6 Best Ways to get a Press Release Published for Digital PR
Driving traffic and measuring conversion have become monumental metrics in modern-day PR and SEO. With the digital information sharing revolution rife in today’s online arena, exponentially high numbers of active freelance copywriters, businesses, and large corporations are reliant on the myriad of opportunities that the world wide web brings. Most online users, however, face visibility challenges based on the premise of being tiny droplets in a virtual ocean of network interconnectivity. Having the potential to influence your digital PR agenda, this begs the question, As a writer, how can I produce structurally sound, informative, and streamlined press releases that stand out from the crowded copywriting community and cater to my intended audience? For all copywriters on the rise, PR practitioners, marketers, or small business owners, pay close attention because I’m about to take you on a journey to exploring what confounding factors make for crafting compelling press release content for your digital PR campaigns to flourish with a higher ROI. What is a Press Release for? Also referred to as a news release, a press release is a written or recorded statement issued by a communications entity for use by media outlets to garner news coverage. However, in the digital age, press release publications can contain various media formats such as videos and hyperlinks to additional resources for example. They should therefore be utilized as effectively as possible. The general structure of a press release includes: A heading with action verbs. Addressing the question of “who,” “what,” “why,” and “where” in the first paragraph. Contextually factual and informative subject matter articulated with understandable language. Relevant quotes. A clear call-to-action (CTA) Modern digital press releases can also include: Additional information through added hyperlinks to web channels and online resources Images and graphics to elaborate on the information shared visually Videos to provide a deeper and more interactive insight into the matter covered In catering to a targeted online audience, particular angles aim to meet their respective press release type, some of which involve: New Product Launches Mergers and Acquisitions Product Updates Events Grand Openings New Partnerships Rebranding Executive Promotions/Hiring Awards Investments/Funding By providing publications with succinctly sufficient newsworthy material delivered in a distinct style, strong press releases pack a punch for media outlets keen to publish intriguing business stories. How Press Releases are Used in Digital PR Tactful in spreading the word on the world wide web, press releases are considered valuable pieces of marketing material in the digital PR landscape. Viewed by the masses ideally making up the online community, press releases live in public domains, opening doors for potential stakeholders and customers to view them. Digital PR Defined Short for digital public relations, digital PR is a viable online marketing approach copywriters and businesses use to get press coverage and grow their online presence, enabling them to earn honest reviews and respond with comments to requests from journalists. The Benefits of Digital PR Effective digital PR practices and their advantageous potential in the marketing arena always undertake to meet nine core factors, namely: Fast and effective information-sharing Improving SEO and increasing site traffic Generating leads Building online authority Increasing brand awareness Improving brand reputation Generating meaningful engagement Increasing trust Sale and revenue boosts Using Digital PR Services Effectively for Your Press Releases Formed on the foundation of building strong long-term relationships, digital marketing and PR agencies and other online communication entities network with journalists, bloggers, and influencers from countless fields/sectors of interest to share their press releases, resulting in high-quality backlinks, social media mentions, and improved SEO. Digital PR is valuable because it introduces PR practitioners, marketers, business owners, and copywriters to a vast array of new target audiences through search engine results pages and editorial article placements on popular sites. Effective in boosting website traffic, digital PR and media services offer tried and tested ways for digital press releases to get picked up by media outlets and become the source of new inbound links to an individual website. These links help improve search engine optimization of the site, making it easier to source online. Sharing top tips and excellent examples in the video below, Exposure Ninja vlogger Tim expands on the value of digital PR and the various forms it comes in: 6 Ways to Publish a Press Release for Digital PR Effective press releases lay the foundation for all successful PR campaigns, which could include a digital eco news or education marketing news angle and this symbiotic strategy puts a ’cause and effect’ tactic in place to gain publicity. By turning to press release services to boost your SEO, you can expect a substantial rise in your press coverage via prominent publications and big-time broadcast media outlets. When setting out to learn the steps to producing the perfect press release and everything a press release is not, understanding where they completely miss the mark is equally crucial for conquering this marketable copywriting craft. Want to get your press releases noticed online without fault? Here are my top six tips for meticulously manifesting a perfectly packaged press release of irrefutable worth in the age of digital PR based on the press releases I approve and publish daily as a blog editor: 1. Perfect Your Pitch with a Newsworthy Story According to Sally Stewart, author of Media Training 101: A Guide to Meeting the Press: “A press release is successful if it makes the phone ring or the email ding. Press releases should be a catalyst for further action, not the final result.” A relevant news story or official announcement is the starting point of all press releases. To get essential messaging spread through a media outlet, the reporter, or editor, must feel your story is newsworthy to form the basis of an idea to cover. Consequently, the broader topic must align with the editorial ethos of the publication and the interests of the audience it serves. Journalists are often frustrated by the high influx of news releases that aren’t relevant to their work. After recognizing this problematic