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In the past, press releases were the hottest marketing trend and were used effectively to share important details related to the company and to deploy new strategies. However, with time, not all are able to understand and unravel the true potential of press releases. Before we talk about when and how to use press releases to boost online presence, you should first know what exactly a press release is.
A press release is a form of marketing tool that promotes details about your company’s events and whereabouts as an official statement. The information is provided to the local and national media, after which it is released in newspapers, radio, television shows, and magazines. The press release is provided by the company, which is why they have the freedom to mention only those details that they wish to disclose. In this guide, you will learn everything about using press releases in the right and effective way to boost your online
presence and gain more leads.
When to Use Press Releases
Controlling and determining the ideal situation of using your press releases is necessary as it can impact your reach and make your content newsworthy.
When you have an Important Event
You should use a press release to announce an important event and compel people to attend it. Since convincing people to attend events can be a daunting task, you should pay attention when you are crafting your press release and selecting the right distribution channel. Any kind of event- fundraisers, parties, celebrations, or conferences, can be promoted using a press release. Include important details like the venue, date, time, and contact information for your readers to take action.
When you Launch a New Product
The easiest and most effective way to inform your potential customers about a new product launch is by using a press release. It should have all the details about the new product and the benefits your customers will gain upon buying it. Promoting a new product can be challenging, which is where a strong press release can help. Make sure that your press release marketing tool is backed up by other promotional strategies in order for it to work.
To Share Important Details about your Company
If your company is opening a new department, making significant changes, or changing its brand image, you should use a press release to share the details with the media, your competitors, and your current and potential customers. Whether you wish to announce a new partnership or inform your potential customers about a new feature in your product or service, float a press release as it can instantly reach thousands of people at once. If possible, share the details in a short and concise manner as it is more impactful than long texts. The shorter it is, the more powerful it will be. In a way, press releases adhere to the same motto – share more information in a concise manner.
To Enhance Visibility and Improve Brand Image
While social media and other promotional tools are effective in enhancing brand identity (if used in the right way), you can also use a press release to increase your company’s visibility. If you manage to get in the limelight and in front of the media’s eyes, your company can gain instant visibility and enhanced brand image. Along with brand visibility, a strong press release can also help improve sales and create unimaginable opportunities for your business.
For your press release to be effective, insert call-to-action features and make it shareable. Tell your brand’s story in such a way that the readers wish to engage with it. Since storytelling is an effective form of communication and engagement tool, use it in your press release. Ideally, your brand image can be amplified by staying true to your roots and being authentic. Celebrate your brand values and give your customers a reason to trust your brand’s image.
To Hire New Employees
For every business, its employees are the most prized asset as they help the company grow and reach its main goal. Even though writing a strong press release to attract potential customers is important, your marketing strategy should also be able to gain the attention of potential employees, especially when you are actively recruiting new talent.
While job hunting and seeking platforms can help you recruit new talent, you can get in touch with creative candidates by using a press release. This will give you an opportunity to recruit top talent that will make a difference in your company’s performance. When writing a press release to hire new employees, make your intention clear as not all are able to read between the lines. Let them know that you are open to hiring and subtly convey your expectations.
To Strengthen Your Network
For any business to grow and earn, having a solid network has become mandatory today. They are not only needed to hire new talent and retain existing employees but also to get in touch with other professionals within the industry. This is particularly important if you own a small business and haven’t gained enough traction or credibility yet. With strong networking, you can create and attract opportunities that you weren’t aware of in the first place.
By floating a press release, you can get valuable opportunities to meet experts, interview them, gain insights, and even collaborate with them to improve your company’s reputation. The saying, “your network is your net worth” is relatable for all kinds of businesses. By writing a strong press release, it can even help you gain the attention of potential investors and business partners, which can do wonders for your existing business.
How to Use Press Releases
The way you use your press releases is also of the utmost importance. Now that you are well-versed with the right time and instances to use press releases, let’s take a look at how exactly you can use them to enhance your online presence.
Target Your Audience
When it comes to any form of marketing, knowing and targeting the right kind of audience is crucial. If you are producing a piece of content for your audience, you should ensure that your potential customers are actually reading it. Your strategy will not work if you are targeting the wrong audience. Research your ideal customers and create a client avatar by understanding their demographics, age, gender, location, likes, dislikes, and needs.
