A press release is an excellent tool for sharing company news and providing benefits such as awareness, credibility, industry authority and increased SEO. These successes make it tempting to push out a press release highlighting every product update, employee hire or company event. However, doing so can desensitize your audience.
So, what information is important enough to warrant a press release, and what makes a press release newsworthy enough for media outlets to share it with their audience? Here’s a look at some common press release topics, and when and why these topics merit (or don’t) a press release.
Products and services press release
A press release is an effective way to generate some buzz when your company has a product launch or you’ve added a new service offering to your repertoire. There are times, however, when a new product, feature or offering simply isn’t newsworthy. If the addition or enhancement is only relevant to existing customers, for example, it might be more impactful to develop an email campaign targeting only the audience who will benefit from the new offering. This ensures your message gets in front of the right people at the right time. Additionally, before you choose to write a press release announcing a new product, feature or service, check out the competition. If they already offer what you are just now rolling out, it might position your competitor as the more forward-thinking company, which doesn’t look good for your organization.
With that being said, it’s still important to let customers and potential customers know your company is continuously evolving. A press release covering several topics at once is a great way to do that and can be more effective than one-offs for every individual enhancement. A quarterly or annual “round-up” style news announcement highlights a comprehensive list of innovations your team has introduced over time, demonstrating your organization’s progression. Additionally, this type of news announcement gives you the opportunity to hyperlink to several products and services on your site, which is a valuable SEO tactic.
Hires and promotions press release
Finding and hiring talented new team members is exciting. Sharing the news can highlight your company’s growth and can also be a powerful recruitment tool. But announcing every new addition to the masses isn’t always the right approach. Instead, consider writing a bio and brief announcement for each new hire and sharing it internally or to a smaller group of existing customers via a company-wide email announcement or including it in your next newsletter and sharing it on social media.
There are times, though, when an employee-focused press announcement does make sense. Hires and promotions at the executive level are typically of interest to a larger audience within your industry. In this case, key industry publications are likely to share your news, giving your organization substantial exposure. If you have hired or promoted someone who is known to the industry, or if they’ve come to you from a well-known organization, be sure to capitalize on that. Include the person’s name and the organization they are associated with in the headline, as well as the email subject line when you distribute the news. This helps catch readers’ attention, is great for SEO and demonstrates to potential candidates that your organization is the place to be.
Events and trade shows press release
Industry events and trade shows provide many opportunities to put your organization in front of industry leaders, publications, customers and potential new clients. Although some companies choose to write press releases announcing their participation in an event, this information alone isn’t necessarily enough to generate interest or exposure. However, a new product launch or enhancement strategically timed to coincide an industry event not only substantiates a press release on the topic, but it can also drive traffic, as well as media professionals, to your booth or website. In this case, you can highlight some key features and benefits of a new product and announce that the product will be showcased at an upcoming event.
So, what if you don’t have anything new to share, but still want to leverage the event and maximize exposure? This is another instance where you can highlight any new innovations your company has introduced throughout the year in a “round-up” style news release. Although this might still not be “newsworthy” enough for a journalist to publish, it can open the door to further conversations about the direction of our company within the industry landscape – providing an opportunity for additional coverage.
To release or not to release?
Press releases are excellent tools for establishing and building your brand and reputation. And, as you can see, there are several factors to consider as you map out your press release calendar.
One primary consideration when deciding whether a piece of information is press release material is whether it’s relevant to people outside of your organization. Will it impact customers, stakeholders, partners or your industry in general? It can be easy to put blinders on when you want to get your company’s name out there, so be as objective as possible when answering that question. Because when your organization sends out a press release, you want journalists and industry leaders to understand that the information you are sharing is significant.
Once you’ve determined your content is newsworthy and you’re ready to share it with the public – check out our blog on press release best practices. Then, give our team a call to discuss some creative tactics to make your next press release stand out and get people talking.