Over the years, every industry has experienced specific changes in how it approaches things and has developed innovative solutions to new digital problems. This change has also hit the public relations department of every industry to get free PR.
Every business wants to submit a free press release, but most have no clue how to get it. This lack of awareness is due to the subject nature of public communications. Measuring the success of a PR campaign is not straightforward because the relationship with journalists and media cannot be quantified, unlike the metrics of PPC or SEO.
One effective way businesses get free PR is to increase their outreach efforts and strategize. This is the easiest method to scale a business of any sector, regardless of its size, to get media coverage.
Here are the 4 straightforward steps to get the free PR, breaking down a process that may seem complex at first glance.
Reconsider your PR Approach
The traditional method involved creating content, writing about a product, and sending it to publications to see if they would write about it. In this method, the journalist finds the complete content and the audience.
The traditional approach had two faults:
- The public relations team was not included in the distribution; the PR team was doing everything.
- The traditional method needed to meet the expectations of the end users and the media.
The only solution was to change the method and introduce new ways.
Here are the 4 straightforward steps to get the free PR, breaking down a process that may seem complex at first glance.
Make a list of Journalists and Media Persons.
Before writing the press release, start building a list of journalists and media persons working in the same niche as the business. This list will help establish good relationships with them, so it is essential to reach out to them well before the PR campaign.
By doing so, the business will get the media’s attention and will likely get free PR shortly.
Research Content Ideas
This is the most vital step to get free PR, even more than the press release itself. Content ideas will get the desired coverage. Therefore, it is essential to consider the following factors.
Understanding the wants of Journalists
Journalists have their own rules for accepting pitches and covering press releases. However, most journalists want exclusivity. That said, visual content also gets attention. Press releases consisting of multimedia of up to five to six pieces get lots of traction from the media, increasing the chances of free PR.
Set the goals
Press releases are not all-rounders, which means that one piece of content cannot produce many results. Thus, it is essential to set goals to manage expectations.
- Visuals and shareable content are best if the goal is to get visibility.
- If the goal is to get engagement, then emphasize “Ask” along with a strong CTA
- If the goal is to get backlinks, shift the focus to creating stories around resources.
- If the goal is to get press attention, then offer them a unique story
After setting the goals, do not forget to add the targeted keywords to increase the efficiency of the SEO.
Content Creation
After brainstorming the content and setting the goals, now is the time to start creating content. This new approach can be challenging for some and extremely easy for others. It mainly depends on interest and the availability of the resources.
Whatever situation a business faces, remember the following aspects.
Emotional connection
When writing the script or creating the content, remember that it should connect with the audience emotionally. This drives the business’s shares and views, ultimately bringing the desired results.
Work on readability
If the content is not readable, it is useless. Readability is the most critical aspect of content creation. Here are some tips to follow.
- Brief sentences
- Brief paragraphs
- Add visual elements
- Include loads of sub-headings
- Block quotes, pointers, bullets, etc.
Pitch your Content
This is the final step to getting free PR. Every step is essential, but pitching is the most important one.
The headline is the first thing journalists see. Journalists receive many emails daily, so how does the business stand out in this myriad of emails? The easiest way to stand out is with an attractive headline.
Use the words of curiosity to intrigue the journalist to open the email.
Personalizing the pitch is also important. This will help them identify that your business pitch is not a mass email. Also, please do not overdo it; keep the pitch under 200 words to increase the chances of response.
Conclusion
It is a myth that getting free PR is about luck or hiring an expensive PR distribution service agency. However, businesses can get it by improvising. It is time before we improve our strategies for getting press coverage. There is no magic.
