Somewhere along the way, press releases got a bad rap when it comes to marketing. The truth is press releases are still a solid form of marketing that is sorely underused by small business owners. Learn why press releases are still a particularly good marketing strategy, how to use them, and how to get the most out of your PR efforts.
Press releases are still one of the more powerful ways to build brand recognition, get news out quickly regarding a new product or service, or even counteract negative press from getting out of control. Here are some solid examples of when it’s a good idea to use a press release as suggested by LegalZoom:
If your small business has news about any of the above or other situations, such as an upcoming event, press releases are a solid way to get the word out.
First and more importantly, start with something that is newsworthy. We provided a very brief list of topics that a press release may be about. The bottom line is, write a release if it can answer the question, “So what?” with your audience or the press. Events, hiring, acquisitions, new products, new services all answer that question. Then make sure you start with an enticing headline so people will actually read it. For content, avoid the fluff and provide the facts. Remember, unlike social media, your press release should be short and read like a newspaper article. Why? Journalists will want to copy and paste directly from it when writing their story. Make it easy for them and leave the flowery verbiage to your social posts. Here are a few tips from Search Engine Journal on writing a press release:
Need an example of a good press release format? Check out the press release template by HubSpot. Once you’ve crafted a solid press release, make sure you’re getting in front of the journalists that will care about your news. Start by exploring a few different press release websites such as:
For sites that provide an option to choose publications, take the time to really target the right publications that make sense for your company’s news. Once you’ve submitted your press release, go ahead, and share it on social channels and email marketing as well. Leverage several channels to get the news out.
Press releases are still a powerful marketing tool for brand recognition, SEO, and much more. Don’t overlook this marketing tactic. Instead, at it to your small business marketing strategy and leverage it whenever you have something newsworthy to share.
Running a small business is not easy. New startups especially struggle when it comes to…
If you’re a small business owner, you want your website to be creative and interesting…
One of the easiest yet most overlooked sources of new business for small businesses is…
Marketers have a lot of different tactics to choose from when promoting a small business.…
Creating a marketing budget for your small business is essential for achieving your marketing goals.…
Link building is an important aspect of search engine optimization (SEO) and plays a significant…