The Secret To Writing Killer Press Releases
Press releases have long been a standby for launching new websites and initiatives. Press release news wires are the source of many of the news items you see on a daily basis throughout the blogosphere and in the media.
When you write a press release, you basically need one thing: a story.
A press release is an introduction to a media outlet telling them that you have an angle. It lets them know that you have something worthy of discussion. Keep in mind – the media survives on finding the next new thing. Depending on how you frame your story, that could be you!
A press release isn’t your company in the spotlight. It isn’t 700 words about your company. To be successful, you have to tie it to something.
Tying Your Press Release To A Noteworthy Topic
In order to write a successful press release, you have to either turn your story into a noteworthy topic, or tie it into something that has been deemed noteworthy in the recent past. Basically, a press release is just a teaser to coax the media into writing about you. It’s not an advertisement. It’s telling the world that you have a solution for a problem that it has!
For example, going “green” is a noteworthy topic. You see press releases all the time about this one – who is environmentally friendly, and that who is promoting sustainability. But was the topic noteworthy 10 years ago? Nope. Do you think you would see those kind of press releases then? Not a chance.
Spin Your Web
To get spotted by the media, you need an angle. You need to spin your web.
A good press release ties into current topics that are already hot buttons in the market. The best way to open it up – a clear and compelling headline telling consumers what they will be receiving.
To make a long story short, you have to solve a problem for them. If what you are talking about in your press release doesn’t solve a problem, save your breath and your time. It won’t get reprinted.
But if you are solving a problem that they are actively looking for an answer to, your phones will be ringing off the hook.
Think Of A Press Release As An Invitation
One tip for success – when you’re writing a press release, think of it as an invitation. You want the ‘end reader’ to call you for more information or visit your website for a free download. The release itself isn’t designed to be a sales letter, it’s designed to be a story that will interest the reader.
In other words, you want to generate interest.
A List of Press Release Sites
To aid in your press release distribution, we have created a list of online distribution services. Some of them are free, some you have to pay for. We have listed the ones that are free (to the best of our knowledge) and those that require a fee.
Free Press Release Websites:
Press Release Sites That Require Payment:
- eReleases.com – $299 to $399
- MassMediaDistribution.com – $199 to $399
- eWorldWire.com – $99 to $500
- PowerQuill – $69 to $99
- PublicityGuaranteed.com – $195 to $2850
- 24-7pressrelease.com – $299
- PRweb.com – $169 to $619
- PressReleasePros – $189 to $259
- PressRelease365.com – $24.95 to $99.95
- Advanced-PR.com – $199 to $1465
- SBwire.com – $19.95
- EmpireNewsWire.com – ??
- AutomatedPR.com – $50 to $1200
- URLwire.com – $395 to $695
- xpresspress.com – $250 to $395
Anyone have any to add to the list? Or any thoughts in writing great press releases?
Just a note with press release sites – those free or too-good-to-be-free services that offer to write you a PR for peanuts AND distribute them?
Avoid them.
A good press release is fairly expensive, and with good reason. If you want someone to read your press release and spread the news, you have to entertain them and tell a story worth reading in the first place. Boring? Blase? Monotone? Good luck with that.
We get a *lot* of people coming to us for remedial services. They pay $25 for a press release and free submission and get no traffic or results. It’s wasted money and time.
While I really hate using the phrase, “You get what you pay for” (because I believe that’s crap), in the case of PRs, it’s true.
@James – Excellent point. You do get what you pay for in terms of PR sites and releases.
While I operate in both the online and traditional marketing space, I have used a number of paid services for PR distribution. For each, I have written my own copy or had a consultant do it for me. I, fortunately, have a couple top notch marketers who I go to on the extra special jobs that require that additional effort. They both charge over $200 an hour, though :0)
In the traditional space, getting good press releases aired is more a matter of who you know than anything else. Some editors have their quirks like editing your story dramatically, while others will really just copy what you wrote. In the online world it’s a little different.
But it comes back to the same point. You get what you pay for. Whether that is a large payment for online distribution or going out to lunch with the right editors in your area. Everything has a cost.
Try implementing some social media components and keep the pitch short. The sweet spot for press releases to be SEO is between 300 and 500 words. There are a variety of options to make a greater impact with fewer words- Ever thought of Twitter. Check out PitchEngine (http://mediapitch.ning.com) for more.
Thanks for the link jkintzler. We’ll definitely check it out. And Twitter is a great marketing tool, as long as you use it correctly!
I have used some of these tips and they worked pretty well for me. I am glad I stumbled onto this blog of yours.
Stories for press releases are usually a new product launch for a business or a business event and most press releases are centered around it.
press release is the most important in seo like article submission. Can you tell me what is the diffrence between articles and press releases? Are these useful in getting back links like articles?