Online Press Release 101

Whether you use word-of-mouth marketing at the local coffee shop or submit to the communication gurus, start by understanding the five starting points of press release 101.

Written Mar 03, 2008, read 927 times since then.

Know what you are pitching, what you have to offer, and who you are pitching it to.

Almost 30 million people a month use Google and Yahoo News to find relevant and local news content.

To understand what type of impact a press release can have on business, we can use the Seattle metro as an example: the Seattle Times has a Sunday readership of 1.1 million, and an online monthly readership of 3.5 million. If you stop and realize this is for the entire paper and site at Seattle Times in comparison to just PR news, the numbers start to be very comparable on a local level.

Now think for a moment and multiply that result by fifty states.

From PR Web and PEW research:

"Research has shown that editors take approximately 7 seconds to read your headlines and first paragraph.

    * 98% of journalists go online daily
    * 92% for article research
    * 81% to do searching
    * 76% to find new sources, experts
    * 73% to find press releases

On an average day, 68 million American adults go online

    * 30% use a search engine to find information
    * 27% get news"

With that math in your head, lets take a look at the basics of press releases.

1- What is a press release?

A press release is a short, direct, and concise statement that pitches your idea, service, or product. It needs to be written so that it grabs attention, gives fast and relevant information, and saves the communication specialist time when they utilize the information.

2- What is a newswire?

The newswire historically was a service that sent your press release to newsrooms, websites, radio, tv stations, and other media outlets. Over the past few years the newswire has been evolving to catch-up with how online media is transforming the PR industry.

3- What newswire services should I use?

There are two free services that transmit your press release, both www.pr.com and www.prleap.com. Be warned - if you have a competitive market or lackluster release, you get what you pay for. www.prweb.com and www.prnewswire.com both offer paid versions of newswire, and are better options for businesses that want to be competitive.

4- Who receives a press release when using a newswire?

That is an amazingly complex question. In reality, newswires have become almost like radio stations. Hundreds or even thousands of communication specialists will read your release, but they may not act on it.

Almost all newswire services reach major online portals such as Google and Yahoo. A variety of other online news portals also syndicate the content: NBCi, AskJeeves, MSN News, etc. Social media sites such as Technorati, Mashup, and TechCrunch also monitor newswire syndication.

5- What makes a good press release?

Think of a good press release as a one page introduction to who you are and what you have to offer. This letter is going to go onto the desk of someone who reads hundreds of them each day, who has the unfortunately daunting task of deciding which one is ” news worthy” and requires honorable mention in the media source they work with.

Tips to improve your press release success-

Be bold. You have seven seconds to get some attention. If your first line or two doesn’t suck them into what you are saying, they will not continue or be impressed.
Be brief. One page. The important section is the first paragraph. Anything past one page is a sure fire travel plan to the round filing cabinet.
Be timely. Link everything you say to something else that is newsworthy. Publishers and communication professionals are looking for ways to connect your story to something else that is HOT! If you do this for them, they like you.
Be available. List your contact info. Answer your phone. Read your e-mail. Be fast in responding. If they are kind enough to send an inquiry, be kind enough to send back a response the same day!
Be ready. Have your longer statement ready for when they reach out. A press release is like getting a “yes” from someone for a first date. Make sure you are ready, well mannered, and kicking it up a notch when you meet them for questions and answers.

If you really want to see how the online and social media realm is affecting the world of publication relations and press releases, you can take a quick read through www.myragan.com - a community of PR and Communication Professionals.

Learn more about the author, Barry Hurd.

Comment on this article

Posted by Nancy Juetten, Bellevue, Washington | Mar 04, 2008

Great explanation. I would add that making clear why the reader should care should always be top of mind when sharing news of any kind with reporters, editors, and end users.

If the news kicks the reader in the butt, hits her squarely between the eyes, makes her reach for a Kleenex, or get into action, you are on the right track.

Don't forget to consider www.theopenpress.com to post your press releases for free. It is amazing how far and wide news travels once posted to this free service. Try it yourself and see.
Posted by Barry Hurd, Seattle, Washington | Mar 04, 2008

Good mention Nancy, I've used theopenpress as well for some free PR and received some good mileage out of it.

