How Can I Increase The Effectiveness Of My Press Release After It’s Distributed?
There are a number of ways to increase the effectiveness of your press release after it has been distributed using a press release distribution service. It is all a question of establishing a workflow that you will use for all your releases.
Writing a great release
The effectiveness of your press release will start with how well it is written. There are a few basic rules:
1. It must be newsworthy
Your press release should offer real news, not an ad for your business. Newsworthy topics include:
- Launching a new product
- Hosting a live event
- Getting an important new client
And so on.
2. It must be structured like a professional press release
Press releases are written in a certain format, with a particular style and tone. There are templates available that can help you learn how to write the kind of press release that journalists will be impressed by and willing to pick up, rather than pass over because it looks so unprofessional.
3. It should use media to support the story
A picture can be worth a thousand words, and a video tens of thousands. Include at least one high-quality image. Studies have shown that press releases with media included tend to be picked up seven times more than those which don’t.
If it is permitted by the distribution service, include a video, or the embed code for your video.
Publishing the press release
In order to get the embed code for the video, you would need to publish it on YouTube and then copy and paste the embed code into a webpage or blog post.
Also, consider doing a video or audio version of the press release. Promote the YouTube and other URLs to attract a wider audience.
Posting at your site
Create an online newsroom for your business, with links to all of your press releases and other media-related activities. Link each press release by title. Include the date next to each headline.
Link to your media pages, where you will post your images, and links to your videos. For the videos, include title and date, and link to the page where you have embedded the code for the video.
Promoting the press release on social media
Once you have published the press release, promote it on social media as well, for even more promotional opportunities. Encourage anyone who has a site or blog to pass along the information to their readers if they find it useful.
Also, promote the links to your videos. Seeing is believing, and demonstration and how-to videos are the most popular kind of content on YouTube, with more than 75% of site visitors looking for this type of content.
Announcing your best pickups
Once your pickups start coming in, list the best ones under the headline at your online newsroom. Also announce them at your social media accounts, with a link. If any media representatives are following you, this could encourage them to give you a pickup, as well.
Tracking your results
If the goal of your press release was to get more subscribers or sales, be sure to check your reports to see if you’ve accomplished your goal. Always include a call to action in your press release and encourage others to pass along your information to anyone else who might be interested.
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