Public relations specialists are often required to release official statements and notices on behalf of their clients. One of the most popular—and most effective—ways to distribute this type of information is through a press release.
Press releases are considered primary sources, meaning they are original information sources for media personnel to use in their writing and to quote. They can help raise awareness of existing programs, break the news about new products or features, and inform the public of an organization’s stance on a particular topic. Press releases can also build credibility and promote positive media coverage. They’re a traditional public relations tactic still highly relevant in today’s marketing landscape.
Every year brings new PR trends and technologies, but press releases remain relevant. Here are a few reasons they’ve weathered the test of time—and how they’ll continue to be useful in 2023.
Future Of Press Releases
1. Engage a Widespread Audience
Press releases have great reach. Any statement released to the media can reach a large audience, including individuals who are not former or current customers. The key to success, then, is ensuring the news you’re sharing is relatable to a large audience. Press releases are one of the fastest and most effective ways to share information with many people in a short amount of time without worrying about the inconsistencies and variables that come with interviews, social media posts, and other non-traditional tactics.
2. Trust And Credibility
If a brand isn’t credible, it risks losing customers—or never attracting new ones in the first place. Press releases are a great way to build trust amongst consumers. This is done in two ways. First, brands should put significant time and effort into producing clear, straightforward press releases that provide lots of details. Second, they should distribute them to trusted news sources. A press release should build reliability, and consistency and clarity in releases can help create a foundation of trust for any brand, new or old.
3. Visibility
Regular press releases provide companies with market visibility. Every industry ebbs and flows, with new competitors always on the horizon. Any company, from startups to longstanding corporations, should consider releasing regular press statements to stay top-of-mind with consumers and media contacts. Brand awareness is an important part of the sales funnel, and consistent, positive media coverage thanks to press releases can help maintain a healthy sales flow.
4. Positive Perception
Consistent media coverage works to do a few things for businesses in terms of positive perception. First, it creates the perception of trustworthiness and credibility. Regular announcements are reassuring to the public that your business is active and working on its products or services regularly. Consistent press releases also help brands remain relevant and top-of-mind compared to competitors. Both of these things must exist for consumers to feel good about and stay loyal to a brand’s products and services.
You may have heard the saying “no press is bad press,” and when it comes to brand awareness, that’s almost true! Any mention of a brand’s name helps solidify it in consumers’ minds—although good coverage remains key for positive consumer perception.
5. Affordability
Press releases are an affordable technique to spread the word about business happenings. Most publications will publish relevant releases for free, and they may share them on social media, too! In comparison, digital advertising and print advertising can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars a month. Whether you’re facing impending budget cuts or not, press releases are an affordable campaign technique to communicate to a large audience effectively.
6. Search Engine Optimization
The more press coverage you secure through releases, the more likely your brand is to show up on search engines across the internet. Search engine optimization (SEO) is another organic (i.e., free) way to promote your brand. Press release writers can intentionally include keywords they they’d like to rank for, and then watch as they move up in the search rankings for those terms.
Tips for Writing Press Releases
By now, you likely have realized how important it is to give regular statements to the media. But it takes a lot of work to write a solid press release. A little mistake while writing and distributing a press release can cause more problems.
Since press releases engage many audiences, try to avoid jargon. Make sure the copy is not overly promotional or sales-y; it should be informative and written in a journalistic style. Every press release should include a boilerplate and a place to find more information, as well as contact information for the brand’s PR representative.
If you need assistance crafting your first press release or want to build a robust release strategy, consider hiring a public relations firm to help you navigate the tricky PR landscape. There is so much to be gained from producing great press releases; don’t let this opportunity pass you by!
