What goes into an Effective Press Release and how do You Use Them Properly?
By: Aaron Howard
A very good way to announce that your offline business has joined the internet is through a press release. It is important however to take a few things into consideration before you jump in. When executed properly an effective press release can work to increase visibility and interest in your business, but if you don’t plan properly they can also be an unfortunate waste of effort.
When writing a press release or hiring someone to do it for you, it is important to remember that it should read like a newspaper article would. This means that it should be factual and informative but also contain elements that hold the readers interest. You will also want the information in your press release to seem newsworthy so that people will take the information seriously and in turn your company image as well. Another important element of your press release is the length; it should be brief but not so short that people are left wondering what the rest of the information is. Take head also not to create content that is too long, if you bombard your reader with every minute detail they may loose interest and not read your information at all. Compelling press releases also get shared throughout the internet and the likelihood of yours being bookmarked or indexed is greater if consideration is given to the content contained within it.
When you are writing your press release the most important element is the headline. A good headline will draw the reader into your story and make them want to explore beyond that page. A successful headline will not contain your website address; instead much like a newspaper headline it will contain a hook to grab interest. Beyond the headline is the body, here is where the specifics are contained. The story unfolds within this area while still holding the interest of the reader and explaining your products or service offerings to them. You will conclude with the resource box, your reader will need to be directed to more information about your website. This information will serve to direct the reader back to your site to purchase your products.
A key component in a successful press release is promotion. You will want to gain as much attention for your company as possible. You can best accomplish this by submitting your press release to several online media outlets. Once the content is approved these outlets will display your press release so that it is easily accessible by searchers. In order to fully benefit from your press release you may want to consult with a search engine optimization specialist.