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I received a "SOS/help" text message recently from someone looking for a press release template. A template? In all fairness, this person doesn't work in PR. And to my knowledge, they've never worked with a publicist or a PR professional directly on a project (In other words: They've never hired a PR person). I don't know why this person needed a press release, and I totally understand their blindness when it comes to PR, but it got me to thinking....
Sooooo many people think that the magical, enchanted press release is the key to gaining positive exposure for their product, client and/or service. That somehow, sending a press release is going to land them a spot in a national publication or popular network show. Nope. Nothing could be farther from the truth!
Now, don't get me wrong. A press release does serve a purpose. But, it's simply a tactic; A piece of an overall PR strategy. Tip: In order to be effective, a press release should be relevant and newsworthy. It should tell a story of value, and it should be well written. Why? If your press release is created correctly, your chances of having it published "as is" increases significantly.
Sending out a press release to the media is great, but it shouldn't be the extent of your PR plan. It's equivalent to trying to swim in three feet of water. You'll just be flapping and kicking your heart out...and going nowhere.
So, you have some amazing news to share about your company. You decide to send out a press release to make the announcement. Because it's unique, informative, relevant and compelling (Press Releases 101), a reporter takes notice.
He/she wants to find out more info, so they go to your company website. Happens every day. Make sure it's ready. Here are some tips:
Is your site organized, professional and easy to navigate? Nothing pains a reporter more than having to stumble all over a site. Keep it simple, intuitive and user friendly. Remember, reporters are on deadline, so they don't have a lot of time to "find" things on your website. They will leave and move on to the next story. *Include a "search" function so reporters can find what they need quickly.
Is it social media friendly? Don't forget, bloggers are the media too. Always make sure your website content is shareable in the social media space. Including easy "share" buttons on your site will help with that. Killer content helps too. If the content on your website is engaging, helpful and unique, bloggers will share it with their followers.
Are there downloadable photos, images, videos? Reporters and bloggers like to include photos/images/videos with their stories. Make sure they can download these items quickly from your site. The photos/images should be high resolution and the videos should be quality.
Include a "Press Room" section. Reporters and bloggers will love you for this! It's a one-stop shop for them. Your press room should have a press kit, which includes: your bio, company fact sheet, recent press releases, recent media coverage and photos/images/logo. Be sure to make a PDF version of your press kit that can be emailed to anyone. *Make sure your press room is always current/updated.
Links - Limit them & make sure they work. Don't include a ton of links to other sites on your website. Links can be like wild goose chases to reporters. Remember, the clock is ticking. They have to turn in their story. No time to waste! And for the love of God, make sure your links work! Double check, triple check - do whatever. Make sure they all work.
These are just a few tips. I could go on and on, but I don't want your head to explode. :) Start here. Access your site again after you implement these things, and continue to work and make it better.
