A press releases can be an effective marketing tool for your company if crafted thoughtfully. Though they are written in a formal tone, they highlight good news or an exciting event and can attract new customers and generate industry and community interest. Press releases are commonly distributed to the media to highlight events such as new product launches, executive changes, business restructures, or awards.
By avoiding these five common pitfalls, you can give your release a better chance of reaching your target groups and garnering interest among them.
5 Mistakes Businesses Make When Issuing A Press Release
1. Press Releases Are Not Shared
Companies that don't share their press releases on social media are missing out on a large potential audience. Every industry has a social media presence, and your company's release distributor should be sharing your news with all the major platforms. A good news release example that would share well on Facebook or Twitter is an upcoming product launch. Folks in industry groups can share your news easily with their networks and soon you're reaching potential customers around the world.
Ideally, you would include social channel-sharing buttons in your release as well. This way, readers on internet sites can easily share the article to their own personal and corporate accounts. Consult with your distribution firm about the best ways to make your releases stand out on all the platforms.
2. Companies Choose Poor Titles
The title or headline of your press release can be the deciding factor for whether a person reads the article. Headlines should announce the event and include your company's name. If readers have to guess what the article is about, they are less likely to read your story.
Keep the tone of the headline and the body of the release business-like. Other marketing materials such as flyers or mass emails may be more informal and include catchy language. But the press release should remain a proper announcement as opposed to a flashy ad.
3. Lack Of Attention To Spelling And Style
The easiest mistakes to avoid in your press release are spelling errors. Don't rely on your word processor to catch every misspelled word. Ensure that someone in your company checks the release for spelling and grammar mistakes before sending it to the distributor. The distributor may have its own editing staff, but those professionals may not be familiar with your industry's common terminology. Ultimately, it is your team's responsibility to make sure your press release is error-free.
The style of your press release can make it appealing to readers, or it can discourage interest. By keeping paragraphs short and including white space, you can make your text easier to consume and encourage people to read through to the end. If a reader opens an article to find long paragraphs with little space in between, they may immediately decide they don't have the time or the interest to learn more about your event.
4. News Releases Are Too Long
Another easy pitfall to avoid is crafting a press release that is too long. Keep the release short, but include links where readers can find more information if they want. As our attention spans continue to shrink, so too should our releases.
Be concise and write to the point. Readers will appreciate the fact that you value their time and may reward your firm with greater interest and a higher rate of engagement.
5. Failing To Include Quotes
One of the most effective tactics to bolster your news and provide accountability for your company within the release is to include quotes. These quotes may come from corporate leadership and can add depth and a personal touch to your release.
You may also ask industry leaders or community members to contribute their thoughts on your news. Ensure the quotes are positive and add to the release's content in a new and thoughtful way.
Avoid These Press Release Problems
By effectively managing the tone and content of each aspect of your press release, you can maximize the number of readers that click on your article and read through to the end. And by making the release easily sharable across social media platforms, you allow your news a chance to spread.
Your event is exciting and deserves attention, so it needs strong PR and publicity. It is your responsibility to make sure the world knows about it, so avoid these press release problems.
