How to Distribute a Press Release
Use links effectively., Send your press releases out a few minutes past the hour., Send your press release to the right publications., Leverage technology., Consider using a distribution service.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Use links effectively.
One of the easiest ways to give your press release the largest possible audience is by linking to several outside sources in the text of your release, like this:
Add a Link to WordPress.
It takes practically no time to do and it helps you in several ways.
For example:
It gives you credibility with the audience in general.
If you link to the websites of opinion leaders in your industry, you associate yourself with them in the minds of your audience.
It enhances your SEO , or search engine optimization.
The presence of links to a website and from a website lets Google and other search engines know how reputable your website is and how high it should show up in the results of web searches. -
Step 2: Send your press releases out a few minutes past the hour.
People like to think in round numbers, and writers of press releases and reporters are no exception.
Practically, it means almost everyone sends out their press releases on the hour.
With everyone sending out press releases at the same time, they all tend to get lost in the crowd.To avoid this effect, send out your releases eight or nine minutes past the hour, when the rush has died down. , Some companies are so large virtually any press release they send out will be covered in some way, but most businesses are lucky to get much press coverage at all.
In order to maximize the chances of your press release turning into actual news coverage, you need to make sure you’re sending it to the kinds of publications that will think it is newsworthy.
Most small businesses aren’t able to send their press releases directly to CNN and get coverage from it.
A better strategy is to research the influential blogs and magazines in your industry and target those.
If you’re lucky, larger news sources pick up the story, but if everything plays out as expected, you’ve still got your press release into the hands of the publications that matter to your industry.
For example, if you run a firm specializing in 3-D printing and you're rolling out a new innovation, don't waste your time sending your press releases to USA Today, CNN, and the New York Times.
Instead, send them to web magazines like 3Ders.org and 3DPrint.com, which specialize in 3D printing related news.If you do reach for a national audience, send the press release off to Popular Mechanics or Science instead. , Distributing press releases effectively is multi-step process, and a great deal of it involves correspondence.
You’ll want to keep track of friendly reporters, which press releases generate the best press in the right publications, and much more.
This can be time consuming, and if you want to both distribute press releases effectively and do other things with your time, an email-marketing service would be an excellent way to do both.One of the most widely used email marketing services is Mailchimp, and you can actually use it for free if you have less than 2000 subscribers and send less than 12,000 emails per month.
You can build an email list, see who’s opening your emails, and even how your number compare with other similarly situated companies. , There are a number of press release distribution services, and level of service they offer varies considerably.
While some are barely more than glorified bulletin boards, others are extremely sophisticated, offering writing services, tracking, media contacts and targets, and much more.Generally, you’ll get what you pay for, and many commentators question the wisdom of using a paid service at all if your business is small.
Nonetheless, you should be aware that distribution services are out there.
Some are helpful, some are free, but rarely are they both. -
Step 3: Send your press release to the right publications.
-
Step 4: Leverage technology.
-
Step 5: Consider using a distribution service.
Detailed Guide
One of the easiest ways to give your press release the largest possible audience is by linking to several outside sources in the text of your release, like this:
Add a Link to WordPress.
It takes practically no time to do and it helps you in several ways.
For example:
It gives you credibility with the audience in general.
If you link to the websites of opinion leaders in your industry, you associate yourself with them in the minds of your audience.
It enhances your SEO , or search engine optimization.
The presence of links to a website and from a website lets Google and other search engines know how reputable your website is and how high it should show up in the results of web searches.
People like to think in round numbers, and writers of press releases and reporters are no exception.
Practically, it means almost everyone sends out their press releases on the hour.
With everyone sending out press releases at the same time, they all tend to get lost in the crowd.To avoid this effect, send out your releases eight or nine minutes past the hour, when the rush has died down. , Some companies are so large virtually any press release they send out will be covered in some way, but most businesses are lucky to get much press coverage at all.
In order to maximize the chances of your press release turning into actual news coverage, you need to make sure you’re sending it to the kinds of publications that will think it is newsworthy.
Most small businesses aren’t able to send their press releases directly to CNN and get coverage from it.
A better strategy is to research the influential blogs and magazines in your industry and target those.
If you’re lucky, larger news sources pick up the story, but if everything plays out as expected, you’ve still got your press release into the hands of the publications that matter to your industry.
For example, if you run a firm specializing in 3-D printing and you're rolling out a new innovation, don't waste your time sending your press releases to USA Today, CNN, and the New York Times.
Instead, send them to web magazines like 3Ders.org and 3DPrint.com, which specialize in 3D printing related news.If you do reach for a national audience, send the press release off to Popular Mechanics or Science instead. , Distributing press releases effectively is multi-step process, and a great deal of it involves correspondence.
You’ll want to keep track of friendly reporters, which press releases generate the best press in the right publications, and much more.
This can be time consuming, and if you want to both distribute press releases effectively and do other things with your time, an email-marketing service would be an excellent way to do both.One of the most widely used email marketing services is Mailchimp, and you can actually use it for free if you have less than 2000 subscribers and send less than 12,000 emails per month.
You can build an email list, see who’s opening your emails, and even how your number compare with other similarly situated companies. , There are a number of press release distribution services, and level of service they offer varies considerably.
While some are barely more than glorified bulletin boards, others are extremely sophisticated, offering writing services, tracking, media contacts and targets, and much more.Generally, you’ll get what you pay for, and many commentators question the wisdom of using a paid service at all if your business is small.
Nonetheless, you should be aware that distribution services are out there.
Some are helpful, some are free, but rarely are they both.
About the Author
Ryan Castillo
Experienced content creator specializing in pet care guides and tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: