PR Blog | Press Release Tips and Insights | PressRelease.com

How to Write a Press Release That Gets Picked Up

Fri, 08 May 2026 15:25:52 GMT

This guide walks you through everything you need to know — structure, style, and what PressRelease.com’s editorial team looks for when reviewing a submission.

Every Business Has a Story Worth Telling

The most common mistake first-time press release writers make isn’t bad writing — it’s not recognizing that what feels routine to them is genuinely interesting to the outside world. A new hire, a new location, a partnership, a product launch, a milestone — these are the moments your customers, partners, investors, and community actually want to know about.

The key is framing. A press release isn’t a blog post or an advertisement. It’s a news announcement — and news follows a specific structure that editors and journalists recognize instantly. Once you understand that structure, the story you want to tell fits naturally into it.

Here are the most common news angles that work well for press release distribution:

• A new product, service, or website launch

• A business expansion, new location, or new hire

• A partnership, acquisition, or major deal

• An industry award or significant recognition

• Research, data, or a new study your company conducted

• An upcoming event, conference, or trade show appearance

• A company milestone like an anniversary or revenue benchmark

• An expert opinion tied to a topic currently in the news

A Note on Editorial Review

PressRelease.com’s editorial team reviews every submission before it goes live. This is a good thing — it means your release is going out with a quality check behind it. The team is looking for a clear news angle, accurate information, functioning links, and proper contact details. Writing with those four things in mind will keep your submission moving smoothly and get your story out faster.

The Anatomy of a Press Release

A press release follows a specific structure that journalists and editors recognize instantly. Once you know it, it’s straightforward — and following it gives your release the best chance of moving through review quickly. Here’s how it’s put together:

1. Headline

Your headline does one job: tell the reader exactly what happened. It should be specific, factual, and free of hype. Avoid exclamation points, superlatives, and marketing language.

A strong headline is specific and factual: “Austin-Based SaaS Company Raises $4M Series A to Expand HR Platform” tells the reader exactly what happened. The company name should appear in the headline, summary, or first paragraph so readers immediately know the source.

2. Dateline

The dateline opens the first paragraph and includes your city and the date. Example: AUSTIN, TX — April 2, 2026 —

3. Lead Paragraph

The lead paragraph answers who, what, when, where, and why in two to three sentences. Write it as if someone will only read this paragraph — because many people will. The most important information goes first. This is called the inverted pyramid structure and it’s standard in journalism.

4. Body Paragraphs

Expand on the lead with supporting details, context, and background. Keep paragraphs short — two to three sentences each. Write in third person. Avoid first-person language like “we” and “our” in the body copy.

Total length of 400–600 words is the sweet spot. It gives you enough room to tell the story fully while keeping it tight enough for journalists to scan quickly.

5. Quote

Include one quote from a company executive or spokesperson. The quote should add perspective or meaning — not repeat what the body already said. Journalists often pull quotes directly, so make it count. Attribute it properly: “First Name Last Name, Title, Company Name.”

A strong quote adds real perspective: “This partnership opens a distribution channel we’ve been working toward for two years,” said Jane Smith, CEO of Acme Corp. “We expect it to accelerate growth significantly in Q3.” That kind of specificity is what journalists actually use.

6. Boilerplate

The boilerplate is a standard “About [Company]” paragraph at the end of every release. Two to four sentences. Cover what your company does, who it serves, and where it’s based. Keep it consistent across all your releases.

7. Media Contact

Every press release should include a media contact with at least a valid email address. Some distribution options also ask for a name and phone number. This makes it easy for journalists to follow up — which is exactly what you want.

8. End Notation

Close the release with “###” centered on its own line. This is the standard journalism notation signaling the end of the release.

Writing Style: Tips for a Polished Release

PressRelease.com follows AP (Associated Press) style, which is the standard format used across professional journalism and news distribution. Here are the key conventions:

• Write in third person throughout — this gives your release a professional, objective tone.

• Use active voice wherever possible. It reads faster and more confidently.

• Spell out numbers one through nine. Use numerals for 10 and above.

• Abbreviate months with six or more letters when used with a date: Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.

• Use one space after a period.

• Spell out state names in body text. Use postal abbreviations only with full addresses.

• Keep punctuation clean and straightforward. Let the writing do the work.

• Test every hyperlink before submitting to make sure everything is live and working.

What Makes a Release Get Picked Up

Distribution gets your release on the wire. Pickup — meaning journalists and editors actively choosing to feature your story — requires a few things distribution alone can’t provide:

• A genuinely newsworthy hook that hasn’t been covered elsewhere

• A specific, fact-based headline that tells the story in one line

• A lead paragraph that answers every basic question immediately

• A quote that sounds like a real person said it, not a committee wrote it

• Accurate, functioning links to any referenced resources

• Clean, error-free writing with no spelling or grammar issues

• Contact information that makes follow-up easy

One more thing: timing matters. Releases tied to current events, industry trends, or seasonal moments get more traction than releases sent at random. If your announcement connects to something happening in the news right now, say so in the lead.

A Note on SEO and Hyperlinks

Press releases can include hyperlinks, and those links create real SEO value when your release is picked up across high-authority outlets. Link to your company homepage, a relevant landing page, or a resource you’re referencing. Keep it natural — two or three links is plenty.

Two or three links is the right amount for most releases. Keep the anchor text natural and descriptive, and your links will do their job well.

Before You Submit: A Quick Checklist

• Does the headline clearly state the news?

• Is the company name in the headline, summary, or first paragraph?

• Does the lead answer who, what, when, where, and why?

• Is the release written in third person throughout?

• Is the total length between 400 and 600 words?

• Does the quote add perspective rather than repeat the body?

