Press releases are a great tool for spreading information about your business. A captivating piece of copy will capture the attention of journalists, who will hopefully choose to run the story in their respective media outlets. This will help you reach wider audiences (including potential customers). Plus, the more press releases you hold, the more connections you will make in the media industry.
Beyond that, writing regular press releases can help boost your website’s SEO (search engine optimization). There are two main reasons for this:
- Press releases generate backlinks to your website from trusted media sources.
- You can structure these press releases as ‘clusters’ of topic areas. This shows search engines like Google that you hold expertise and authority in your business’s niche.
Together, these factors are sure to boost your search engine result’s page rankings, driving more traffic to your website.
Looking to get started? This article will cover ten common types of press releases that will surely capture the attention of major media publications.
What is a press release?
Simply put, a press release is a short article informing the wider world about developments within your company.
Press releases are usually managed by a company’s PR or marketing team. Depending on the budget, they may choose to attach relevant infographics, high-quality pictures, or video clips. The more eye-catching and informative it is, the more likely it is to be picked up by an influential media source.
10 types of press releases commonly used
You can write a press release on anything that you feel is important to share. With that in mind, you may want to take inspiration from our list of the most common types of press releases.
#1 New hire press release
When you first bring on a new team member, your number one priority is to ensure that they feel welcomed into your company.
One way to achieve this is to write an incoming new hire press release for them. This not only shows off your company’s credentials, but also acts as a marketing tool for the new employee. For example, they may include the press release on their CV as a reference or achievement.
If you want to offer this valuable service to your incoming staff, you should include the option in your regular example of business contract.
#2 New product press release
Competitive businesses are always conducting market analysis for insight into which new products to release, and when. Once the decision has been made, the best way to spread the word about your new product is by writing a press release.
This serves several purposes for you. Firstly, the article will be read by your customers, thus informing them directly and driving purchases. Secondly, if the news is significant enough, it may be written about by journalists. In this sense, press releases can be thought of as a type of product marketing strategy.
Image sourced from prowly.com
#3 Event press release
Likewise, the hosting of a business event is a cause for writing a newsworthy piece of copy.
These types of articles demonstrate your expertise in the topic. For example, if a customer sees that a business has hosted a webinar or conference, they may be more inclined to trust them. This applies whether the customer reads the news on your website or a secondary source.
#4 Research findings press release
Few companies are capable of shaping their public image based on their educational clout. Only the most successful can conduct effective market research that brings eyes to the table.
The purpose of a press release on this topic is to generate excitement about the launch of an important research piece. Companies will often include a call to action to promote their findings to media outlets and independent industry bloggers. Having multiple sites link back to your domain will improve your SEO score and is sure to generate more internet traffic.
#5 New venture press release
Markets are constantly changing places, and it’s common for established businesses to periodically launch new ventures. For example, a foray into a new field or the launch of a sister company.
The primary purpose of this type of press release is to anticipate inquiries and to invite opinions from the customer base.
#6 Business partnership press release
This type of press release regards the launch or renewal of a business partnership and is especially attractive to advertisers. The reason being that those press release materials can be repurposed for marketing campaigns.
For example, a company that invests in a sports club sponsorship may expect to receive several pieces of quality copy as part of the agreement. Such is the value of this, that a press release clause is often included in a standard sports club sponsorship agreement template.
#7 Award press release
Winning a business award is surely a high point for any company.
Just as a restaurant would print out a certificate of award to be shown to customers in person, you should be writing press releases to market your achievement online. After all, the granting of a prestigious award is likely to precede a flurry of articles and media interest.
#8 Book publication press release
You will sometimes see press releases for the publication of a book.
There are two primary scenarios for this. Firstly, when the book has been written by a company insider about their time working for you; and secondly, when the book has been written by a friendly outsider, such as a customer praising their experience with you. Either way, promoting the book is sure to boost its effectiveness as a marketing tool.
#9 Rebranding press release
A rebranding is a big step for any business to take.
If the launch of a rebranding is rushed or staggered across platforms, you may end up confusing your customers and losing their business. As such, it’s crucial to spread the word of any rebranding efforts to media outlets. You should also include a link to this type of article as a banner on your website’s homepage.
#10 Crisis management press release
Sometimes businesses get the big calls wrong. For example, they might be called out for an unpopular business decision by the media or their own customers.
In this case, a press release offers the offending business a ladder to climb down. It allows them to set the record straight in a formalized document that is available to everyone. One of the objectives of this is encouraging people to move on quickly.
Image sourced from 99firms.com
Conclusion
Press releases are an effective tool for marketing your business. This is because they increase consumer confidence, build relationships with the media, and get the names of your employees into respected media outlets.
Publishing expertly written copy is sure to increase internet traffic to your website and will help shape the public narrative around your company. For this reason, they have become necessary for businesses to thrive in their competitive niches. We hope that this article has given you the information you need to use press releases at the right time and to your advantage!
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