Why Aren’t My Press Releases Effective?
Wondering why your press release is not working for you? Over my six years of virtual assisting career, I have noticed many incorrectly written and marketed press releases.
Entrepreneurs and writers fail to capture the attention of most readers with these inadequately worded and promoted press releases.
Due to my growing affiliation with the literary community, I’d like to share some tips to inform writers, authors and bloggers of the correct method for writing and marketing a press release.
With proper research and due diligence, anyone can create a good press release, giving your book, article or blog the exposure it needs.
What is a Press Release?
A press release is a written communication to announce something newsworthy.
While mainly targeted to news media, a press release may be used to target a particular audience. Press releases are presented as:
- A media release
- Press statement
- Video release
Why is a Press Release Important?
Are you seeking exposure? A press release is typically used to assist its users in gaining much-needed publicity.
Whether you’re an author, writer or a blogger, a press release is designed to alert its readers to your past, present, and future accomplishments such as:
- Announcing your blog to increase its page rank
- Promoting your upcoming book release
- When you write a guest post on a blog
- When your article is published in a magazine
Any time that you do something that warrants additional publicity is a good time for an expertly written and press release.
How To Market as a Writer and Blogger
How would a press release benefit an author, writer, and blogger? A press release would be beneficial to those in the literary community due to its ability to excite an audience.
When well-written and marketed, it gets noticed by many, and in turn, many of those readers choose to feature and promote the press release from other sites or publications.
A large number of views and reposts will increase book sales, blog traffic, and article views. The goal is to gain publicity for yourself, website or publication. Be sure to convey your message clearly and ensure it grabs your audience’s attention.
How To Resourcefully Market Your Press Release
When creating your press release ask yourself, “Who is my target audience”? Market to those who would enjoy your site, book or article.
A press release is used to build relationships with prospective readers, followers and customers. Be careful not to turn your press release into a sales pitch or advertisement. Instead, set out to educate and inform those who are or may be interested in what’s to come.
Optimization will help you in this process. Inserting keywords and phrases, as well as text links, will increase the value of your press release.
The probability of your press release being seen grows with strategic optimization. Optimization should include media and video.
Including images and video makes your press release more interesting while adding to its marketability.
Pictures of yourself, book cover, or video reviews and interviews are strategic tools you use in your press release. Be sure to use relevant and quality videos and images!
How Do I Correctly Create A Press Release?
To better assist you in creating a press release here is a complete outline. These tips describe how to create an effective press release.
Tips
1). Make your font professional: Times New Roman and Garamond are good for this.
2). Try to limit your press release to a single page.
3). Make it newsworthy, so it is reported by other websites.
3). Include: Photos, book, blog, interviews or article reviews
4). Add relevant links and be sure to optimize.
5). Post your press release on your website or blog.
6). The press release should be double- spaced with a white background.
What Should My Press Release Layout Include?
1). For “Immediate Release” or “Embargoed Until…”
- This phrase goes in the top left margin of your page. If choosing “Embargoed Until” be sure to include the future date of release.
2). Name, address (physical or web), and phone number.
- You may add an email address for future correspondence purposes.
3). Title of book, article or blog. Page count, price, ISBN.
4). A brief synopsis of the book, article or blog.
5). Short bio with any earned awards.
6). Reviews and recommendations.
7). Links to purchase books, view an article or blog.
Take some time today and look at the opportunities you have to promote through a press release any breaking news for your blog, book or guest postings. You might just get the attention and rewards for this effort.
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