• Is the boilerplate included and accurate?

• Is there a valid email address in the media contact section?

• Have all hyperlinks been tested and confirmed working?

• Has the release been proofread for spelling and grammar?

• Does the release end with ###?

Ready to Distribute?

Once your release is written and reviewed, log in to your PressRelease.com account, choose the outlets that match your goals, and submit. Our editorial team reviews every release before it goes live. If anything needs adjustment, we’ll let you know.

Not sure which outlets to choose?

See our guide: Which Outlet Is Right for Your Goals?

Which Outlet Is Right for Your Goals?

Fri, 08 May 2026 15:24:34 GMT

Match Your Goal to the Right Outlet

Goal: Build Investor or Financial Credibility

Outlets: Yahoo Finance NA, Morningstar, Benzinga, Reuters

When investors, lenders, and analysts research a company, they're scanning the sources they already trust. Yahoo Finance reaches tens of millions of monthly visitors in the investment community. Morningstar adds credibility with analysts and institutional investors. Benzinga reaches active traders who move fast. Reuters carries institutional weight internationally.

If you’re announcing a funding round, a strategic partnership, or any news with financial relevance, these are the outlets where that story belongs.

Goal: Reach Business Decision-Makers

Outlets: Business Insider, Yahoo Finance NA

Not every press release needs to reach everyone. If your story is aimed at executives, operators, and growth-focused professionals — the people who make purchasing, partnership, and hiring decisions — you need outlets that speak their language.

Business Insider reaches 100 million global visitors monthly with a heavy concentration of executives and entrepreneurs. Combine it with Yahoo Finance to cover both the operator audience and the investor audience in a single distribution.

Goal: Maximum Consumer Reach and Brand Awareness

Outlets: Major Network News, USA Today, Apple News

If your announcement is consumer-facing and you want the broadest possible reach, this combination delivers across broadcast, print, and mobile in a single distribution.

Major Network News syndicates across FOX, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, and more — with over 300 million global impressions. USA Today adds print credibility and one of the strongest domain authorities in American journalism. Apple News puts your story directly in the hands of 135 million active iPhone users.

Goal: Build SEO and Long-Term Online Visibility

Outlets: Associated Press, Big News Network, USA Today

Not all visibility is immediate. A well-distributed press release can keep generating search traffic and backlinks for months after it runs — and outlet selection is what makes that possible.

The Associated Press has one of the highest domain authority scores available in press release distribution. Every pickup creates a high-authority backlink pointing to your brand. Big News Network is specifically built for SEO reach and international indexing. Together, they create a digital footprint that search engines and AI tools recognize and reward over time.

Goal: Generate Global or International Exposure

Outlets: Reuters, Associated Press, Big News Network

If your story needs to reach international audiences — whether for market expansion, institutional credibility, or cross-border partnerships — wire service reach is what gets you there.

Reuters and the Associated Press are the two most authoritative international wire services in the world. Reuters delivers institutional credibility across 2,500+ syndication sites globally. AP delivers syndication breadth and the SEO authority of one of the web’s most trusted domains. Big News Network adds international indexing and global discovery.

Goal: Reach a Mobile and Social Audience

Outlets: Apple News, Digital Journal

Most news is consumed on a phone. If your story is consumer-facing and has the kind of energy that gets people sharing, these two outlets are built for exactly that.

Apple News delivers your story directly into the native news app on every iPhone — 135 million active users. Digital Journal has a digitally engaged audience that actively shares content. Together they create immediate mobile scale and sustained amplification.

Full Outlet Reference

Here’s a complete overview of every outlet available on PressRelease.com, who they reach, and what they’re best suited for:

PressRelease.com gives you something most PR services don’t: the ability to choose exactly where your story appears. With more than a dozen outlets available, each reaching a different audience, the right choice depends entirely on what you’re trying to accomplish. This guide makes that decision easy.

The answer starts with your goal. Different outlets reach different audiences. A release designed to attract investors needs to land somewhere investors actually read. A release meant to build broad consumer awareness needs outlets with massive reach. This guide maps your goal to the outlets that serve it best.

Can I Choose More Than One?

Yes — and for most announcements, you should. Different outlets reach different audiences, and your story rarely belongs to just one. A funding announcement, for example, might warrant Yahoo Finance for the investment community, Business Insider for the executive audience, and the Associated Press for broad credibility and SEO.

Choosing multiple outlets doesn’t mean your release runs multiple times — it means it reaches multiple distinct audiences in a single distribution. That’s where the real value compounds.

Not sure where to start?

If you’re publishing your first release, start with the outlet that most closely matches your primary audience. You can always add outlets on your next release as you learn what works for your brand.

Ready to Distribute?

Log in to your PressRelease.com account to browse the full catalog, see current pricing, and choose the outlets that match your goals.

Have questions?

Our team is standing by at cx@pressrelease.com .

The Complete Guide to Amplifying Your News

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:27:39 GMT

You Published a Press Release.
Now What? The Complete Guide to Amplifying Your News

You spent time crafting the perfect press release. You chose your distribution outlets on PressRelease.com. You hit publish. Your news landed on Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, the Associated Press, and other major outlets. That's a win.

But here's what most businesses miss: distribution is the starting line, not the finish line. The press release itself is a content asset — and the companies that get the most value from their PR investment are the ones that amplify it across every channel available to them.

This guide walks you through exactly how to take a single press release and multiply its impact — with a downloadable checklist you can use for every release going forward.

Why Press Release Amplification Matters More Than Ever

A press release that only lives on the distribution outlets where it was published is leaving value on the table. Consider this: your customers are on social media, not reading wire services. Your website visitors need fresh content that builds SEO authority. Journalists who missed the initial distribution may discover your story through a blog post or LinkedIn update days later. And AI tools like ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews are more likely to cite content that appears across multiple sources and formats.

