PR Distribution
  • September 3, 2018
  • Peter Christoper
  • 0

A press release distribution campaign is not something you do lightly. In fact, a successful press release distribution can make just about any business a global success overnight. It’s true. Even today, in a world that happens mostly on the digital screen, a press release is still a very valuable marketing tool. However, a lot of people tend to shy away from the thought of doing a PR distribution campaign for fear of it either being too complicated, futile, or even expensive. But you’ll be glad to know that it doesn’t have to be all of the three.

In fact, these days in online business, a PR distribution is not only affordable (in some sense, even free), it is also quite easy and accessible to do. If you, your business, or your company has something valuable and relevant to say, there really is no reason for you not to do a PR distribution campaign. In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of creating the most effective PR distribution, no matter what your business is or its size.

Things to Consider before you do a PR Distribution

Before we start, it’s crucial that you consider certain things before you go ahead and put some effort into a PR distribution campaign. There are a few general rules that warrant a PR distribution campaign:

  • Is your story newsworthy? First things first. Do you have something to say that is important and relevant to your target audience? You can’t just write about every little thing that happens in your business. A press release should always contain newsworthy and useful content that is worthwhile to read.
  • Timeliness. Is your story relevant now? Is your even tied to what is happening currently? If your news is happening at the moment or is appropriate at this specific time, then a press release is a great idea.
  • Does your story impact people? How does it affect your business and your customers? The more efficient your press release has to your demographic audience, the more effective your PR distribution will be.

Tips for the most effective PR Distribution

There are a few tried-and-tested tips PR experts use to maximize a PR distribution’s effectiveness. Below are some of the most effective methods and strategies to make your PR distribution a success.

Create a strategic timeline.

It is imperative that you determine your marketing timeline. When it comes to news, timing is utterly sensitive. Journalists are not likely to cover your story if the news already broke out. Furthermore, your audience wouldn’t be interested to read something they already heard before. Timing is everything. Create a timeline that works effectively in your PR distribution.

Target the right channels.

Here’s the deal: It’s always better to put your press release in front of 5 journalists who actually care about your story than 500 who will not likely be interested. In press release distribution, the broader the reach might not always be the best way. At the beginning of your campaign, do your research and find the right journalists to send your press release to. Focus on the ones who are relevant to your niche.

If it’s not newsworthy, it’s not worth it.

There is perhaps only one golden rule when it comes to the art of press release: if it’s not newsworthy, don’t do it. Before you start writing your press release, ask yourself – is my story interesting enough? Is it useful and relevant to my customers or my audience? If your story isn’t newsworthy, you’ll only waste your time and resources on a PR distribution campaign.

Write an attention-grabbing headline.

The headline of a press release is one of the most critical factors that can make or break a PR distribution. The headline is the first (and usually the last thing) your readers will see. So if your headline fails to capture attention and curiosity, your press release body will not even be read. Make sure to use clean, actionable language that goes straight to the point and adds the best glimpse of what you have to tell.

Answer the basic questions.

Remember, a press release is essentially a news article already. You’re not writing a novel. Don’t elaborate too much and create a copy that is too long. Stick to the basics. If you find it hard to so, just simply answer the 6w’s and tailor it to your press release. Answer the who, what, where, why, when, and how. At the end of your press release, there shouldn’t be any questions unanswered.

Get to know your audience first.

Knowing your target audience is the most valuable information you have going forward with PR distribution. Chances are, if you don’t know who you are talking to and what they are interested in, your PR distribution will fail. You need to tailor your press release and your distribution campaign to your target demographic. Do some research about your target audience – how old they are, where they live, their occupations, interests, etc.

Your press release needs to be perfect.

By perfect, we mean that it has to be grammatically flawless. You will be distributing your press release to journalists, and these are the kinds of people that are sticklers to grammar and spelling. If your news copy is ridden with grammar and spelling errors, journalists will be more than likely turned off. Trust the editing process and double – or even triple check – your news copy for any sort of errors.

Get an insightful quote.

One effective way to make your press release more attractive is by adding a quote from an industry expert, or someone ranked highly in your company. But don’t just include about any quote. The best quote is one that provides valuable insight to your press release. A quote that adds a human face to your story is an excellent way to make your news copy more relatable to your audience.

Optimize your PR distribution for Search Engines.

Take your press release distribution a little bit further and have it optimized for better ranking on search engines. Google, for example, has more than a billion searches per day. If your press release gets ranked on the first page of a particular keyword, imagine that added online traffic your business website can get.

Here are a couple of ways you can do this:

Understand what SEO is about and what drives search traffic. What topics and keywords in your niche are trending today?

Place these words strategically throughout your press release.

Include links to your press release.

Apart from having SEO purposes, hyperlinks are also an excellent way to direct your readers to more valuable information about your press release. Include one or two links leading to your own website to help your link building campaign.

Add multimedia to your news copy.

A press release shouldn’t just be a piece of text. Elevate it by using images or videos. If your news copy includes hard numbers and statistics, create graphs that make facts more presentable and easier to digest. Infographics are also becoming a popular way to deliver a lot of information in a bite-sized way. Furthermore, people tend to respond better to a news copy that has images.

Timing is everything in sending out your press release.

Let’s face it. The press must receive dozens, if not hundreds of pitches from other businesses. Because of this, you also need to be strategic about when you’re sending out your news to your target journalists. Schedule sending out your press release during off times. Journalists’ inbox tends to get full at around 8 in the morning. If you send your pitch before this time, the chances are high that your email will get buried among all others. So why not send yours at around 8:30 so that when your media rep opens their inbox, your message will be on top of the list.

Use an efficient distribution service.

If it comes down to it, you can do your PR distribution yourself. It will take some research and a lot of time and effort, but it is entirely possible. However, it’s much more ideal to use a distribution service. PR companies have much more experience and resources at their disposal to help you create a more successful PR distribution campaign. PR companies like Newswires, for example, have partnerships and established relationships with the press and media. Furthermore, these services usually come with social media exposure, your very own newsrooms, and even reporting and analytics to help you keep track. No matter how big or small your business is, or how much budget you’ve set for a PR distribution, an efficient distribution service from a reputable PR company is always the best idea.

Conclusion

As you can imagine, creating the most efficient PR distribution campaign is no walk in the park. A proper press release distribution campaign is something that requires strategy, time, and effort. However, press releases have a high return on investment and continue to be one of the most useful strategies in the world of marketing.