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 Create Effective Online News Releases
 Here are five tips to help you maximize the effectiveness of your next online news release.
- If you want your news release to show up on Google News, write a headline that is 65-70 characters long.
- Get to the point quickly in your opening paragraph. As Thomas Jefferson said, "The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do."
- The best length for a news release is approximately 250 words. Each word needs to justify its existence.
- Don't use jargon. Tell your readers what your product or service will do for them.
- An online release serves two audiences: search engines and people. Use keywords and phrases in the page title tag, the headline and a few other places. Be careful not to "optimize" it to the point that is becomes unreadable. You want to be understood, not to impress the reader.
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Want More People to Read Your Release?
According to PR Newswire, readers are 3.5 times more likely to share a multimedia news release than a text-only version. You'll garner 14 percent more views if you add a photo or 20 percent more views if you include a video. Adding both elements pushes views up by 48 percent.
People will view a text-only release for approximately 9.5 days after it is issued. A multimedia release stays alive for nearly 20 days. |
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Avoid These PR Mistakes
YFS Magazine recently asked 20 publicists to name the biggest public relations mistake they think small businesses make. Their comments also apply to other types of organizations. To read the entire article, go to http://bit.ly/qmlI5B.
- Don't discount relationships with bloggers.
- Random pitching is not a strategy.
- Get out of your own way.
- Refine your media lists. Would you have more success locally or in a niche market?
- Invest in your brand with quality presentation materials.
- Create a crisis management plan.
- Think beyond the press release.
- Maximize your momentum. Where else can you use that news clip or radio interview?
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Watch What You Tweet!
Don't overpromote yourself or your company when using Twitter. Stick to the 80-20 rule: 80 percent of your tweets should be non-promotional, while the other 20 percent can include promotional material.
Follow us on Twitter: @peachtreepro or @atlskyline. |
Sylvia Small Communications & Marketing