and their agencies have started adopting newer and faster ways such as directly pitching to the journalist, or collaborating with a blogger to publish it. It is easier to publish news and information online and amplify it through social media. This will help you increase your reach as well as engagement.”
