How Effective Are Press Releases and How to Write a Great One

Those working in the news or PR sector can benefit greatly from technological developments; however, they can face some challenges simultaneously as a result of the rapid changes. 

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The media sector is all about fast-paced work and delivering accurate content on time. Press releases are there to deliver this content and spread it across news outlets using online digital technology. As much as online developments can benefit media personnel and help them curate or spread information, it can also pose its unique challenges when it comes to the effectiveness of press releases. Here is everything you need to know about working on press releases in this day and age, and how you can write effective and engaging releases without facing any challenges. 

What Are Press Releases?

Writing press releases and sending them to media personnel is one of the most traditional methods of getting quick and effective media coverage for a business or a relevant event. Public relations professionals who are keen on developing the marketing strategy for their business or entity constantly work on preparing relevant content that can be spread across media outlets to reach out to the general public. Press releases should have all the relevant content that PR professionals need to get out there to the public so that it can be used in the same condition or tweaked a little by media personnel before being published across different media platforms. 

Reasons Why Press Releases Are Effective

Although the rapid development in online digital technology and the heavy use of social media platforms have made it easy for anyone to share content promptly, press releases are still considered an effective tool when it comes to sharing content with the public. The way people consume content has developed over the years, making it essential for press releases to change accordingly to stay relevant and effective. Many media professionals resort to specific online platforms to get the content they need. As the media professionals from eReleases.com explain in their Comparison: eReleases Versus Newswire.com article,  a press release's success or failure depends on the quality of its content. As long as the press releases are relevant and written concisely in a way that engages the target audience, they will remain an effective marketing tool that can benefit any establishment.  

Connecting PR with Media

The main reason why press releases are a vital tool for any entity or business is that it can easily and quickly connect the PR department of the entity with media outlets. Journalists and other media professionals are always looking for new and different sources of content so that they can engage with their relevant audience. PR professionals can build a strong relationship with media personnel through the use of press releases where they can provide them with a reliable source of content that they can easily use without much of a hassle. 

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Media professionals do not always have the time to curate extra content for their news platforms or sift through large amounts of content online to fill up their websites. PR professionals can come in handy with their newsworthy press releases to aid journalists in their search and gain the perk of spreading their content on a large scale. 

Growing Traffic

Getting people to click on any website is a challenging task. PR professionals work hard on creating online platforms that can attract the relevant audience. Press releases can be quite effective in that regard as they hold relevant information that online users often look for. As long as the PR professional working on the press releases manages to write effective content that follows trending SEO guidelines, that content can be an effective tool in increasing the traffic for any website and in turn increasing the exposure on the desired entity or establishment. 

Building Credibility

Press releases are considered trusted sources of information. The more your organization or business establishment provides updated press releases for their online viewers, the more credible they are likely to be. Brand trust is essential in building a strong business-consumer relationship and press releases can help greatly in that regard. As long as the content written in the releases is accurate and timely, media outlets would happily publish it and consumers would be more willing to engage with the business than they would if there aren't any updated releases with relevant content. 

Engaging with Customers

One of the main concerns of any growing business is how they can reach out to their target audience and effectively engage with customers. Press releases make it easier for companies to engage with their customers by providing them with relevant content that can be spread across multiple online platforms with the help of media personnel. If the press releases are well-crafted, they will attract the attention of the desired customers and lead them to get in touch with the relevant business so that there will be a strong relationship between the two parties. 

Developing Content

When it comes to promoting any business online, engaging content is vital. The effectiveness of press releases in this day and age comes from how timely and concise it is so that it attracts the attention of media personnel and customers alike. You can think of press releases as a way to keep the media and your target audience updated with every little bit of information and news happening in your establishment in a way that will make them keep coming back for more. If journalists find continuously updated content in your press releases, they will be more inclined to publish it and consumers will be more likely to follow that content. 