~Barry
Posted by Jeff Fisher, Portland, Oregon | Mar 04, 2008

Barry - As of Jan. 1, 2008 PRleap.com no longer offers free distribution services. - Jeff
Posted by Judy Dunn, Seattle & Renton, Washington | Mar 04, 2008

Great reminder to "cut to the chase" and immediately garner the interest of harried, overworked, on-deadline reporters. Very useful information. Thanks, Barry.

Seattle Copywriter
Posted by Dennis Dilday, Everett, Washington | Mar 04, 2008

Very good Barry, thanks.

DD

Activator Methods Chiropractic Technic in Everett, WA
Posted by Simon Raybould, Newcastle upon Tyne United Kingdom | Mar 04, 2008

Thank-you; that's really clear.

Is the situation the same on both sides of The Atlantic?

Simon
Posted by Jasmine Holmes, Gilbert, Arizona | Mar 05, 2008

This article is great for someone new to the press release game. I am forwarding this article to a prospective client that I have been talking to about creating an online press room. I hope your tips will give him a strong starting point!
Posted by Melanie Heywood, Sunrise, Florida | Mar 06, 2008

Great stuff! Especially about the free pr sites. I've used prweb.com and also like webwire.com, both with good results. Webwire just raised their fees a little (but it's still around $20.00 I think) but I found it to be just as effective as prweb.

Also...it's a great idea to submit your releases to your local news stations, business journals and newspapers directly. Most of them have websites these days that tell you who you can submit your PR to.
Posted by Jeff Collins, Seattle, Washington | Mar 06, 2008

Barry,

Do you know of any pr sites that will take paypal as payment?
Posted by Mike Mitte, Lynnwood, Washington | Mar 06, 2008

Great info and widely unknown. I just sent out two press releases - FREE and paid a small fee for a third.
Posted by Ryan Salva, Seattle, Washington | Mar 06, 2008

Brilliantly helpful and concise article. I'm going to use this information to publish a press release next week. Thank you!
Posted by Rick Moore, Kirkland, Washington | Mar 07, 2008

Great information for those of us in small business with little or no PR experience. I'll keep this bookmarked and refer to it again. Thank you.
Posted by Nancy Juetten, Bellevue, Washington | Mar 07, 2008

This article has really struck a nerve and eased some real pain out there, which is fabulous.

You might find it useful to know that I write a "Media Savvy" column for the Puget Sound Business Journal that answers a lot of basic publicity questions.

You can log on at www.bizjournals.com/seattle and search by my name to see a variety of useful articles about how to earn free publicity. Helping business owners earn their own publicity is a big part of what my business is about.
Posted by Jeff Collins, Seattle, Washington | Mar 07, 2008

Barry,

As you stated, few of these are free & when they are you usually don't get much.

If you have $100 to throw at it as a test where would you start? All in one place or spread it around?
Posted by Nancy Juetten, Bellevue, Washington | Mar 07, 2008

Jeff,

Why not target your story to the Puget Sound reporter who covers retail in your training area? Some reporters to consider are Craig Harris of the Seattle PI or Amy Martinez at the Seattle Times.

When you read their work -- which is essential -- you'll get a sense of what they like to write about. Their email address and phone numbers appear at the close of their stories and can also be found in the "contact us" section of each publication's website.

Reporters want to get information that hasn't been shared with everyone else. Craft a story pitch about your business. Share it with a retail reporter and let him or her know that you are pitching it to them first before anyone else.

They willl appreciate that and give your story consideration, provided you have done a compelling job of making clear why yours is a story that needs to be told.

By taking this approach, you might get a bigger, more compelling story than if you were to send your press release to everyone all at once.

And, best of all, you can save your $100 because you will have done this yourself.

What do you have to lose? Good luck!
Posted by Kip Ludwigs, Kansas City, Missouri | Mar 07, 2008

Thank you! Succinct and well put!
Posted by Robert Bortner, Seattle, Washington | Mar 11, 2008

This is awesome. We've struggled to understand how Press Releases work - or even if they are relevant anymore - and how to craft a good one. This put it all in one place. Thanks!
Posted by Stephanie Toler, Seattle, Washington | Mar 12, 2008

I just wrote my first press release! I used your suggestions and and the websites you listed. Thanks for the article!
Posted by Brian Crouch, Bothell & Seattle, Washington | May 12, 2008

Do those statistics mean that Seattle Times has 3.5 times as many online readers as print readers?