Amplification isn't extra work — it's the multiplier that turns a $200 press release investment into $2,000 worth of content and visibility.

The Press Release Amplification Playbook: 10 Ways to Multiply Your Impact

1. Share Across All Social Media Channels

What to do: Post your press release news on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) — but don't just drop a link. Write a native post for each platform that tells the story in that platform's language. LinkedIn gets a professional take with the key business impact. Instagram gets a visual with a compelling caption. X gets the punchy headline with a link.

Why it matters: Your press release reached journalists and news outlets. Social media reaches your actual customers, partners, and community. These are different audiences that discover content in different ways. Most of your customers will never visit Yahoo Finance — but they will see your LinkedIn post.

2. Turn It Into a Blog Post

What to do: Rewrite your press release as a blog post on your company website. A press release is formal and structured for media. A blog post is conversational and written for your audience. Add context, backstory, and personality that wouldn't belong in a press release. Include internal links to related pages on your site.

Why it matters: Blog posts build SEO authority on your own domain. When someone searches for your company or your industry, that blog post can rank in Google results for months or years. The press release drives immediate visibility; the blog post drives long-term discoverability. Together, they create a content flywheel.

3. Create a Short Video Summary

What to do: Record a 60-90 second video of your CEO, founder, or spokesperson summarizing the news in their own words. Keep it casual — a smartphone recording works. Post it on LinkedIn, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and embed it in the blog post version.

Why it matters: Video content gets significantly higher engagement than text on every social platform. YouTube is the second most-cited source by AI tools after Wikipedia — meaning a video summary of your news creates an entirely new citation pathway. Plus, video puts a face and voice to your brand, which builds trust in ways text alone cannot.

4. Email Your Audience

What to do: Send the news to your email list — customers, prospects, partners, investors. Don't just forward the press release. Write a short, personal email from your CEO or marketing lead that explains why this news matters to them specifically. Link to the press release for the full details.

Why it matters: Email is the highest-converting marketing channel and the only one you fully own. Your social reach depends on algorithms. Your email list is yours. A well-timed email about a press release reinforces credibility — your audience sees the news from you AND on major outlets, which validates the announcement from multiple directions.

5. Update Your Website Newsroom

What to do: Post the press release in your company's newsroom or press page. Include links to the distribution pickups ("As seen on Yahoo Finance, Business Insider..."). Make sure your newsroom is organized, current, and easy for journalists to find.

Why it matters: Research shows that company-owned newsrooms account for 18% of ChatGPT's citations. Your newsroom is your AI anchor — the permanent, structured source that AI tools reference when building descriptions of your brand. Every press release you add strengthens that foundation.

6. Design Shareable Graphics

What to do: Pull the most compelling quote, statistic, or headline from your press release and turn it into a branded graphic using Canva or your design tool of choice. Create multiple sizes for different platforms — square for Instagram, landscape for LinkedIn and X, vertical for Stories.

Why it matters: Visual content stops the scroll. A well-designed graphic with a key stat or quote is far more likely to be shared, saved, and engaged with than a text-only post. It also gives your audience something to reshare — extending your reach through their networks.

7. Pitch Journalists Directly

What to do: Identify 10-20 journalists who cover your industry and send them a personalized pitch referencing your press release. Don't just send the release — explain why their specific audience would care. Reference their recent articles to show you've done your homework.

Why it matters: Wire distribution gets your news in front of thousands of outlets simultaneously. Direct pitching gets your story in front of the specific journalist who can turn it into a feature article. The combination of broad distribution plus targeted outreach is where earned media coverage actually happens.

8. Write a LinkedIn Article or Op-Ed

What to do: Write a longer-form LinkedIn article or industry op-ed that uses your press release as the jumping-off point. If you announced a new product, write about the problem it solves and why it matters to the industry. If you announced a partnership, write about what the trend means for your market.

Why it matters: This positions you as a thought leader, not just a company with news. Thought leadership content from founders and executives consistently outperforms brand-page content on LinkedIn. It also creates another indexed, citable piece of content that reinforces your press release narrative across the web.

9. Add "As Seen In" to Your Sales Materials

What to do: Collect the logos of the outlets where your press release was published and add an "As Seen In" section to your website homepage, pitch decks, email signatures, and proposals. Link directly to the published articles.

Why it matters: "As seen on Yahoo Finance" and "Featured in Business Insider" are among the most powerful trust signals a small business can display. It's third-party credibility that you earned — use it everywhere. This single tactic can improve conversion rates on your website and close rates in your sales process.

10. Mine It for Future Content

What to do: Extract individual data points, quotes, and announcements from your press release and schedule them as standalone social posts over the following 2-4 weeks. One press release can generate 10-15 individual content pieces when broken apart.

Why it matters: Content fatigue is real — but repetition with variation isn't the same as repeating yourself. A stat from your release shared three weeks later feels like fresh content to most of your audience. This approach keeps your news alive long after the initial distribution window closes.

Most businesses treat a press release like a one-and-done announcement. The smart ones treat it as a content engine. Here's how to turn one press release into weeks of visibility across every channel that matters.

The Bottom Line: One Press Release, Unlimited Potential

A press release is not a single-use asset. It's the seed of a content strategy. The businesses that get the most ROI from PressRelease.com don't just distribute their news — they amplify it across every channel, reformat it for every audience, and mine it for weeks of additional content.

Distribution gets you on the map. Amplification keeps you there.

Download our free Press Release Amplification Checklist below and make sure you're getting the full value from every announcement.

Ready to publish your next press release?

Use PressRelease.com to choose your outlets, publish in minutes,
and start amplifying your news today.

