You've spent days writing the perfect press release and coming up with a way to make your story more attractive to journalists and writers. And once the writing ends, there's even more work to be done - promoting that press release.
To make sure you get the maximum impact from your press releases, there are many ways you can promote them - and we'll cover them all today.
In case you're planning to send your press release to journalists, try to pitch it with Prowly with a 7-day free trial. It allows you to discover right journalists, utilize handy templates, and distribute customized pitches on a scale.
How to promote a press release
Depending on the people, the knowledge and the skills you have available, there are different ways to promote a press release.
We have prepared 10 different ways of press release promotion that you can try out.
1. Sending a press release by email
Getting your press release noticed and published by media outlets can often be challenging. It's essential to understand how to effectively send your press release through email to journalists and influencers. Doing so increases the likelihood of your news being widely disseminated by the media.
Pitching journalists is a very targeted process and you need to make sure you reach the journalists who have covered your industry before and are likely to pick up the story.
Here is a short list of how to pitch journalists with your press release:
- Identify the right journalists
- Find your story angle
- Write an engaging subject line
- Write your press release email
- Include your press release in the email
- Send your email
- Follow up
💡To read more about sending press releases to journalists, read our full guide on “How to Send a Press Release by Email to Journalists with Examples.”
Prowly has over one million contacts, so no matter what your press release is about, you're going to find a journalist who wants to cover it.
You can use search filters such as topic, location, tweets, keywords in articles, and more to find the right journalist for your story. You don't just pitch, you create long-lasting connections.
Prowly offers journalists' contact information and social media handles, simplifying the process of getting more information or smoothly progressing to the next step—sending your press release directly through the tool.
Out of all the options for promoting a press release, this is the most effective because it's the most precise and affordable. Instead of shooting in the dark, you build a targeted list of journalists you can reach out to whenever you have something newsworthy.
2. Using press release websites
Opting for an all-in-one PR tool is the better choice. But if you don't have time and you really need distribution services, you can opt for press release websites.
These are platforms such as EIN Presswire, Globe Newswire, and others, where you can upload a press release and the platform distributes it to journalists for you.
The downsides are many, but primarily, you have a one-time fee for every press release you create, from $99 to hundreds of dollars each. If you create and send many press releases every month, it can quickly become quite pricey.
Also, while these press release websites can be effective, they are not as precise as PR tools like Prowly - as you don't have as many targeting options and you can't build a contact base of journalists to use in the future.
3. Adding a press release to your newsroom
If you don't already have a newsroom on your website, it's high time you created one. As the name suggests, this is a section of your website where you share important news about your company. Announcements, updates, awards and anything that holds significance for your business.
If a journalist wants to find out what's new around your business, this is the first place they will go. Needless to say, keep this section spotless and up to date.
💡Here are two guides if you want to get started with Online Newsrooms and keep your public digital assets there:
4. Writing a blog post
Blogs are one of the most common and popular types of content out there, and for good reason. Brands such as Hubspot have built their entire marketing operations around blogs, and you could too.
If you already have a blog where you publish content for SEO purposes, this is the ideal spot to talk about your new press release.
Since press releases are short by nature, blogs are the ideal format to expand on your content. You can share more about your new product launch, a new CEO being appointed, or whatever the topic of your press release may be.
You'll have more opportunities to discuss the topic and include even more media than you would in a typical press release. You could optimize that blog post for a specific keyword and get even more organic traffic from it once it starts ranking in search engine results.
5. Doing internal repurposing for sales and customer support
Is your internal team aware that you created and started promoting a press release? Outside of your PR and marketing department, probably very few of your teammates know about your new press release.
You can use your press release as sales collateral and let the sales and customer support team know that they can use it in calls and emails. Even if the customer is not someone who could amplify your message, they may know someone relevant who could.
6. Sending press releases in your email newsletter
Email marketing is still very powerful and relevant in 2024. If you have a newsletter with a sizable following, dedicating an issue to your press release would be a smart use of your resources.
You already have people who love and read your emails. And there is a good chance that, within your subscriber list, there is a journalist or at least someone who knows one. Since the audience is there, just dedicate a special edition of your newsletter to writing about your new press release.
You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain.
7. Turning press releases into videos
Press releases and videos don't usually go together, but there is no reason why they shouldn't. Video is an increasingly popular content format and, in different lengths, it can be incredibly effective in getting your audience’s attention and the press.
The great news is that you don't need thousands of dollars in expensive equipment or editing tools to create videos nowadays.
Simply grab a tool such as Synthesia, give it a script, choose your AI voice, and you can create videos to distribute press releases at a super low cost. Depending on the kind of script you want to use, you can create longer videos for YouTube or shorter ones for Instagram Reels or TikTok.
8. Sharing press releases on social media
Promoting anything on social media can be a wonderful experience where you are only limited by your imagination. In the case of press releases, there are many paths you can take. Here are some great examples, depending on your preferred social media platform:
- Highlighting videos and images featured in your press release
- Making images with relevant quotes from your press release
- Extracting quotes while sharing the full press release in a post or a comment
- Sharing the most relevant bits of the press release with your industry groups and communities
- Tapping into platforms where journalists in your industry are most likely to hang out (e.g. X, Discord, Threads, Cohost, or others)
The most important thing to remember is that your content should be adapted to the platform where you're posting, if you want the best exposure.
9. Creating ads with press releases
Probably the most expensive way to promote press releases, but it has its own benefits too. Whether you do AdWords or paid ads on social media, going the paid route is an attractive option.
The reason is simple: ads allow you to target very specific people. If you want to make sure only journalists from relevant countries see an ad for your new press release, it can be done.
The downside is, of course, that each click makes a dent in your budget. Choose your ad platform carefully for the best combination of cost and availability of the media professionals you can target.
10. Sending your press release to influencers and bloggers
If you want to skip the ads and get straight to your target, you can reach out to influencers and bloggers who may be interested in your press release. If you know of bloggers and influencers that cover your industry, it's worth reaching out and telling them about your new press release and its topic.
For example, if someone is in the VoIP industry and has a blog where they talk about call centers and business telephony, you could reach out to tell them about a press release covering your new IVR feature.
If they can't write about your press release, they may be able to put you in touch with someone who can. Just make sure you include a short summary of the press release and explain why it's worth their time.
This won't work equally well in every industry, so make sure you're familiar with your field’s landscape of bloggers and influencers.
Conclusion
Using a PR platform such as Prowly is by far the most effective and affordable way to maximize the reach of your press release. But as any good PR professional knows, it's best to use a combination of a few methods for the best results.
If you want to get started today, absolutely free, Prowly has an entire set of tools to create and promote your press releases. Sign up today and see why PR pros love Prowly!
