Top 10 Tips for Successfully Submitting Press Releases
Struggling with submitting press releases? This guide simplifies the process, offering clear steps on writing, targeting media contacts, and following up to ensure your news gets the attention it deserves.
Key Takeaways
Craft a clear, engaging, and structured press release focused on newsworthy content to attract media attention.
Build a targeted media contact list and research relevant journalists to ensure optimal distribution of press releases.
Utilize social media and track press release performance to enhance visibility and gain insights for future submissions.
Crafting an Effective Press Release
An effective press release is the foundation of any successful media campaign. The first step is to ensure that your story is genuinely newsworthy. Announcements tied to local events, special promotions, or significant milestones such as anniversaries are excellent examples of newsworthy content. Before you even begin writing, identify a unique angle that will make your press release relevant and interesting to your target audience.
The structure of a press release is crucial for readability and engagement. Typically, a standard press release format includes a header, body, and boilerplate, and it should be no longer than one page or 500 words. The header should feature an attention-grabbing headline that evokes urgency and curiosity. A compelling headline should be under 100 characters and use strong action verbs to maximize its impact. The introduction, often referred to as the “lede,” must be engaging as many journalists only read the first few lines.
The body of the press release should provide detailed information, incorporating engaging elements like statistics and quotes. Including quotes from relevant stakeholders can make the content more relatable and engaging, encouraging audience interaction. Avoid using jargon and be mindful of your audience to ensure clarity in your press release. Don’t forget to end with a clear call to action to encourage potential customers or media contacts to engage further.
Accuracy and proper formatting cannot be overstated. Grammatical errors and spelling mistakes can easily damage the credibility of your press release. It’s important to proofread carefully to avoid these issues. Ensure that all content related to the press release is accurate and free from errors to maintain a professional image. Additionally, always include contact information in your press release so journalists can easily reach out for more details or interviews.
In summary, a well-crafted press release correctly should be:
Newsworthy
Well-structured
Engaging
Accurate
Following these guidelines will help you create press releases that attract media attention and achieve your public relations goals.
Building a Media Contact List
A targeted media contact list ensures your press release reaches the right journalists and editors. Sending press releases to unrelated journalists can lead to your story reaching the wrong audience and being ignored. Select recipients who specialize in your subject matter to enhance the relevance of your press release. It's important to ensure that press releases are sent only to journalists who cover relevant topics to avoid being labeled as spam.
Building a media contact list involves two main steps: researching media outlets and compiling media contacts. Both are equally important to ensure that your press release is distributed to the right people.
Let’s dive into each step in more detail.
Research Media Outlets
Ensure you have a newsworthy topic and sufficient information to support your story before researching media outlets. Knowing the demographics, interests, and behaviors of the media outlet’s audience will help you align your press release with their content. This alignment is crucial for ensuring that your press release reaches the right audience and gains traction.
Look at past articles written by journalists to identify those who are interested in your type of story. Targeting the right journalists increases the chances of your release being picked up and covered. On the other hand, sending unsolicited press release emails can be considered spam and harm your relationships with journalists.
Compiling Media Contacts
Once you’ve identified the right relevant media outlets, the next step is to find and compile media contacts. Start by identifying editors, journalists, and reporters who are interested in your news. Tools like the Prowly media database can be very helpful in finding relevant journalists quickly. Subscription databases of editors and publishers can also save you time in researching media contacts. Use distribution services, like PR Newswire or Business Wire, to reach targeted media outlets.
Keep your media contact list up-to-date, as journalists frequently change jobs, roles, and email addresses. Verify a publication’s lead time and editorial calendar before pitching your press release to ensure it fits within their schedule. This careful attention to detail will enhance the effectiveness of your press release distribution.
Writing a Compelling Email Pitch
Crafting a compelling email pitch is an art. Begin with a personalized greeting to establish a connection with the journalist. Mention why you’re specifically reaching out to them and reference their previous related articles to show that you’ve done your homework. This personalization increases the chances of your pitch being well-received.
