Press Releases: Why Media Is Your Startup’s Best Friend
Anyone who’s entered the industry knows that the startup life is bumpy, from fund sourcing to product launches. With a relatively new company, decisions are a hit or miss, with no linear route to achieve your business goals.
And yet, businessmen remain eager to build new projects. The hunger for entrepreneurial success crowded the industry with startups. When you’re one of the many who took the leap to create something new, it’s almost instinctive to ask: How do you put your name out there amidst the thousand new startups appearing in every corner of the business world?
The whats and whys of a press release
Using the simplest explanation, a press release is a statement about anything newsworthy that is submitted to journalists for the purpose of publishing a writeup. Commonly, these bits come from marketing teams who want to put their brand names or events out there.
Writers who are the recipients of these information tips decide if a story is worth writing about. Press releases are either written from the information given by the companies, or by a writer’s additional research. Much like any news article, it’s not one-size-fits-all.
Small and huge companies alike fight for brand visibility, and press releases are a great start to simply getting your name around. From pre-digital to the growth of the internet, press releases have kept their place in any marketing and PR plan, whether long-term or short-term.
Helping out online and offline
Having a piece published about your startup is not only a great one-time push to announce your name, but also a proven long-term strategy to keep it going around.
In the world of digital marketing, there are a handful of tools at your disposal that can help you meet your marketing goals. Traditionally, it’s a company’s duty to reach out to their target market, and there are many ways to do so. You can utilize your website content, your Facebook and Instagram channels, or even buff up on a LinkedIn lead generation tool. However, if you’re looking to strengthen your brand awareness efforts, submitting press releases is an optimal way to bump your SEO.
Similarly, press releases help improve your organic reach. When you put your startup out there, you help others retain your brand and increase the possibility of a future transaction. This includes both potential consumers and media partners. When you’re at the beginning of the startup journey, expanding your network is one of the best investments you can make.
Startup or not, publicity is publicity
There’s an ongoing debate on whether the press release is dead because of the rise of new marketing opportunities. Still, putting your story out there can almost never bring you losses. With press releases, you have the freedom to release and shape your brand’s narrative, something that is placed on a higher level of importance by today’s consumer market.
Apart from that, published news help create an eternal timeline for your company’s history. A few years from now, wouldn’t it be amusing to take a look back at what you have accomplished over time? With press releases, you’re giving your visitors and audience the same opportunity to appreciate your brand’s story.
In a nutshell, remember that coverage in any known website, blog, or news publication beefs up your credibility to your clients. While there’s no fool-proof way of marketing your brand, any effort could do with a little help. This is the best time to experiment on how you can build your brand while embracing the startup life with all of its crazy.
Originally published at Entrepreneur News and Startup Guide.
