Tips To Add Multimedia Links To Your Press Release
Studies have shown that multimedia press releases are more likely to be picked up than those which are not. Of course, you still have to have a great headline for people to bother to click to read your story, but once they do, offer them an interesting multimedia experience and you should get a lot more exposure.
1-Keyword your headline
Make sure your headline matches what the story is about. Use keywords and be honest. Don’t try to make the story seem too sensational, or as if it is about another (more popular) topic when it’s not.
2-Give high-quality supporting images
Press releases with images are more likely to get picked up than those which don’t. Add images strategically in the story. If you are launching a new product and have lots of images of it, and happy customers using it, create a Picasa or Flickr album and link to it from your press release.
Be sure to use the “alt” or alternative tag on your images for anyone who is visually impaired. Also name each image something meaningful, with at least one keyword in it, for Google to find it for its image search, and to make it easy for journalists to spot your image if they download it to use in a story. A video titled “12345.jpg” won’t be as effective.
Put a caption under the image if it is not immediately obvious what the image represents.
3-Provide video
Even better than still photos of people using your new product would be videos. You can also create demonstration videos and a guide with frequently asked questions. Another video might show hints and tips for making the most out of the product.
When you have created your videos, upload them to YouTube. Make sure you use keywords in the title and description of the video so it will be found easily by people interested in your niche. Take the time to create a custom thumbnail with a nice clear image that is representative of what the video is all about. This thumbnail will be the still image that represents the video when it is not playing.
Once you have uploaded the video, use the embed code in the Share section on the video upload page to add the video link to your press release. It should form a little player right in the page.
You can then embed the video on the page on your site where you’ve posted your press release.
4-Use audio
MP3s are really popular these days, with countless people carrying around smartphones and downloading talk shows, audiobooks and more. Create an informative MP3 related to your press release. Go to SoundCloud and upload it. It is similar to YouTube, but for audio. Once you have uploaded the file, you will get an embed code link. Add that to your press release page as well, with a brief description of what a person can expect if they listen. Again, be sure to use keywords in your title and description. Create an attractive cover image for your SoundCloud audio page and journalists will be impressed with how professional everything looks. Note: if you plan to use a lot of audio, purchase the annual unlimited account from SoundCloud.
5-Create infographics
Journalists love infographics because they summarize important information in a highly visual way. The trouble is some can be quite large. Create a small thumbnail version and link over to the full-sized version at your site. Use the “_blank” command in your link to open a new window.
Use these quick tips and you should soon start to impress journalists with your great multimedia press releases.
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