DOWNLOAD HERE THE PRESS RELEASE AMPLIFICATION CHECKLIST

5 Dos and Don'ts of Newsjacking

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:05:20 GMT

Newsjacking can, and should, be part of any content marketing strategy. It’s a powerful way to gain new attention for your business products or services, while connecting with a newsworthy event. That being said, many businesses make major mistakes with their newsjacking efforts, mistakes that hurt their business. Let’s take a look at the five big does and don’ts of newsjacking.

What is Newsjacking?

Before we dive into those mistakes, let’s make sure we’re on the same page. Newsjacking is the practice of leveraging current events or news to market your business. You create content that embraces the event.

For example, When the lights at the New Orleans Superdome went out during the 2013 Super Bowl, it took just a few seconds for people to start tweeting #BlackoutBowl. Just a few seconds later, Oreo posted a picture on Twitter of an oreo cookie sitting in the dark with the tagline, “You can still dunk in the dark.”

That is an example of newsjacking at it’s best. It was timely, appropriate, relevant, and memorable.

Dos and Don’ts of Newsjacking

1. Do Set Up News Alerts

Use a tool like Google Alerts to set up news alerts. Google alerts can be set up for industries, company names, keywords and more. Also, set up news alerts on social sites like Twitter.

2. Don’t React to Everything

Not every news story is going to be relevant to your brand or business. Make sure that you’re newsjacking content that is relevant and interesting to your audience.

3. Do designate a person, or two, to be in charge of newsjacking.

Because news happens 24/7, you need someone to pay attention to what’s going on so that they can act in a timely manner. Make sure someone in your organization is always paying attention, and checking the alerts, to make sure you’re not missing any opportunities.

4. Don’t Hesitate

Once you’ve decided to create content and newjack a story, it’s important to act fast. Newsjacking results are best when they’re immediate. The Oreo example is perfect. If they’d created that image 24 hours later, it wouldn’t have had the same impact.

5. Do Leverage Planned Events

Yes, when most people think of newsjacking they’re thinking about breaking stories or events. However, you can make real progress by newsjacking events and opportunities that you know about. For example, Charmin leveraged the red carpet of the oscars by creating a picture of a woman walking down the red carpet and the words, “Good luck to the nominees tonight. Don’t forget to look down before your speech.”

Newsjacking can be an important part of your content marketing strategy. It’s an excellent way to build your press and public relations without having to create your own news. When embracing newsjacking, make sure that you’re paying attention to what matters to your audience and following these dos and don’ts.

Copywriting for PR

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 19:45:06 GMT

Copywriting is an essential part of your business, especially when it comes to branding. The words that you put out there in regards to your business will set everything in stone. Whether it's a blog or social media post, email, or a press release.

Wording your press release is critical to your branding.

Whether you’re writing blog posts, email messages, or even social media posts, knowing a few copywriting techniques can help improve the results. The same is true for your press and public relations content. Let’s take a look at how to leverage copywriting for PR.

1. Embrace Your Personality

Often when we’re writing, we write for everyone and strive to make everyone happy. The result is generally dull writing. You can’t make everyone happy. It’s better to embrace your personality in your writing, including your press and public relations pieces. Show who you are. People will be drawn to personality and you may find that you’re gaining a larger following.

2. Spend a Ton of Time on Your Headline

Your headline matters. It doesn’t matter if you’re sending a pitch to a journalist or writing a press release, the headline can make all the difference. Write your content first and then take a look at key phrases. Pull out the strongest phrases to use as headlines and subheadings. Your headline will match your copy and readers will get the information they’re expecting.

Using those phrases, you can then incorporate other headline copywriting techniques like using numbers, making a promise, or inciting curiosity to gain attention.

3. Simplify Your Content

Using buzzwords, jargon, and tech speak only complicates your content. Simplify it. Write for the layperson not the expert. Even if you believe that the journalist you’re writing is an expert in the niche and they’ll understand all of the acronyms and industry language, don’t use it. The simpler you write, the easier it is for people to understand, enjoy, and gain value from it.

4. Make It Easy to Read

Content needs to be scannable. Meaning that the key ideas need to be separated from the main content. You can accomplish this through spacing, through making phrases or words bold or underlined. And by using subheadings, lists, and easy to read fonts. It’s essential that reading your press or public relations content is easy for your audience. If you’re sending them large blocks of content, they may miss the main points or they may simply not read it.

5. Add Visuals When Possible

Finally, make your PR content visually interesting. Copywriters know that we respond to visuals and by adding images, graphs, charts, pictures and other visual elements to your PR content, you add interest. You keep the reader engaged and more likely to take action. And yes, you can add visuals to your press releases too. Copywriting isn’t just for sales materials. It can be applied to any type of content you’re creating to provide a better experience for your reader and better results for your bottom line. Master a few techniques and use them when you’re writing press and PR content.

How to determine ROI of Influencer Marketing

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 19:06:48 GMT

You know that influencer marketing is one of the fastest-growing marketing trends. You know that influencers can help you reach a much larger audience, increase your credibility and trust as a brand. And you know that influencers can help you strengthen your brand. However, what is often difficult to measure, or anticipate, is the ROI or return on investment from influencer marketing. The good news is that there are tangible ways to determine ROI of influencer marketing.

1. Set Performance Indicators

KPI or Key Performance Indicators are essentially predetermined metrics that you want to achieve with your Influencer Marketing. For example, you might want to track clicks through from the influencer post to your website. You might want to track engagement or comments or sales. As with any marketing strategy and tactics, you want to make sure to set your goal before you begin planning and implementing your influencer marketing.

