IS A PRESS RELEASE STILL THE BEST WAY TO PUBLICISE YOUR BUSINESS?

Research released by Cision, the media software provider, has revealed some really useful insights into the power of the press release. Is it an outdated way of spreading the word about your business? Absolutely not. As long as you adapt your approach to the changing needs of your audience, a well-written and well-targeted press release remains an essential part of your marketing toolkit.

Cision's State of the Press Release report – based on data collected between June 2019 and June 2020 – reveals the following...

• 72% of journalists agree that a press release is the most useful type of PR content to receive

• The average time spent reading a press release is 3 minutes 39 seconds

• The average length of a press release is 686 words

• Headline length is an average of 88 characters (around 19 words)

So what does this mean for the next press release you put out to promote your business? Here's what I think…

• Make sure your press release is succinct with a clear news angle

• Keep your release between 400 and 600 words long. If it has to be longer than this, break it up using bullet points and bold sections to make it as easy as possible to digest

• Keep your headline concise and to the point. No puns or word play – the journalist who reads it isn't interested in your witty turn of phrase, they just want to know what your story's about and whether it's relevant to them

• Schedule your press release to be sent out at an unusual time. Choose 10.03am instead of 10am, for example. That way, your message is less likely to get lost in the sea of press releases landing in a journalist's inbox on the hour and the half hour.

Did you know I offer a press release writing service? It's perfect for a small business that a) doesn't have its own PR department or b) can't stretch to outsourcing media relations to a PR agency. And with more than 20 years' experience working in magazines and newspapers, I know what editors want and I know how to deliver your story. Just drop me an email here to find out more.