How and When to Write a Press Release: Best Practices & Tips [+ Free Template]

Tips for Distribution

Distribution is a key aspect of any successful press release. If you can’t get into any publications, you just wasted your time learning how to write a press release for very little exposure and zero link building opportunities. Make sure you follow these distribution tips for maximum effectiveness:

1. Make it Valuable – Neil Patel^[1] has offered very succinct but very accurate advice for this article: “Offer value in return for the link – that’s the most important thing.” Understand that your piece is only worthy of distribution if the readers can find value in it. If it is something of interest and relevant to that publication’s reader base, you’re all set!
2. Keep it Simple – This means you should avoid excessive formatting or branding in your release. Many publications have guidelines that need to be followed, and overly pushy material just won’t be accepted. Tone it down a bit, make it valuable to readers and you will find much higher success rates.
3. Write a Catchy Headline – And add a subheading too. The more you give the reporter, the better. Plus, the more interesting the headline, the more likely it is to catch the reader’s attention.
4. Offer Access to High-Resolution Images or a Media Kit – Reporters need this in order to publish, and knowing that this material is available will greatly increase your chances. Vital always adds something like, “We’d be happy to send along a media kit with high-resolution images if you are interested” or we will include a link to a DropBox file.
5. Know Who You Are Pitching – Now, we don’t mean invite them over for dinner on Saturday night. What we do mean is understand what they write, know their audience and understand what is valuable to them. Provide value, and you will be rewarded. Don’t be the person who sends their real estate news to the sports reporter.

If you have past connections with reporters and editors, this is the time to utilize those relationships. If not, don’t fret. Do some background research on the individual you are contacting. What do they write about? What were their last few articles? Have they published anything like what you are pitching to them? Utilize this information to your benefit and make it known that you at least have seen their work, understand what they write about and know their audience.