STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – When used as part of a branding and growth strategy, press releases can assist in building the visibility and reputation of a business, especially when repurposed for blogs, emails and other avenues of digital media.

One particular opportunity for press-release repurposing is to create an advertorial, or advertisement, crafted in the fashion of an article. An advertorial version of your news release can be a smart option if a publication turns down your media pitch and you are intent on sharing your story with the public. In the digital universe, such content is known as “native advertising.”

To increase the likelihood of a successful advertorial in a “hard-copy” publication, consider the following tips:

• Check to see if the publication reaches your desired demographic.
• Determine how much space your advertorial will require.
• Research the price of different size ad spaces within the publication.
• If the cost is busting your budget, can you trim the length of your advertorial without sacrificing its integrity?
• To increase the impact of your advertorial, make sure the elements and layout of your content closely resemble the style and look of news articles in the specific periodical, including the headline, byline, and any photos and captions you intend to include.
• Work with the publication’s ad-display department to choose a font that looks as much as possible like the paper’s standard typeface.
• Don’t jam too many words into the advertorial, as this will diminish the size of the lettering and make it more difficult to read. Keep in mind, a very wordy advertorial or article may be a turnoff for some readers.
• Maintain as much “white space” in the layout as possible, an additional aspect that echoes the look of actual articles.
• In some instances, it’s advisable to use an accompanying photo and/illustration in the advertorial, as opposed to a company logo, which may make it seem more like a traditional advertisement.

PRESS RELEASE ESSENTIALS

As a publicist, one of the most common concerns I hear from business owners seeking my help is: “I sent out a press release and no one published it. Can you help me?”

There is only one correct response: “If all you want is to get a press release published, that depends. But if you want to get your business noticed, the answer is ‘Yes.’”

Businesses of all sizes compete daily for exposure in print and broadcast media, but there’s not enough print space or air time to satisfy every request. Before sending a press release to a newsroom, you need to ask yourself, “Who will care about the information I’m hoping to share? Is it truly newsworthy?”

If a story offers something of interest to readers, the next step would be to ensure the press release meets newsroom standards – in other words, make sure it looks like an actual press release. A press release is simply what its name implies – an announcement sent to the media in hopes of being shared. However, there is never a guarantee a newsroom will “pick up” your story and share it with its audience – this decision sits in the hands of editors or producers.

Editors, reporters and columnists are inundated with a relentless barrage of releases and event-coverage requests, so your job is to make their job easier by incorporating a variety of professional measures into your quest for acceptance, such as:

• Ensuring that the audience you want to reach is served by the journalist(s) you are contacting.
• Providing an alluring and accurate headline.
• Writing a release that includes the “5 C’s” (who, what, when, where, why) and, if relevant, adding “how.”
• Making sure you clearly include a variety of ways you may be contacted.
• Adhering to The Associated Press Style and, at times, modifying the style to that of a specific publication.
• Engaging the journalist with attention-getting information in your email’s subject field.

Click here for more ways to improve the chances of your press released being published.

Ramp Up Your Business with Relevant Public Relations LLC

Relevant Public Relations LLC™ (Relevant PR) exists to help businesses and professional practices grow and flourish. Economically headquartered in Staten Island, New York, Relevant PR is a multimedia public relations and digital-marketing company with local and national reach.

Relevant Public Relations works on behalf of financial experts, medical professionals, law firms, financial experts, nonprofits, and other businesses within a wide range of industries.

As  “America’s Journalist-Empowered PR & Digital Marketing Firm,  Relevant Public Relations is among the leading real estate PR firms in New York City, and the predominate media liaison of the real estate industry in Staten Island, N.Y., where it serves as the exclusive public relations representative of the Staten Island Board of Realtors® (SIBOR) and the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service.

Relevant Public Relations is available online at www.RelevantPR.com, and may be reached at 718-682-1509 or via email: [email protected].