Tips for helping your news get picked up over the web

It used to be that press releases were meant for journalists only. If your release didn't have a major announcement, this usually meant your news wouldn't make it into the paper.

Not any more. With the Internet as today's primary source for news and information, the world is virtually your audience. This global trend has allowed for new and innovative strategies when writing a news release, as it can still get picked up by plenty of consumers who will be interested in what you have to say or what you have to promote.

While it's always optimal to pique a journalist's interest, your news release can reach a widespread audience and drive readers to your web site if you offer valuable and interesting information.

Here are the top rules to break and rules to keep when developing your next news release.

Rules to break
You no longer need hard-hitting news to bring attention to your business. A news release that offers solutions and/or helpful and timely information such as how-to advice, trends, resources, or surveys will be of interest to potential customers and, yes, the press. However, you need to post the news release on your web site in order to have it picked up by the search engines. For more information on Search Engine Optimization (SEO), refer to last month's Shock PR feature story, "Optimize Your Press Release Opportunities" at http://shockpr.com/newsletters/aug07.html.

In addition, sending your news release over the wire via a distribution service will maximize the potential of your copy getting picked up by search engines and therefore different target audiences. To read about different press release distribution services, refer to www.shockpr.com and click on resources.

You don't need the "5 Ws" in the lead. While journalists want the key facts and prefer this information up front, potential clients and those in your industry will read your release if the information is compelling and helpful. However, if you are specifically targeting the media, you may want to write two versions of the release: one for journalists and one for potential customers.

Along these lines, your news release can be written like a feature story as long as it's written properly. If the release captures the readers' attention, makes key points, offers tips, drives them to your web site, and entices them to learn more about your company, products, and services, you've accomplished your goal.

Rules to keep
No one wants to read a news release that includes hype; i.e. "cutting edge," "the best of its kind," "amazing." Such words need to be left for the advertising world. One of the fastest ways to lose credibility among journalists and customers alike is to include superlatives and adjectives in a news release.

Avoid industry jargon -- unless it's specifically targeted to a niche audience that will easily understand technical language. Also avoid acronyms and any terms or phrases that are confusing or misleading. Clarity should always be a priority as it goes a long way in helping you position yourself as an industry resource.

Stick to your key message and don't cram too much information into one news release. Either you're offering how-to advice, launching a new product, or announcing an award you just won -- not all three. Each topic deserves its own news release.

Write like a journalist. Write concise and interesting copy and be sure to proofread numerous times. Make sure your press release is 100 percent accurate -- that means checking all phone numbers, addresses, web sites, and dates/times of events. It's not enough to rely on spell-check. Make sure you have several people proofread your copy and/or hire a proofreading service.

More ideas that help get your news over the Internet

• Include hyperlinks or links in your copy in order to send readers directly to your web site, press kit, product, or other resources.

• Include top 10 lists, surveys, and trends -- as long as they are reputable and are attributed to the sources. If the survey comes from your company, be clear on how the information was gathered.

• If charts and tables will help illustrate your news/key points, embed them as links in your release so readers can easily access the data.

• Use photos and graphics as much as possible. Journalists welcome pictures, and consumers who find your release with photos on the Internet may be more likely to visit your web site for more information on your products.

• Use bulleted lists where applicable. This helps your information stand out and may prompt a news organization to use your list as a sidebar, with or without a story.

• Consider providing a local angle to national or international story. For more information, visit "Become a Media Source to Generate Publicity" http://shockpr.com/newsletters/may07.html and "The Art of the Pitch" http://shockpr.com/newsletters/july07.html.

Longwood Software has grown out of its current Maynard, MA, facility and is moving to larger quarters this month. Longwood's TagTeam solution manages and delivers marketing information on the web. www.tagteam.com.

Shunra announced that its Shunra VE solution won a 2007 Internet Telephony Excellence Award, presented by Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC). It also announced that analyst firm Ptak, Noel & Associates had named Shunra's VE 5.0 solution "Simulation Tool for Today's IT." www.shunra.com.

Shock PR welcomes Direxxis as a client. Direxxis provides a web-based campaign execution platform. See more at www.direxxismarketing.com.

Universal Mind was assisted by Shock PR in announcing that it made Inc. Magazine's list of America's 500 fastest-growing companies. Universal Mind was #290 on the list. www.universalmind.com.

For those PR practitioners who would like to brush up on their PR basics, Shock PR has a product called PR in a Box that covers all the bases for you. PR in a Box is an easy-to-read guide that tells you everything you need to know about PR in order to run a program yourself or manage a program. It's very reasonably priced at just $49.95, and is available from the Shock PR website page: www.shockpr.com/html/pr_in_a_box.html.

Once you've sent out a news release, create a Google Alert. You will be notified by Google when your news gets picked up on the web. Simply go to the Google web site, click on "news" and follow the prompts. This is an easy and free way to not only find out when your name appears on the Internet but your clients' names as well.

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