Writing a Social Media Press Release
In this era of Facebook, Twitter and various other social media outlets, most individuals now use these networks as their primary source of news and information. This means that getting your press releases out in social media channels is now practically a requirement for business success. While sharing a press release through social media is an important component of success, there are also other important elements to writing a successful social media press release.
Give Them Something Different. Accurate information, clearly presented, will always be the foundation of any successful press release. But to write a successful social media press release, you’ll need to do more than that. Most social media users are bombarded with a steady flow of shares, likes, re-tweets, and various other forms of messaging each and every day. So in order for your social media press release to get traction, you need to have an answer to the question “why would someone find this interesting?”
At a minimum, your social media press release should have a catchy headline, as well as a unique perspective that can quickly grab the reader’s attention. You’re probably familiar with the saying that “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.” That sentiment applies well to social media press releases.
Leverage Your Social Media Accounts. Obviously the contact section of your social media press release will include key information such as your e-mail address and telephone number. But why stop there? There may be a portion of your audience who would like to learn more about the story in your press release, or perhaps about your business in general, but who don’t feel comfortable e-mailing or calling you. In order to reach these prospects, include information such as your Twitter alias, your company’s Facebook account details, and any other social media contact information that’s appropriate.
Use Other Online Resources. Another way in which social media press releases are different from press releases of just a decade ago is the type of information you can provide within the press release itself. Your social media press release will still have a headline, overview and all the other traditional press release elements. But with the online form you can now include links to various forms of online multimedia, including videos, podcasts, infographics and virtually anything else that helps you tell your story.
Keep SEO Principles in Mind. As with anything else you publish online, it’s worth keeping core SEO principles in mind. This includes not only the judicious use of links throughout your document, but also using appropriate keywords and keyword phrases throughout your release.
Give Them Something to Share. The foundation of social media networks is sharing, so make sure your social media press release gives people something to share. Small, well-written and interesting excerpts are often what your audience will choose to share with their personal networks. Don’t be afraid to be provocative if it’s appropriate to do so.
Finally, pay attention to what seems to work best for you. Monitor the effectiveness of each of your social press releases, and look to find the elements or approaches that bring you the most new traffic.
