Key Strategies to Use a Press Release to Promote Business Successfully
A press release always states something newsworthy regarding a product, service, event, or other elements related to a business. Business owners and individuals these days follow a trend or focus on an upcoming event or holiday which can easily gain more publicity due to the occasion. However, the targeted audiences are less interested in your business agenda which makes self-serving PRs a waste of time and money. Incorporating the elements that the readers want will help the PR gain more publicity as well as the concerning business.
Many startup companies and small-scale businesses are emerging in the field. They require more attention and exposure from the market. While they are many promotional strategies; PR has proved itself as the most effective and convenient medium for the purpose. Know how to use a press release to promote business effectively by following these five practices.
1. The Traditional Way
Follow the traditional format of press release writing and find individual journalists and reporters to pitch your PR. Send a separate pitch mail for every individual and send them the content by attaching a PDF format through the mail.
2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
With attention to detail and relevant keywords, a press release can get more powerful. PRs are able to grab more attention when a relevant keyword with a high search value is present in the title and the first paragraph. It does only increases the visibility of the PR for many readers to go through, but also significantly improves the business’s online visibility on the search engine result page (SERP). You can use press releases for SEO since there is an option to anchor text links to specific web pages of the business website. As a result, potential customers and investors can easily reach out with proper optimization of the content.
3. Press Release as Background Material
PR works as a reliable source of information for every activity. So, the press release can be sent to review bloggers who will provide a review of the company’s products and services. The release can offer relevant and important information regarding the product or the service. However, make sure to go through proper research before opting for a blogger.
4. To Establish Expertise
Everyone prefers to listen to an explanation that is offered by an expert only. It is quite natural that the readers want to know an expert opinion regardless of the topic. If you are quite knowledgeable in the matter, you can establish yourself as an expert or you can even position other persons as an expert in the field. This works remarkably for trending topics and current affairs.
5. Hot Topics and New Information
Even though press releases are solely written to promote businesses; it is not necessary to talk about a single business always. Making releases on the newest industry trends makes you appear like a knowledgeable person as well as helps convey the position of the industry and how it is influencing it. You can also consider other complementary businesses and blend them together to depict the growth of the industry.
These practices will definitely cater to the attention of an emerging business. But there are many other activities that a business can perform with help of PRs. Let’s have a better look at it,
• Bring More Web Traffic to Business Website
You can also post a link to the press release on the business website which helps to bring more web traffic and online engagement. Make sure to craft a framing post along with an introductory paragraph and add the link to your blog. In case, you distribute your press release every month; you can add the news link as well. You will be astonished at how many clicks and online engagements come through the news.
• Utilize the Social Media
It is not unknown how social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and many others have become potential hubs for online users. Make sure to utilize these platforms to gain more attention.
However, a press release is a time-sensitive document and it should be handled with care in case of distribution. Even if you make occasional releases; there is the right time for each individual PR to be published based on the purpose. Now the biggest question is,
What is the Right Time for a Press Release?
• Makes sure to complete the press release 3-4 weeks in advance of promotion. It is important since research and pitching the release to the right person takes adequate time. Make your research, check the submission guidelines, and then email it to the right person who has intricate knowledge regarding the industry and handles such content regularly. Having ample time allows for making follow-ups as well as corrections if needed.
• Short time frames are preferable in the case of online news. Experts say it is better to post 1-2 prior to a holiday which offers more visibility by the holiday. For example, content regarding Christmas will get the most attention in the month of December only.
• The case of the press releases which accompany a blogger requires a head start of 4 to 6 weeks. However, it is a long time and bloggers can forget about it since they receive a ton of pitches every day. So, if you are unable to get a response within 3 weeks; send them a gentle reminder.
• In case of the magazines, crafting the content in advance helps to gain more potential users.
Final Take on PRs for Small Businesses
Small businesses require more exposure than big-scale businesses since they are gradually paving their way through the industry. PR plays a vital role in this organic growth that strengthens the business relationship while enhancing its growth and exposure. It is also one of the most affordable marketing options which small companies can easily opt for.
I am Jessica Gonzalez and i have over 16 years experience in the financial services industry giving me a vast understanding of how news affects the financial markets. She is an active day trader spending the majority of my time analyzing earnings reports and watching commodities and derivatives. I have a Masters Degree in Economics from Westminster University with previous roles counting Investment Banking.
