Common Press Release Mistakes You May Be Making
The use of press releases may have changed, but they are still a valuable marketing tool businesses can use to increase their exposure online. When you hire a press release content copywriter, you can rely on obtaining content that will make a difference in your traffic. However, it is also imperative to ensure your press release content provider doesn’t make these common mistakes.
The Wrong Title
The title is one of the most important elements of a successful press release. A good title should grab the viewer’s attention and mention the name of the company. It should also be concise and offer insight into the information contained within this news piece. If your past titles aren’t generating traffic, reconsider the heading.
Using the Incorrect Perspective
Different types of writing require varying perspectives to create the right impact. For instance, web content usually talks about your company in the first person and addresses your readers directly using second person. Blog posts are often written in second person. Press release writing, on the other hand, requires writing in the third person. The only exception to this rule is the use of quotes within the content. Think like a journalist to make this rule easier to remember.
Double Check Your Grammar
Grammar mistakes are a significant problem. Because this writing is considered professional, it is just as important, if not more so, to make sure you double check your grammar. Check for homophones that are misused, make sure “its” only contains an apostrophe if it is used as a contraction and watch for proper punctuation. If you write the press release yourself, ask your press release content copywriter to check it over for you. It doesn’t hurt to look over the content your press release content provider creates either.
Check Your Facts
Facts are one of the most important components of a quality press release. If you make mistakes in the facts you present, it can harm your credibility. Therefore, it is best to double check any facts you include and make sure you present all the information readers want to know in relation to the topic. Remember, just one minor error can have a significant affect on the integrity of your statistics.
Watch Your Links
Links can help readers find your website and learn more about your business. When used properly within your press release, they can also help with your link building efforts. Because of the importance of these links, make sure they all work and lead to the right place. Double check this information before you publish the press release to avoid problems.
Use Plenty of Quotes
Quotes from important people within your company can boost your credibility and provide a personal touch to a press release. If your press release content copywriter doesn’t ask for a quote, offer one. Failure to use quotes in your press release can have a negative impact on the way your press release is accepted. Make all quotes positive and upbeat without repeating other information that is already presented in your release.
Don’t Promote
It can be tempting to use promotional language in your press release because you are trying to bring attention to your business. However, a quality press release content provider won’t create a release that sounds promotional. Distribution sites won’t accept pieces that are written from a sales perspective. Instead, make sure your content takes a journalistic viewpoint, giving information to readers. A call to action is the closest you should get to promotion.
Watch the Hype
You want to create buzz about your business, but there’s a right and wrong way to do it. The use of caps may be acceptable for emphasis in a blog post or site content, but it isn’t appropriate in a press release. Likewise, this type of content shouldn’t use exclamation points or unnecessary adjectives. Even if your release is accepted with this type of language, it will not impress the journalists who may read it.
Hiring a press release content copywriter to handle this aspect of your Internet marketing can help you draw attention to your business and build more traffic. However, a press release content provider must know how to properly write this type of content to ensure its success. With these tips, you and your writing service can create valuable releases that spread the word about your business and increase your traffic and sales.
If you need help creating press releases to share news about your company, contact us. We can help you achieve your press release writing goals.