2. Coupon Codes

Coupon codes are an exceptionally easy way to track response and ROI. You can give your influencer a coupon code to use in their posts. Whenever their code is used, you can attribute that action or sale to your revenue tracking and determine their return on investment. For example, if you pay an influencer 10K to post a 4 part campaign and you make 11K in revenue your ROI is 1K. Plus you’ve expanded your reach, increased awareness, and strengthen your brand.

3. Predetermined Amount of Time

You can also set your influencer campaigns to run during a specific period of time. For example, you might have them create 3 posts over the course of 48 hours. Then for every sale or action taken during that time frame, you can attribute it to the influencer and calculate their ROI. This method requires you to not run any other marketing efforts during this period of time and there may be some overlap over time.

One of the benefits of social media marketing is that it can generate results over time. It’s not unheard of for your influencer’s post to create a sale several months after their post. Just take these things into consideration before planning your influencer marketing campaign and setting your goals.

Bottom line, set goals and KPI. Create systems to track and measure those KPIs and then work with the influencer to make sure the technology supports tracking. Subtract the cost of working with the influencer from the revenue you gain from their posts and you have your return on investment. Tracking clicks, using coupon codes, or limiting their posts to a specific amount of time can help make measuring ROI easier.

How to Build Rapport with Media

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 18:14:34 GMT

One of the best ways to get your business covered in the media is to build relationships with the media. This is often referred to as a media relations campaign. It can make the difference between getting the PR that you want and having your story ideas ignored. So the question then is, how do you build rapport with the media?

1. Identify the Right Journalists/Reporters

Before you begin engaging with the media, choose a few representatives in your niche. These are reporters that cover your industry, are in your community, and are more likely to write a story about your brand. You can find these media reps by searching online, by reading industry publications, and by reading or watching other stories about your industry.

2. Read Their Content

Before you start engaging, but once you’ve identified a few key media representatives, it’s time to do a little research. Read the content that your chosen journalist or reporter writes. Go back and read everything for the past 6-12 months and make sure you’ve also read their most recent content. Why? Because this research time will give you a lot of the information that you need to connect with them and engage. You’ll know what they write about, the type of information they tend to share, and what their writing style is.

3. Engage & Share

Begin following them on social media. Share their content when they post it online. Write content that links to their content. For example, you might write a post and quote the reporter with a link to the quoted content. And when they ask a question or are looking for information, provide assistance. Do what you can to become a genuine asset to the media representative.

4. Share Your Resources and Knowledge

It may not come up often, but when you have the opportunity to share information that your chosen reporter may find valuable or helpful, share it with them. Finally, be professional. Respect their time. And treat them like you would want to be treated. Some relationships take time to develop and building rapport with a media representative can take time. It’s worth it. When you have a solid professional relationship with the media, your announcements and news will be covered.

3 Things You Should Do with Your Earned Media

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 16:49:05 GMT

How are you using your earned media?

Are you making the most of it and leveraging this amazing form of content to grow your business? In this post we’ll take a brief look at what earned media is and why it’s important, then we’ll focus on three things you should do with your earned media so you can immediately integrate them into your earned media strategy.

Earned media is media or content, received when people talk about your business online. These people might be influencers, other brands, customers, and perhaps followers. It’s word of mouth marketing, online. For example, if a customer buys your product and reviews it on their Facebook page, that’s earned media.

Earned media is different from owned media, which is content that you create yourself, and paid media which is content that you buy like an advertisement or an endorsed post.

Because earned media isn’t created by you and it’s not paid for, consumers put a lot more trust into this type of content than they do other formats. They believe the word of their peers. You get through their filters, and earned media has more credibility. With earned media, you’ll connect with more prospects and sell more products/services.

But the question is, onceyou get earned media, what do you do with it?

How do you get the most mileagefrom

this unique and valuable content?

1. Repost - Most earned media is found on social media. When you receive earned media, say a rave review from a customer or an influencer, repost that content on your own site. Make sure your followers see the content and be sure to thank the creator for their kind words.

2. Engage - Comment on the earned media. Again, if this is a social media post then, by all means, spend a few minutes and engage the creator in conversation. Thank them for their post. If other people commenting on the post have questions, offer value and answer relevant questions. Don’t take over the post, but do engage.

3. Share with the Media - Assuming you have an ongoing media relations campaign and you have initiated relationships with media representatives, sharing earned media with them can help you gain exposure. This is particularly true if you’re able to couple the earned media with a press release or story pitch. Earned media is a powerful form of content. Your audience and customers trust it to help them make a decision about you and your brand. Make sure you’re making the most of your earned media.

3 Tools to Help You Write Your Press Release

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 15:57:05 GMT

Writing a press release, whether it’s the first time or the fiftieth, can feel daunting. It can be tricky to know where to start, how to make it sound newsworthy, and how to get your voice and message across in a way that connects with your readers. There are, fortunately, some tools that can help you write the best press release possible.

SEM Rush’s Keyword Magic Tool

Okay, let’s start by saying that you can’t directly gain SEO traffic or ranking from a Press Release. They were abused about 10 years ago and now search engines don’t count them or even index them. However, that doesn’t mean that keywords aren’t important for the success of your press release.

Keyword tools can help you find out what keywords people use when searching for your information. They can help you “speak the language” that your audience is using. They can help you hit on the pain points that your audience is searching for (including journalists and media reps).

And keywords tools can help you get more creative and succinct with your language. You know, when you’re trying to say something different than you’ve already said it. The Keyword Magic tool by SEMRush is a handy, and free, keyword tool. https://www.semrush.com/features/keyword-magic-tool/

Grammarly

Your press release should have zero grammar and spelling errors. THat’s difficult if you’re the only one looking at it. Yes, you can get someone to edit it but that can cause you valuable time and money. Why not use a trusted tool to help you correct all grammar and spelling errors AND to suggest better sentence structure when it’s called for?