The body of your email should be concise and to the point. Explain why your news is relevant to the journalist’s audience and highlight any unique angles that make your story stand out. Including expert sources can also strengthen the story’s appeal. Double-check for errors and refine the content to increase the chances of a positive reception.
End your email with a well-structured call to action, emphasizing the importance and relevance of your story. The conclusion should restate the call to action and include any last useful information, ensuring that the journalist knows exactly what to do next. A compelling email pitch can make all the difference in getting your press release noticed.
Timing Your Press Release Submission
Timing is everything when it comes to press release submission. Releasing a press release too early or too late can overshadow it with other news. The best times to send press releases are in the morning, particularly between 10 AM and 2 PM, for optimal engagement. Tuesdays and Thursdays generally yield higher visibility compared to other days. Thursday is the best day to send press releases, with an average open rate above 26%.
Press releases sent on weekends are less likely to be seen by journalists. Similarly, sending press releases in the afternoon, particularly from 2 PM to 6 PM, is often ineffective due to journalists winding down their work.
Analyzing your target audience’s media consumption patterns helps determine the best timing for your press release distribution. Analyzing data from email tracking tools can provide insights into when your audience is most engaged with press releases.
Consider the news cycle and how busy certain days might be for journalists when scheduling your press release. Carefully timing your press release submission maximizes its visibility and impact.
Using Press Release Distribution Services
Press release distribution services are vital tools for marketing and communicating with journalists, providing crucial media exposure. These services connect media professionals with a variety of news outlets to ensure the distribution of press releases. They can broadcast news to thousands of contacts, allowing targeted distributing press releases by category and location. Press release distribution services can help avoid spam filters by sending through established connections. Paid press release services can enhance this process further.
Specialist services provide better results, faster, and at a lower cost compared to other methods. Press release distribution services ensure that your press release reaches journalists’ inboxes and gains the desired media attention.
Let’s explore the differences between free and paid services and how to choose the right one for your needs. EIN Presswire is recommended for small businesses for its affordability and reach, starting at $99.95.
Free vs. Paid Distribution Services
Free press release services are accessible to everyone, making them a good option for those with limited budgets. However, they often suffer from low-quality offerings and can be overwhelmed with submissions. Only a small fraction of free press release sites are deemed effective for meaningful distribution.
Paid services, on the other hand, can broadcast news to thousands of contacts and offer targeted distribution by category and location. Selecting the right press release distribution service effectively reaches your target audience. Weigh the trade-offs of reach, quality, and budget when deciding between free and paid services.
Choosing the Right Service
Choosing a distribution service should align with your business objectives and budget constraints. ACCESSWIRE is recommended for small to medium enterprises seeking personalized support and comprehensive tools. Consider the specific needs of your press release campaign and select a service that offers the best value for your investment.
A good distribution service guides you through the entire process, from crafting the press release to targeting the right media outlets. This personalized approach ensures that your press release reaches the right person and gains the desired media attention.
Choose a reputable distribution service that aligns with your goals.
Submitting to Local Media Outlets
Submitting press releases to local media outlets can greatly improve a business’s visibility. This action is particularly beneficial for local businesses. Local newspapers, trade journals, radio stations, and TV stations are all valuable targets for press release distribution. To effectively reach your local audience, it’s important to target the right media outlets and ensure the correct submission process.
Start by crafting the press release itself, including a boilerplate message and ending with ### or -30-, indicating the end of the release. Ensuring that your press release email is sent to the direct email addresses of journalists increases the chances of publication. Journalists prefer receiving press releases directly in the body of the email rather than as an attachment to improve read rates. If you send a press release to a generic email address, it is likely to remain unseen by the targeted journalist.
Assignment editors rely on press releases to stay informed about community or industry happenings, so timely and relevant submissions are crucial. Targeting local media outlets helps gain credibility, reach a wider audience, and attract customers to your business.
Leveraging Social Media Platforms
Using social media platforms effectively can greatly enhance the reach and engagement of your press release. Share published links of your press releases to maximize visibility and interaction. Involving bloggers, podcast hosts, and social media influencers as additional recipients can broaden the exposure of your press release.