With this, you can write a press release that will instantly attract your target audience and help your company build credibility. Once you know who your ideal customers are, you should search for them on the right platforms. For example, if your target audience is older men and women, say in the age group of 50 years and above, do not use modern or technologically-advanced platforms as they are not well-versed with such media.
Write a Strong Press Release
The content and format of your press release matter a lot. Start by writing a compelling headline as it will help your press release gain attention. In fact, a strong headline is so important that it can make or break the type of attention your press release will garner. Pay attention to the body as well. For your press release to be chosen and distributed at a wide scale, keep the editors’ pointers in mind. Since they need a specific tone, language, prose, and style, not all press releases gain the reputation they deserve. Refer to a credible writing blog that shows you how to write an effective press release. If you have the luxury, hire a copywriter to write a strong press release.
You can also resort to templates available online. However, you should be extra careful when using these templates as critics and editors are easily able to pick out flaws. This can, in turn, affect your chance of being published or recognized in the media.
Collaborate with Others
The best way to reach a similar target audience as your competitors is by cross-promoting or collaborating with them. Collaborate with other brands or content creators who have already carved their own niche in this competitive market. This can help you target a wider audience and gain more leads. Collaborating with other entities is the most effective way to build an organic reach and gain more trustworthy customers. In a way, you can reach double the audience for free.
If you are interested in cross-promoting your press release with other brands, consider three crucial aspects, which are control, cost, and credibility. If you are already familiar with the other brand or are bound into a formal agreement, you can easily control the costs of the entire promotional project. The credibility of the other brand matters too; it should have the right kind of reach and organic audience as it will impact the way your potential customers react to the collaboration.
Pick Credible Distribution Channels
Even if you have powerful content and a strong press release format to float, it won’t work if you pick the wrong distribution channels. Many companies make this mistake of opting for cheap distribution as it does not allow them to target the right kind of audience. Note, that targeting high-quality and credible distribution channels will demand a lot of money and will take a significant part of your marketing budget. You should be prepared to spend as it can heavily impact your reach and results after promoting the press release.
Since there is a myriad of distribution channels to choose from, businesses are often confused about the right type of platform to use. While some platforms charge $1 per word with a separate fee to add images or visual elements, others basically allow you to float your press release at a pretty penny. Consider factors such as the traction gained by the distribution channel, your audience, your content type, and your budget to make an informed decision.
Promote as Much as You Can
Whether it’s your social media content or press release, promotion and marketing are key to gaining visibility. With multiple marketing tools and tactics available today, you must use them to their maximum benefit. While creating and posting multiple press releases is highly recommended, you should also control its quality as it matters more than quantity. However, making quality content and press releases is of no point if it does not get the attention it deserves. Promotion can help you break into a saturated market and decode the media grapevine.
Set a budget aside to use in your marketing and promotion campaigns. An affordable way to promote it is by using the power of social media. Since you can target thousands of users at once, social media should be used wisely as it possesses the potential of making your business go viral. Engage with your audience, create buzz, and spread brand awareness.
Use Visuals and SEO
The power of visuals- images, videos, GIFs, etc. cannot be ignored. Since most users have a short attention span, the best way to grasp their attention is by using relevant visuals that will keep them hooked throughout the body. Most of them prefer learning about a product, service, or company through visuals and infographics instead of scrounging through long paragraphs of text.
Apart from visuals, add call-to-action links and PR backlinks for the users to follow up and contact your company. SEO or Search Engine Optimization has become a mandatory tool to increase online visibility and gain maximum exposure. Every search engine uses a specific algorithm to detect a set of keywords and filter the search results accordingly. If you use the right keywords in your press release, you can instantly gain recognition. Using multimedia elements and SEO will also boost your company’s social media presence and enhance its brand image.
If you are looking for an effective way to market your company’s news and trends, using a press release can be the best way to gain attention. It not only puts your company in the media’s eye but also targets several potential customers at once. Even though you have several other ways of marketing important company details such as social media and emails, using a press release can give your business an edge and help you stand out from others.
