Many business owners think that news releases are just for the media.
Not true!
There are many ways that you can use a news release without ever sending it to a newspaper or TV station.
You can:
- post it on your blog
- share it on social media
- send it to your email list
- send it to influential bloggers who reach your ideal client
- include it in your online media kit
- put it on your website
- send it to news release distribution services like prlog, prweb, etc.
- send it to conference and meeting planners looking for speakers
News Releases Must Be Newsworthy
That’s absolutely true if you’re sending it to traditional media, but the parameters are looser if you’re sending it to current and prospective clients. A webinar or event that might not get picked up by your local newspaper could go viral among your audience.
News Releases Can Boost Your Credibility
There are so many ways you can use news releases to showcase your expertise.
You can:
- promote an event
- announce a new product or service
- brag (in a good way) about an award or achievement
- make your service relevant to a holiday or currently trending news
Make Your News Release Work for You
A news release is an important tool for building trust among your community so you want to make sure it’s representing you in a positive way.
Here are 7 tips to make it shine:
- Make the headline compelling — Keep it to 66 characters or less so it can be seen in full on most devices
- Include your keywords in the first few sentences to maximize SEO
- Keep it short — No longer than a page
- Make it easy to understand — Explain any technical terms and use simple language
- What’s in it for them? Highlight the benefits for the reader?
- Include a call to action — What do you want them to do after reading it? Register for your event? Download a free report? Whatever it is, make it easy for them to follow through.
- Include your contact information — Make it easy for the reader to reach you. Include your contact information prominently
The beauty of this is that any of these tips can help you get traditional media coverage, so it’s a win win.
Let me know if you have other ideas in the comments below. I love hearing from you.
Thank you for sharing this space with me!