What is a press release?
What would be the best way for a self-published author to create media awareness and gain credibility and momentum for their book? An effective press release campaign, that is.
“A press release,” according to Derbhile Dromey in her article for Writing.ie, “contains information that journalists use as the basis for a story. A press release is constructed like a newspaper article. It’s about 250-500 words long, with 1-2 sentences per paragraph.”
“A press release is a news story,” said Erica Verrillo for The Writing Cooperative. “It is written in third person, has a catchy title and intro, an engaging discussion of the book’s topic… The thing to remember is that a press release is a story. What the book is about, why it is significant, and how it came to be written are all important components of a press release.”
Why send a media press release?
Having self-published a book is already a great achievement in your life. Why not share the news with potential readers and other authors? And if you think you have written a great story, the media would love to hear about it. Try submitting the best press release you could write.
Why should self-published authors invest in promoting well-written press releases? One reason is that members of the media do rarely seek out newsworthy stories. They like it when companies, organizations or individuals send them their news. It makes their job much easier.
Another reason is that any individual or group that actively promotes itself is the one that receives publicity—that is, provided, their press releases are professionally well-written, have catchy headlines, and are compelling and newsworthy. Have you ever heard the word ‘hustle’?
Press releases will motivate members of the media to cover your story about your book. A well-structured and well-timed web press releases afford you the opportunity to reach hundreds and even thousands of potential readers. And should they take interest in your story, they will want to learn more and purchase your book.
The value is measurable in the form of benefits
If your book has a newsworthy quality that deserves attention, then a press release campaign should be the best and most cost-effective way to spread the word about your book. Think of the benefits you could get out of this marketing strategy:
- Credibility. Press releases often carry a higher degree of credibility than any other kind of marketing collateral. There is no other marketing collateral that can enhance your reputation as an author than a press release.
- Publicity. A press release does not only create a new and additional marketing source for your book marketing campaign but also draws public interest and invites discussion about your book.
- Low-cost marketing. As a writer, you can certainly write your own press releases and submit them to a web press release distribution service. You can also choose to let your self-publishing company take care of your press release campaign—for a competitive fee, of course.
- Google ranking. Don’t you know that you can optimize your press releases for Google? You can, by putting the keywords throughout your press release, especially in your headline, to show up in Google search.
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I was a little hesitant to avail a service for a PR campaign. Thank you for clarifying the benefits!