Many businesses use press releases when there's big news to announce, but learning how to create engaging high-quality press releases for all of your achievements can help you cultivate a loyal following while building awareness for your brand. Plus, by staying in your touch with your media contacts and consistently providing them with interesting stories, you can make it even easier to get in front of the people who care about your company.
The thing is, writing a great press release can prove daunting, especially for a small business. If you've been talking to freelance writers, you may even be concerned about your press release costs. However, PR professionals know that a great PR writing service is worth the investment. What's more, a trusted and scalable service like Scripted doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg.
If you're ready to showcase your company's news, here's what you need to know about the best press release writing services, templates, and advice.
Having regular press releases in your lineup is a great way to round out your content strategy. After all, they're an excellent way to build relationships with influencers and reporters in your industry, and they can play an important part in your digital marketing strategy by:
- Getting you in front of a larger audience through a press release distribution service
- Educating partners, investors, and customers about exciting news, like new locations or product launches
- Building awareness for your company, your values, and how you are moving your industry forward
- Creating valuable backlinks and driving traffic to your website, which in turn will help boost your SEO and help you generate new leads
Ultimately, press releases are a proven way to get your business out there in front of the masses and make the general public aware of your presence, achievements, and future plans. So, when should you use one?
Here are the eight common scenarios when a business can turn to eReleases and press releases to help them gain traction.
Startups
If you're trying to launch a new business, creating a press release is a powerful way to introduce your new company to the world. Aside from addressing the people behind the startup and providing a glimpse into the company's mission, your first press release is also a good opportunity to address FAQs and get people excited about what you're bringing to the market.
Event Announcements
Big events are always deserving of a press release, whether it's an industry conference or a charity benefit. Even if you aren't selling passes or granting entry to the general public, announcing the event you're holding, who is attending, and the purpose of the gathering can shed light on your growing importance in your industry.
Book Releases
When authors release a new book, they often send out a press release first thing to get the attention of people who follow them along with others who may be interested in reading their upcoming release.
Press releases work well for non-fiction books, like those published by entrepreneurs and executives, but they can also be used for literary fiction. Plus, if you're accepting beta readers or seeking critiques before your book is published, a press release can help you connect with interested parties.
Product Launches
New products and services come with a lot of excitement and you can spark and build on the conversations that are happening around your company by submitting a press release to announce your latest launch. By keeping it short, to the point, and focused on the value of your product or service will bring to your audience, you can drive interest before your new offering is even available for sale.
Expansions
Hiring more workers, building new locations, and expanding to larger facilities all represent milestones worth celebrating. Mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships can also be celebrated in the form of a press release as you introduce who is helping you expand, reaffirm your plans for the future, and shed light on good news like whether employees are being added or retained.
Rebranding
If your company decides to revamp its image, a press release is almost a necessity. They can ensure that customers recognize your business as you begin making changes, and understand the reasons behind the changes, helping you secure a more positive response. If you make the change meaningful, you can build loyalty and even attract new customers through the process.
Press releases are a fundamental part of content marketing and, like any other content piece you're putting out there, you need to make sure you're following the best practices for the format. There's no set word count when it comes to a press release, but you should strive to keep it succinct and to-the-point. With that in mind, make sure you include these fundamental aspects.
Press releases often relate to time-sensitive news and events. Having an arsenal of tools at your disposal is important for achieving faster turnaround times without compromising quality.
Google Docs
An easy way to write and share your press release with journalists is using Google Docs, a cloud-based word processor. Google Docs has all the same features of traditional tools like Microsoft Word, except you can store it in the cloud and direct journalists to visit it via a shareable link, so there's nothing to download. Plus, it's completely free to use.
Buffer & Hootsuite
To help you make the most of your earned media coverage, use tools like Buffer and Hootsuite to schedule social media posts to all of your company pages that will go live as soon as your press release does. This allows you to drive traffic to your press release and get even more eyes on your announcement.
Canva
If you need a stunning image to include with your press release, Canva is a powerful, cloud-based tool that makes it easy to design the perfect graphic. Canva can also help you create graphics to accompany your social media announcements to make them more shareable.
Scripted
In the event that you don't have a professional writing team on standby that's ready to handle researching, writing, and proofing for you, Scripted can help. As one of the leading providers of quality content writing services, Scripted can match you with a seasoned press release writer in mere minutes.
Distribution Tools
Once you have created a stand-out press release, you'll have to use a newswire service or pitch it to individual journalists in order to get it published. The best press release distribution services, like EIN Presswire and Send2Press, can make your life so much easier by turning this final step into a near hands-off experience.
If you're writing your press release yourself, there are some easy-to-follow templates to help you make sure that you include all of the vital information the first time around. The most popular press release templates include:
- Standard format, which includes all of the necessary elements that need to be included for it to sound professional and effectively catch people's attention.
-
The
infographic style template,
where there are graphics along with text so reporters have more visuals they can use for their articles or posts about your company.
-
A
white label version,
which gives editors room to write headlines themselves and adjust spacing. When using this type of template, make sure it fits within editorial guidelines since some sites may outright deny your submission otherwise.
An important thing to stress is that, when working with professionals editors and reporters, you're rarely granted unlimited revisions. If they like your pitch, they expect a finished product to be delivered on time and failing to meet all of their guidelines could lead you to missing out on the opportunity altogether. So, whether or not you're starting with a template, also take the time to check with the publication's requirements before submitting.
A quality written press release can help you get your story into more media outlets and ultimately, leave a positive impression on partners, investors, and customers alike. However, creating a stand-out press release can prove daunting to even the most capable in-house teams.
When you outsource the job to an experienced press release writer on Scripted, you benefit from:
- Exceptional customer support
- Affordable prices
- Professional proofreading
- Quick turnaround times
- Up to two revisions per project
If you're looking to hire professional press release writers who are fast, capable, and reliable, look no further than Scripted's team of pre-vetted talent. Not only will we connect you with the perfect writer for your project, but we provide full transparency into the writing process along with robust protection from plagiarism and AI. Want to try it for yourself? We offer a free 30-day trial to get you going.
Especially if you want your press release to get accepted by prestigious outlets and ultimately rank highly in search engines, you need to follow some key advice. One of the most important things you should do is determine your target audience, that way you can speak directly to them and make sure that your press release is engaging and meaningful.
Some other tips we suggest you follow include:
- Keeping your press release under 400-500 words. Shorter is always acceptable if that's truly all it takes to effectively cover the topic.
- Remove any jargon or abbreviations that may confuse reporters or readers who aren't familiar with your industry.
- Complete extensive editing, shaving off unnecessary information and ensuring all claims are effectively supported.
When in doubt, hire a professional to help you through the process. Given the number of eyes that will see your press release, it's truly important to leave a good impression, and a team like Scripted can help you do just that.
