How to Send and Create a Press Release

Darlene Florrie

11 min read

How can you get people to know your brand and products fast and in a way that inspires trust?

For most brands, the answer is to distribute press releases.

Imagine having your business featured on hundreds of news sites, and not due to some scandal but for the best reasons. Thus, thousands of people will learn about you and the things you do.

But there are a few little snags in this plan:

• News sites have different styles and audiences, and so many newsworthy stories fall under the radar all the time.
• Most people don’t read business news, so you have the added challenge of making sure your writing is captivating enough to catch readers’ attention.

Content:

• Challenges You May Face When Trying to Submit a Press Release
• The Perks That Come With a Press Release Distribution
• How to Craft Press Releases That Bring the Desired Result?
• -- 1. Make It About Your Audience
• -- 2. Decide Early on Where to Send and How to Send Your Press Releases
• -- 3. Say It in a Few Words
• -- 4. Show It in Vivid Colors
• -- 5. Boost Authoritativeness with Credible Data
• -- 6. Craft a Compelling & Catchy CTA
• -- 7. Track Performance
• How to Pitch and Send a Press Release?

Challenges You May Face When Trying to Submit a Press Release

Now, whether your plan is to submit a press release to promote a product launch, announce your latest big win, or respond to bad press (and hopefully clear the air on a controversy), you’ll inevitably face at least one of the following hurdles while creating and pitching yours:

• Writing quality content. Crafting newsworthy stories is different from regular copywriting. You should ensure your content hits the right note and works well for the media outlet you choose. Besides, it can be expensive to find a good writer.
• Finding perfect visual elements and designs. Remember to find the design elements to enhance your story. After all, brands that use lots of images get six times more engagement than those that don’t. Clearly, not everyone wants to stare at a wall of text.

Source: Cision Reports

• Knowing where and when to pitch. It’s difficult to find influential digital platforms that have the reach and engagement to make your story go viral or at least show it to the right people. Then, there is the tough task of actually pitching your brand to all the right media and getting the journalists to collaborate with you.
• Overcoming budget issues. Press release submission can be expensive, especially for a newbie who doesn’t know all the insider tips on saving a little cost here and there. While this can happen to everyone, it always gets better with experience. Besides, with time, you will build your network of different media and reputable websites, which will be very helpful.

The Perks That Come With a Press Release Distribution

Source @caryduke on X

A quality press release can boost your brand visibility by up to 68%. But besides improving your brand exposure and awareness, there are several other perks brands enjoy when they take a strategic approach to crafting press releases:

• Control your brand narrative. Whether you talk about your brand online or not, chances are that someone is doing that right now. So, instead of waiting, pitch press releases to take charge, control damage, and share your own side of the story.
• Build a solid backlink profile to improve search rankings. We all know Google will rank you higher if lots of quality online resources link back to you. Thus, you should get backlinks from credible high-DA sites.
• Attract more traffic online and offline. This is a no-brainer. As your brand awareness increases, you will see an uptick in the traffic activity on your site. Since you rank high for your brand keywords, more people will be able to find you via search. This approach doesn’t just work online; it causes your foot traffic to increase as well.
• Boost your social media proof and get verified. Most people tend to trust brands that manage to gain social proof. Your announcements can also serve as evidence when you seek verifications on your social media platforms; the process will be easier for you.
• Enhance your conversion rates. With more traffic, you’ll have a potentially higher number of leads. When people look you up, they are likely to see some of your published news stories, which makes you look more legitimate and trustworthy.
• Gain a competitive edge. You will find that your brand stands out among others in your niche if you combine a regular press release strategy with your SEO tactics.

How to Craft Press Releases That Bring the Desired Result?

Source: @ereleases on X

Before you start, you want to be sure to dot all the i’s and cross the t’s. After all, a press release is one of the things that can affect your organic ranking significantly.

The good news is that there are basic things you can do right away to make a big difference. Start with figuring out the little details that make your narrative more than just another company news story. Here’s what you can do:

1. Make It About Your Audience

We know what you are thinking, “How does that even make any sense?” Let us explain. The first rule to approaching a piece of writing is to start with the audience in mind and finish with the audience in mind.

This means not only understanding them but figuring out how to make them care about the event, topic, or issue you are writing about. Thus, you’ll know which approach works best with your target audience and how to engage them with the story.

2. Decide Early on Where to Send and How to Send Your Press Releases

There’s a trend towards publishing more announcements on digital news platforms as opposed to local media stations or magazines. You need to have some plan since the platform of your choice impacts the structure of your press release.

Besides, most of us would like to submit to Google News, Associated Press, Apple News, and other big-name media. And that means that the content quality should be top-notch. You can save some time and get featured on tons of sites if you have a credible agency like Adsy handle the press distribution for you.

3. Say It in a Few Words

Speaking of top-notch quality content, remember it has nothing to do with length. In fact, it is easy to make link-worthy content once you learn the basic tips.

Sure, there’s a place and time for longer press releases, but for the most part, you should keep it short and straight to the point without losing the flavor. A story that’s less than 500 words is hitting that sweet spot – not too long and not too short.

This word count includes everything from the intro to CTA and everything in between except for the headline. Many people who struggle with crafting compelling press releases prefer to use credible service providers for this purpose.

4. Show It in Vivid Colors

Sooner or later, brands face that moment when they need to create, pitch, and share their statements on different platforms. If you want to get a high engagement rate, you have to add relevant quality images to spice it up and drive your message home.

You can even throw in a video to increase engagement and shareability rates. Just ensure the multimedia doesn’t detract from your key message but adds to it.

5. Boost Authoritativeness with Credible Data

You can add quotes, stats, and other essential data that can add weight to your publication. Numbers tend to grab attention, so throw in some quantifiable data in your headlines if possible.

Thus, you’ll attract journalists and readers.

6. Craft a Compelling & Catchy CTA

If you don’t have a CTA, then what are you even doing? There’s always a goal or target behind a press release, so make sure your CTA button will help you reach that goal. It could be clicking a link, calling a number, signing up for something, etc. Whatever it is, your CTA should be concise, brief, and start with an action word.

7. Track Performance

Tracking metrics is an important part of any brand strategy, and press releases are no different. You must monitor engagement rates and other vital metrics to know if your strategy is effective or needs adjustments.

How to Pitch and Send a Press Release?

Okay, you’ve done everything right, except for one thing. Now, you want to know how to pitch and send a press release. Here are the three common ways to do it:

• The traditional way. Some people make the mistake of thinking that this method is only helpful if you want to be published in a newspaper. But can you think of one that doesn't have a website now? If you have already done the groundwork of finding the right media and journalist, pitching to them, and getting a yes, you only have to send an email. Remember that you also have to choose the best day and best time to send your press release as trends change, so you don’t want to miss your finest hour.
• Press distribution service. For some, the best way to submit press releases is through a news distribution service. You can find tons of them with a simple Google search. This can be an effective way to get the media coverage you need without breaking the bank. But beware, you should ensure that the agency or distribution service is credible. They must have the reach and reputation to get you the results you need. Also, find out the answer to “how much does it cost” before pitching and making any commitments with the media.
• Automated tools and software. Nowadays, there are software and AI tools for almost every activity that has to do with marketing. You can use an AI tool to automate the writing process and software to both pitch and distribute your press release. Just like when using an agency, you want to check the reviews, ratings, pricing, and other vital details before you try it out. And remember to keep an eye on it. While automation is helpful, there is no one-size-fits-all when you create, pitch, and send a press release.