Grammarly is a simple plug-in for your computer or a quick download. You can find it at https://www.grammarly.com/ . You can’t afford to miss mistakes and publish a less than perfect press release? Why? Because it reflects on you - journalists and your audience are reading your release. Make sure you’ve covered your bases and are publishing the best version possible.

PR Buzzsaw

Sorry to say, but many press releases can sound more like sales pitches than any type of announcement or news. It’s easy to fall into the marketing voice with your press release but that’s exactly what you don’t want to do. Journalists and media reps will be turned off, and so will your readers.

One of the biggest culprits of sales press releases are the buzzwords often used in the content. Head over to PR Buzzsaw and they’ll help you identify and get rid of those worn-out phrases that sound wrong in a press release. http://prbuzzsaw.com/ In addition to basic templates, formatting tools, and word processing tools there are some tremendously useful tools to help you write your press release. Put these three at the top of your list the next time you’re working on a release.

How to Manage Social Media Burnout

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 17:01:51 GMT

Burned out from social media?

If it’s part of your job, or your entire job, to market and grow your business on social media, experiencing burnout can be quite destructive to your business. The good news is that you can prevent, manage, and recover from social media burnout.

What is Social Media Burnout?

Burnout occurs when you spend too much time, energy, and attention doing something and begin to feel less joy from the activity. In fact, one of the first signs of burnout is procrastination, apathy, and then perhaps a downright avoidance of the activity. If you find that you are feeling less than enthusiastic about social media, and using it to grow your business, then you’re likely experiencing social media burnout.

Why is Social Media Burnout a Problem?

If your marketing strategy focuses on social media and you’re experiencing burnout then you’re going to start seeing lackluster results from your social media efforts - if you haven’t already. Burnout often causes people to engage less, engage in a less authentic or social way, and to perhaps comment or respond in a way that you might occasionally regret. You can actually harm your brand by being burned out on social media.

How to Manage Social Media Burnout

The first key to managing social media burnout is to recognize that it is a problem or a potential problem. Then you can begin to take a look at what will work for you to best avoid or manage the situation. Common solutions include:

Scheduled Down Time - you may feel like you have to be on social 24/7, you don’t. Schedule downtime for yourself and don’t pick up your phone or engage on social unless you’re scheduled to do so. For example, you might stay off social for one hour each night before bedtime.

Take Breaks - Take five, or even ten, minutes every hour and rest your eyes. Move them away from your computer or phone and either rest them or do something else. Walk, brainstorm content on a piece of paper, pet a dog. Just pull your attention away from social for a few minutes.

Leverage Technology - Leverage other apps to help you create systems and manage your time. You can, for example, install apps that prevent you from accessing social media during certain times of the day - you set these times. You can use the services that let you know when your brand has been mentioned so that you can engage and respond in a timely manner. When you’re not responding, you can be away from the social sites and engaging in other activities.

Create Structure for Your Time - Schedule your day and designate time for specific social media activities. For example, you might set aside an hour to post. Another hour to comment on posts you were mentioned in. A separate hour to brainstorm content. Create content, review analytics, initiate partnerships or reach out to existing partners. Etc...you get the idea. By creating a structure to your day, you give purpose to your time.

Finally, and this is by no means the least important step, take good care of your health. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, exercising, and eating a healthy diet. Stress can have a serious impact on your health and it can play a role in your burnout. Taking care of your health can help you feel more positive, energized, and capable of setting boundaries with social media.

What Journalists are Looking For

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:24:47 GMT

The life of a journalist is fast paced and competitive. Not only do they have to continuously prove themselves at work, they are competing with every other source of information available. This includes magazines,television,radio, and social media. There are many ways that people get their information and journalists know that every story counts. When you’re pitching to a journalist, it’s important to know what journalists are looking for.

1. An Actual News Story

Before you pick up the phone, send a DM on social, or draft an email, make sure that you have news and that your news is something that the journalist will care about. It has to be relevant to their audience and to be newsworthy, it also has to be timely and provide some sort of benefit.

When pitching your storyidea, present the most important information first. How will your news impacttheir audience? What do they gain by covering your story?

Of course, to be able towrite a great pitch and putting the most important information first, you haveto research your journalist. Know who their audience is and what they writeabout. This will help you position your information in the best way.

2. Personal Connections

You’re more likely to take action based on information from someone you know or are connected with over a virtual stranger, right? The same is true for journalists. If you don’t have a connection established with the media representative that you’re reaching out to with your pitch, then make sure you do as much research on them as possible so that you can personalize your pitch.

This means addressing them by name in your pitch as well as referencing a story or two that they covered that are also relevant to your story idea. Personalizing your pitch can mean the difference between the journalist actually reading your pitch or clicking away.

3. Information

Make sure that your pitchcontains relevant information including any data that backs up your story. Letthe journalist know that you have images and consider including links to yourmedia page or supporting information. For example, if you’re citing newresearch, you might give the journalist a link to the research report. Ifyou’re announcing the launch of a new product, provide them with links to seeproduct photos. Put yourself in their place before you pitch. What would you want? Whatwould make you pay attention to your story idea? What would capture yourattention? That’s what journalists are looking for. They want a quality storyidea presented to them in a professional way by someone who has done theirresearch. And they want their job of writing the story to be as easy aspossible.

Influencer Marketing for B2B

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 19:34:27 GMT

When most people think about influencer marketing they imagine a consumer driven brand. Business to consumer makes sense for instagram because it generally isn’t a business platform, at least not like other social channels - LinkedIn and Facebook are good examples of platforms that are often used for B2B, Business to Business, marketing. Yet influencer marketing for B2B can work and it can be highly effective.

