Discover the Key to Creating an Effective Press Release

• Written by Michael Bass

When it comes to internet marketing, press releases are one of the most effective and easy to use options for increasing exposure. They help you attract attention and drive traffic to your site. Not only do they help you drive traffic, the traffic you get is quality sales leads. As beneficial as a press release may be, they are only effective when you take the time to create high-quality content. A press release needs to be informative, compelling, and engaging. If you need help creating a press release in order to gain sales leads, here are a few suggestions.

Create a Compelling Headline

Before you start writing copy for your press release, you should focus on the headline. A compelling headline should be able to grab a reader’s attention instantly. It needs to be short, sweet, and to the point. It may help if you spend a few minutes reading other headlines on a press release website.

The attention span of the average person is about 8 seconds. If it takes longer than 8 seconds to read and comprehend your headline — then it is too long. You should try to keep it short enough to fit in the title of a search result. Generally, this is between 65 and 80 characters in length.

Get to the Point Quickly

Again, most people don’t have a long attention span. You need to get to the point as soon as possible. Your opening paragraph should provide a clear and concise summary of what the press release is about. In as few words as possible, cover the key topics that will get presented in the rest of the release.

Write an Engaging Story 

The next step is to write an engaging story. You need to present your information in a way that continues to keep your reader’s attention. It may help if you write a list of the key benefits of your new product or service. Write 2 to 3 sentences for each benefit and use the benefit as a sub-headline.

Don’t Go Overboard with Content

Between 600 and 800 words is a good size for a press release. You don’t want it to be too long or too short. Going overboard will simply take away from the quality of the content. Readers will get bored and won’t get to the end of the press release — where your vital links will be placed.

Include Links in Your Press Release

At the end of your press release, you should include links for readers that want to find more information. Include a direct link to the landing page for the product or service that you are announcing.

In addition to a direct link to your product or service, you should try to include at least a couple of other links to relevant content. Include a couple of links that provide readers with extra info from a trusted source. This could include information from Wikipedia or an industry-leading website.

Proofread Your Content 

This final suggestion actually applies to any content that you release. Once you’ve finished writing, you should proofread it. Use the grammar and spell-checking tools included in your word processor. Then, read the content out loud. Your spell-checker might not catch every little mistake.

These tips will help you create compelling copy that can increase conversions and help you gain sales leads. A press release is a powerful tool to use.

Consider using these tips the next time that you create a press release or learn more about using a lead generation system by following the link to my done-for-you system.

 

Image Sources:
Jenkins, R. (n.d.). Image of an engaging story: The answer to engaging any audience in today’s cluttered culture. Retrieved from http://www.ryan-jenkins.com/2013/10/25/the-answer-to-engaging-any-audience-in-todays-cluttered-culture/
La Barbera, V. (2017). Featured image: Press release marketing. Retrieved from https://www.businessmarketingblog.org/press-release-marketing/
Lyons, Y. (Posted: April 10, 2014). Image of proofreading content: How to proofread typos out of your content: 8 tips. Retrieved from http://www.rightsourcemarketing.com/content-marketing/proofread-typos-content-8-tips/

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