Making your story viral via one of the top press release distribution sites is not a bad idea at all.
Press releases are not yet obsolete and they still make for an effective marketing strategy.
What you need to do, however, is to craft your story in the best possible manner and distribute it smartly.
So here are a few things to keep in mind.
Press releases must not be self-promotional and sweetened up by singing praises about your company.
Yes, your brands need to communicate, but the style has undergone a transformation.
People are more interested in what your product can do for them than the façade it puts up.
Moreover, the story must be tailored to a specific audience and their preferences.
Supplement your release with visual elements
Sending press releases with long strings of texts and no visuals is a losing game. Today the media is becoming more image and video-oriented.
Make things easy for editors with visuals so that the content will make a deeper connection with the audience.
Include “calls to action”
Calls to action or CTAs are one of the most ignored aspects in a press release.
So do not miss an opportunity to grab attention by including CTAs in your release.
But remember; do not make the CTA promotional.
Instead use other approaches such as:
• Know more – For example, if you are explaining a new product launch, the CTA can be, “to know more about our product visit (include a link)”.
• Sign up – A good option is to invite readers to connect by asking them to sign up for a newsletter. Write a sentence or two explaining the benefits of the newsletter
A CTA goes a step further than capturing the attention of visitors. It persuades readers to click on your company website – a strong opportunity to convert potential customers.
Now it is time to ponder on how to distribute your release.
Choosing one of the top press release distribution agencies to cost money. But it is a vital aspect of marketing. Paid distribution services have close relationships with important news sites so it can be worth investing in them for best results.
Free press release distribution is not a bad option at all if you are budget conscious.
But you may have to do with the story getting published in lower quality websites that have narrower audiences reach.
It can be a good idea if you use a combination of free and paid distribution services.
If your business tactic is to reach out to the right people at the right time, then a paid service can be the best alternative.
It also pays to post your release on your company website.
The advantages are twofold.
- People will get news at the source itself.
- It will be easy for journalists to track down your company news
A good press release should give people and reporters something to talk about if the story is newsworthy.