1. Business People are Consumers

It’s important to remember that just because someone isn't at their desk searching instagram for business solutions doesn’t mean that they’re not going to search Instagram.

Here are some of the statistics for Instagram; It has 1 billion monthly active users, it’s second only to Facebook for the most engaged network, and 71% of the users are under age 35. Those users are business owners, business buyers, marketing executives, and so much more.

By leveraging influencer marketing on Instagram, and Facebook, you’re going to reach a larger audience and you’ll tap into the buying triggers like credibility and authority that can be time consuming to attain.

2. It Takes a Little Longer

Because they buying cycle for B2B is going to be longer than B2C, Business to Consumer, you’re going to want to adjust for this with your influencer strategy and campaigns. The general recommendation for B2B influencer marketing is that you should seek to work with B2B influencers one year at a time and that you shouldn’t expect to see results for about six months. This is different than B2C which is generally 30 days working with influencers and just a few days for results.

3. How You Find Your Influencers May be Different

One of the best ways to find influencers is to look at the people that you’re already interacting with. Again, this is different from B2C, but it’s an important perspective to take. If you already have a relationship with an influencer it means they already have knowledge about who you are and what you do. This makes them more natural advocates for your business. You might even look at people who are already chatting about your business.

Secondly, look to see who your customers follow. What influencers do they trust and listen to? These are your second group of influencers to consider reaching out to.

4. Support Co-Creation and Creative Ideas

Often, with B2C influencer marketing, you create the posts and the influencer publishes them. It’s often a very controlled and one way creative exchange. With B2B influencer marketing you may want to explore collaboration and creating content together. Ask for their ideas and insights. You’re going to be working with this person or group for a year so it’s a good idea to create a plan together, one that will support you both to succeed. Remember that the influencer has their audience to keep in mind and respecting that will go a long way toward a positive working relationship.

Influencer marketing for B2B can bring about tremendous results. To be successful, you’ll want to approach it differently than B2C. Look for influencers close to you, plan to work together for a year or more and be patient for your results. Success can take time.

How to Reach Out to Local Media

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 17:04:47 GMT

~~Building relationships with the media and pitching your story ideas or company news can be the fastest way to grow your Press and Public Relations Campaign.~~ Reaching out to the media tends to be where businesses struggle. In this article, we take a look at why local media is a fantastic place to start. We then talk about best practices and tips to reach out to local media so you can leverage their power and grow your business.

Why Local Media?

~~When it comes to building relationships with the media you may want to connect with Lester Holt at NBC but chances are there are thousands of others trying to do the same.~~ The competition is stiff to connect with big-name journalists.

This isn’t the case for smaller local media reporters, journalists, and media representatives. They don’t have as many gatekeepers and they’re likely still working on building their career. In short, they’re easier to engage with. They’re more likely to respond. And there’s another benefit that is often not talked about...

Local news, if it’s compelling enough, often makes it to the national level. ~~So it just makes sense to begin building relationships locally and for that to happen, you’ll want to establish a media relationship strategy for local media.~~ You’ll want to begin reaching out to them.

How to Reach Out to Local Media

1. Network and make a name for yourself. Get involved in your community. Speak at engagements, attend events, and get yourself out in the public forum. That way, when you do introduce yourself to a media rep, they are more likely to know your name. And, media reps are often at these events so it puts you in the right place at the right time. Networking also helps you meet new people who may be connected to the media. You can leverage your connections.

2. Get to Know Them. Learn who your local media reps are and do your research. Follow them on social media, read their stories, and learn all that you can about your reporters. This way, when you do get a face to face, you’ll have a lot of information to talk about with them.

3. Help Them Out - There are many ways to help a reporter. You can share their content on your social sites. You can quote them in your content and link to their content. You can feed them stories or information to help them write their stories. Finally, learn to write exceptional press releases and pitch your stories, announcements, events, and information to your local media reps. Establish yourself as a professional, engage with the media when it makes sense, and support their careers by providing excellent story ideas, information, and promotion. Building relationships with your local media is a great way to build your company’s press and PR.

How to Cold Email a Journalist

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 14:20:06 GMT

You have a great idea for a story about your company and you know just who should cover it. Problem is, you don’t have an existing relationship with the journalist just yet and you’re not sure how to pitch your story idea. While it’s always easier to write a pitch email to media reps when you’ve connected before, you can email a journalist you’ve never engaged with. Here’s how to cold email a journalist and get the results that you want.

1. Keep Your Email Short

Journalists are busy, just like you and everyone else. Consider how you’d feel if you received a long-winded email from a stranger. Not too happy, right? Keep your email short and to the point. What’s the story, why will it appeal to their audience, what do you have to offer?

2. Personalize the Email

Sure, you don’t know the journalist but you can still personalize the message. Greet them by name, include a reference or two to work they’ve written recently that is relevant to your audience and your story idea. Show the journalist that you’re not just blindly reaching out but that you have done your homework and put in the time and effort.

3. It’s Relevant to Them

The worst thing you can do is sent a cold email to a journalist that writes for a different niche or industry. A health writer, for example, isn’t likely to be interested in your tech company story (unless the tech is related to health). So make sure you’re emailing your pitch to a relevant media rep who will be interested in covering your information.

4. Short and Simple Subject Line

The subject line of the email should be short, simple, and of course intriguing enough to encourage the reporter to open the message. Again, consider sticking to the point. For example, you might actually include the word “Pitch” in your subject line. “Pitch: New Technology Changes How Parents with Newborns Sleep.” Sending this pitch to a parenting writer or a health and wellness journalist and it will get opened.

