Step 11: 5 Ways to Share Your Press Release with the World Online
Once your press release has been drafted, pitched into target publications, distributed, followed up and (hopefully) covered in the press, it’s time to focus on pushing your news out further afield using the Internet.
There is a very small window in which to do this – if you spread the news too early then you’ll put journalists off publishing the release and if you push your release out too late then its old news. It’s very important to pick the right time to share your news with the world and your follow up with journalists will give you a good indication of when this is.
In this penultimate part of our 12 step guide on ‘How to Craft The Perfect Press Release’, I’m giving you hints and tips on how to share your press release online. Here are 5 actions to follow:
ACTION 1
Upload your release onto your website: When you’ve received coverage from the journalists who confirmed they’re publishing your story, it’s important to upload the press release onto your website. This will not only help you drive traffic to your website, it will also raise the profile of your brand. There are two ways you can do this. The first is to post the press release in its entirety on your news page or upload the images of the coverage received to promote the publicity you’ve received. You can do either or both depending on your website.
ACTION 2
Post it on your social channels: Retweet coverage tweeted by journalists and publications or share the coverage directly from the publication websites. Feel free to mention those publications that have covered your story in your posts and take any photos of printed coverage to share with your followers.
ACTION 3
Create a hashtag: This is a great way to start a conversation that relates to your key messages and encourages interaction online. Think this through carefully before you begin. Your hashtag needs to be something that users can search for and discuss so don’t be too obscure. Piggyback off existing conversations so you can to extend your reach.
ACTION 4
Begin conversations in online groups: Public groups on platforms like LinkedIn provide a great opportunity for you to converse with new and existing audiences. You can specifically target groups where you think you’ll receive the greatest return on investment. For example, if you want to share your news with construction related groups, become a member of popular groups and share your news in a way that doesn’t imply a hard sell. Ask for opinions to encourage engagement.
ACTION 5 Post on free news sites: Online publications such as Bdaily allow you to create a free profile so you can post news, events and blogs. They usually have a large following so publishing your news on their website can really add value to your PR activity.
By Kathryn Dishman, Managing Director, KD Communications.
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