Crafting attention-grabbing headlines tailored for social media is crucial as they differ from standard press releases. Incorporating visual elements like videos in social media press releases can effectively showcase the product in action and enhance viewer engagement. Live streaming announcements on platforms like Instagram and Facebook enhances real-time audience engagement and brand awareness.
Leveraging social media platforms helps reach a broader audience and attract more media attention. This approach increases the visibility of your press release and engages your target market in a more dynamic and interactive way.
Tracking Press Release Performance
Tracking the performance of your press release is crucial for understanding its impact and effectiveness. Start by tracking the number of media mentions to assess the visibility of your media coverage. Analyzing engagement metrics, such as shares and comments, can provide insights into how audiences are interacting with your press coverage.
Analytics tools track how journalists interact with your emails, guiding your follow-up strategy. Tracking how many journalists opened your email provides insight into their level of engagement with your press release. Various tools like press release distribution service analytics dashboards can provide valuable metrics. Competitor media activity can also be tracked through press release monitoring, offering insights into their strategies and announcements. Many press release distribution services offer analytics to track the success of press releases.
Sentiment analysis can be performed to gauge public perception of your brand based on press release coverage. Tracking performance helps refine your press release strategy and improve future submissions.
Following Up with Journalists
Following up with journalists reminds them about your press release and provides additional insights. A well-timed follow-up can significantly enhance the visibility of your press release. Following up with journalists after distributing a press release can help gauge their interest and provide additional information if needed. However, it’s important to limit follow-ups to avoid coming across as overly persistent or intrusive.
Offering exclusive information or interviews during follow-ups can entice journalists to engage more deeply. Adding something new, like a fresh angle or interesting points, makes follow-ups more compelling.
When following up, avoid asking if journalists have read your press release to maintain professionalism. Effective follow-ups increase the chances of your press release being covered and gaining valuable media attention.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Submitting a press release with poor quality writing, including typos and awkward phrasing, undermines professionalism. Tools like Grammarly can help check for grammatical errors to ensure the press release maintains credibility. Grammatical errors can damage the trustworthiness of a press release.
Low-quality services and spammy content sites can undermine the effectiveness of a press release. Instead of sending the same story with a new headline, try a different press release angle or hook. Avoiding these common mistakes will improve the chances of your press release being successful.
Summary
In summary, successfully submitting press releases involves crafting a compelling story, building a targeted media contact list, writing a compelling email pitch, timing your submission correctly, using distribution services, and leveraging social media platforms. Tracking performance and following up with journalists are also crucial steps in the process. Avoiding common mistakes will further enhance the effectiveness of your press release strategy.
By following these tips, you can create press releases that attract media attention and achieve your public relations goals. Remember, the key to a successful press release is a combination of strategy, timing, and engagement. Good luck!
Curious to learn more about how Salient PR can elevate your public relations? Visit our website to explore our services and success stories.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a press release effective?
An effective press release is newsworthy, engaging, and well-structured, ensuring it captures attention while delivering accurate information. Prioritizing clarity and relevance will enhance its impact.
How do I build a media contact list?
To build a media contact list, focus on researching relevant media outlets and utilize tools like media databases and LinkedIn to gather contacts effectively. This approach will ensure you have a targeted and comprehensive list for your outreach efforts.
When is the best time to send a press release?
The optimal time to send a press release is between 10 AM and 2 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This timing increases visibility and engagement. Wednesday and Fridays are the worst days to send press releases, as they can get lost in inboxes.
Should I use free or paid press release distribution services?
If you're looking for wider reach and more quality, paid press release distribution services are generally the better option. However, if you're working with a limited budget, free services can still be valuable for basic distribution.
How can I track the performance of my press release?
To effectively track the performance of your press release, utilize analytics tools that monitor media mentions, engagement metrics, and sentiment analysis. Track key metrics such as media pickups and website traffic to evaluate press release effectiveness. This will provide valuable insights into the reach and impact of your release.