5. What’s In It for Them?

Finally, make sure to remember that this pitch isn’t about you, it’s about your story and how it will benefit the journalist’s audience. Remember to focus on the benefits of your news and what their readers will gain.

Just a couple of paragraphs and then it’s time to thank them, close the email, and leave them with a link for more information and a contact name. It’s also a good idea to tell them when and how you’re going to follow up and to follow through on that and reconnect with them if you haven’t heard in your chosen time frame. Writing a cold email to a journalist doesn’t have to be complicated. Stick to the point, remember to focus on their needs, and personalize the message as much as possible.

The Importance of Social Listening

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 16:23:54 GMT

As a business, there are many different facets of your business that you want to track. You track your website visits. You track your marketing return on investment. And, ideally, you track your brand’s reputation on social media. Tracking your brand’s reputation and brand sentiment is called social listening and it’s critical to your success.

What is Social Listening?

HubSpot defines social listening as “The monitoring of your brand's social media channels for any customer feedback and direct mentions of your brand or discussions regarding specific keywords, topics, competitors, or industries, followed by an analysis to gain insights and act on those opportunities. ”

Based on this definition then, you probably notice that you're tracking several different things. You’re tracking customer satisfaction for your customer service strategy and department. You’re tracking keywords and audience problems for marketing and development. And you’re tracking brand sentiment or how people feel about your brand.

Why Is Social Listening Important?

Let’s start by looking at how people feel about your brand or brand sentiment. If you’re marketing on social media then chances are, you’re spending a good amount of time and energy on social media and creating and strengthening your brand message. But how do you know that your message is being received as you intend?

The only way to know is to pay attention, to track brand sentiment and to create a social listening campaign. Social listening takes brand monitoring a step further and actually engages with those talking about your business online. SO, you’re doing more than track, you’re participating.

Why?

Consumers like it when brands engage. In fact, the media often likes it when brands engage with their consumers, especially if they do so in a unique and authentic way.

You can control the message (as much as possible). Let’s say that you receive some negative feedback. You can prevent this feedback from becoming a bigger deal if you are engaging in social listening. You can turn the story around with the customer or the person leaving negative feedback and control the message about your brand. (This can be quite powerful to grow your business.)

You discover new opportunities. By monitoring your brand sentiment and engaging with others via social listening you create conversations and conversations uncover opportunities. From discovering a new problem your audience is struggling with finding new partnerships, social listening opens doors.

Starting a Social Listening Campaign

Set up social monitoring with one of the many exceptional tools available to you like Hootsuite. Create a strategy for responding to comments, both positive and negative. Create a strategy for collecting and assessing the information you learn about your audience. Social listening isn’t complicated and it can be invaluable.

PR Blog | Press Release Tips and Insights | PressRelease.com

How to Write a Press Release That Gets Picked Up

Every Business Has a Story Worth Telling

A Note on Editorial Review

The Anatomy of a Press Release

1. Headline

2. Dateline

3. Lead Paragraph

4. Body Paragraphs

5. Quote

6. Boilerplate

7. Media Contact

8. End Notation

Writing Style: Tips for a Polished Release

What Makes a Release Get Picked Up

A Note on SEO and Hyperlinks

Before You Submit: A Quick Checklist

Ready to Distribute?

Which Outlet Is Right for Your Goals?

Match Your Goal to the Right Outlet

Goal: Build Investor or Financial Credibility

Goal: Reach Business Decision-Makers

Goal: Maximum Consumer Reach and Brand Awareness

Goal: Build SEO and Long-Term Online Visibility

Goal: Generate Global or International Exposure

Goal: Reach a Mobile and Social Audience

Full Outlet Reference

Can I Choose More Than One?

Not sure where to start?

Ready to Distribute?

Have questions?

The Complete Guide to Amplifying Your News

You Published a Press Release. Now What? The Complete Guide to Amplifying Your News

Why Press Release Amplification Matters More Than Ever

The Press Release Amplification Playbook: 10 Ways to Multiply Your Impact

1. Share Across All Social Media Channels

2. Turn It Into a Blog Post

3. Create a Short Video Summary

4. Email Your Audience

5. Update Your Website Newsroom

6. Design Shareable Graphics

7. Pitch Journalists Directly

8. Write a LinkedIn Article or Op-Ed

9. Add "As Seen In" to Your Sales Materials

10. Mine It for Future Content

The Bottom Line: One Press Release, Unlimited Potential

Distribution gets you on the map. Amplification keeps you there.

Ready to publish your next press release?

DOWNLOAD HERE THE PRESS RELEASE AMPLIFICATION CHECKLIST

5 Dos and Don'ts of Newsjacking

What is Newsjacking?

Dos and Don’ts of Newsjacking

1. Do Set Up News Alerts

2. Don’t React to Everything

3. Do designate a person, or two, to be in charge of newsjacking.

4. Don’t Hesitate

5. Do Leverage Planned Events

Copywriting for PR

How to determine ROI of Influencer Marketing

How to Build Rapport with Media

1. Identify the Right Journalists/Reporters

2. Read Their Content

3. Engage & Share

4. Share Your Resources and Knowledge

3 Things You Should Do with Your Earned Media

How are you using your earned media?

How do you get the most mileagefrom

﻿ this unique and valuable content?

3 Tools to Help You Write Your Press Release

SEM Rush’s Keyword Magic Tool

Grammarly

PR Buzzsaw

How to Manage Social Media Burnout

Burned out from social media?

What is Social Media Burnout?

Why is Social Media Burnout a Problem?

How to Manage Social Media Burnout

What Journalists are Looking For

1. An Actual News Story

2. Personal Connections

You Published a Press Release.
Now What? The Complete Guide to Amplifying Your News

this unique and valuable content?