Writing a Press Release

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If your company or establishment has any news or content that they are looking to share, you need to ensure you write hooking press releases that will get you proper media coverage to help spread the news. There is no one right way to write press releases; however, there are certain factors and elements that you need to include in your releases to make them engaging and effective as sources of information. 

Write Catchy Headlines

The headline of your press release is the first thing anyone sees as soon as they open the release. If you want media outlets and online viewers to read your press releases, you must write catchy headlines that will grasp their attention. Media professionals receive hundreds of press releases daily; so to ensure they choose your business's particular press release to publish, it is vital that you grasp their attention with a killer headline. The headline does not have to be anything clever or sophisticated. You need to keep it simple and ensure it sums up the information that can be found in the press release so that journalists and consumers alike become interested to continue reading the rest of your content. 

Ensure Content Is Newsworthy 

The whole point of any press release is to deliver updated content about an entity or establishment that informs people of new developments. When you try to write an effective press release, you need to take some time to plan your content before you start writing. Make sure you ask yourself if the information you want to include in your press release is actually new and of any value to consumers or media outlets. It is important that you only share information that people will care about and find interesting rather than write releases that have no news value or is of interest to any media outlet. 

Start with Relevant Information

As you begin writing any press release, make sure you keep your punch line at the very beginning of your article. You need to have a killer first sentence and a top paragraph that sums up all the important information y8ou are looking to share. This will help you ensure people continue reading the rest of the press release without losing interest early on. Make sure your opening lines are attractive and relevant so that media outlets would be more inclined to publish the press releases. 

Use Quotes

Including quotes in your press release can make it more effective and reliable to media outlets and consumers. Those reading your releases need to trust the information provided to them; if the content has relevant quotes from trusted sources within your establishment or organization, it will easily make the content more effective. It is important, however, that you use quotes from the right members of staff who can provide a supportive insight or opinion to back up your content rather than simply provide information. 

Keep it Short and Concise 

Short press releases that consist of 300 - 400 words tend to be more effective than longer ones with an abundance of information that nobody has the time to sift through. When you are writing a media release, you need to keep it short and sweet so that people do not get bored and stop reading it. Making your content concise and straight to the point is key to getting media coverage and ensuring customers interact with the releases you publish. Try to spread your content into short paragraphs so that the whole release does not take any longer than a minute or two to read and understand. 

Different Types of Press Releases

Before you start writing a press release, you need to ask yourself what type of release you are trying to share with the public and media outlets. There are various types of press releases and the way you write each one differs depending on the type of information you are trying to share. Here are a couple of the most common types of press releases written by PR professionals on a regular basis. 

General News

News platforms rely heavily on press releases to curate relevant content they can publish to their followers. This makes general news press releases among the most common types of releases written by PR professionals for use by media platforms. These press releases usually include newsworthy information that has to do with vital changes in an establishment or organization or to address certain rumors or speculations. Journalists can specifically ask PR teams in businesses for particular press releases that address certain topics the public would be interested in. Alternatively, PR professionals can write general news releases to update the public on product releases, staff changes, or general news that affects the establishment as a whole. 

Event Announcement

Press releases are often sent to media outlets before anyone else so that they can then share them with their audience on the relevant platforms. In the case of press releases that hold event announcements, the releases can be sent directly to consumers or simply shared on the establishment's website without necessarily needing media professionals as a third-party.

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Event announcements are usually written in an even simpler manner than general news releases where they should just include bullet points that sum up the details of the event in an engaging style. Event press releases can be more toned down in their language so that they attract the target audience and encourage them to actually follow the event. 

Media coverage is incredibly vital for many businesses looking to grow and expand their consumer base. Press releases make it easier for media professionals to curate the content your business has to share and spread it effectively across relevant platforms for prospective consumers to see. In order to ensure that your press releases remain effective and up to date, you need to write concise content that employs the best SEO strategies. It is also important to ensure that your news releases include information that people would be interested in. Remember to set a goal for your press releases so that you know what to include and manage to support the content with insightful quotes that can promote your business successfully.

Micah Soto

Update 08 November 2020