Imagine having the ability to announce something special for your company then distribute the message throughout the world, generate buzz on social, SEO value and more while establishing yourself as a leader – these are some of the benefits of crafting effective press releases.

Over the past 15 years we’ve guided a wide variety of companies on PR strategy ranging from startups to Fortune 500s (and wrote hundreds of press releases), which gives us a unique perspective on the power of press releases, how to form the most cohesive/effective message then the best results in the end.

Looking at projects we’ve worked on, these are some of the questions we get often:

What is a Press Release?
A press release is an official announcement your company is making, which is aimed at attracting the attention of journalists/reporters and others to boost brand awareness/publicity. Essentially, showing what you are doing is special/newsworthy and why they should cover it.

Should Your Company Hire a PR Firm?
If your company is serious about boosting publicity and creating/distributing press releases in the near future, finding an experienced public relations firm or consultant is valuable. As one example, press releases are very different when compared to blog posts, news articles, etc. in that they’re written in third person and worded in a much more direct way to produce very specific/strategic results.

What are the Negatives?
One thing to keep in mind is that press releases are viewed as official announcements from companies, and unlike blog posts, social media, etc. once a message is distributed and published on “The Wire” there’s no going back. Companies must have all of their ducks in a row (marketing, legal, etc.) before things go live.

The moral of the story is that press releases are a critical part of marketing strategies, but they must be done right.