By Jennifer Silva, Account Associate at York Public Relations
Press releases are a common PR tool for media success. They are designed to garner the attention of a target audience and publications while raising awareness of news and a fintech’s brand. It’s also an effective method to generate interest and accurately represent and promote significant information.
But, too often, organizations opt to forgo press releases because of cost. This is especially true for early stage fintech startups looking to cut expenses and drive profitability. However, if well executed, press releases can actually be a cost-effective way to increase awareness.
To get the most out of your press release, consider these key tactics to improve results:
1. Optimize your press release for keyword searches.
Same as your website and other content you create, search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for press releases. An SEO-friendly press release can help generate greater visibility and get in front of prospective customers. To optimize press releases, start by adding keywords in the title and copy that are relevant to your specific industry and likely “Googled” by your target audience.
2. Be sure to address the 5W’s and How.
A well-written press release must be informative. Don’t leave readers with too many unanswered questions or vagueness. Overtime, they’ll ignore future news. Start by answering the 5 W’s of Who, What, Where, When and Why, and How in your content, and make sure you include pertinent details that your audience will want to know.
3. Consider the method of distribution.
When creating a press release, consider what method of distribution would be most beneficial. Would it be better to post it on a wire service like Business Wire or PRNewswire? Or will it garner more attention by posting it on the official company’s website? What about posting on social media platforms like LinkedIn? And should you send it directly to important media contacts? The answers are yes, yes, yes and yes. Ultimately, no one method should be solely relied on. Make sure you are maximizing the investment to create and distribute news.
4. Measure and evaluate the success.
As with any effort, there is no way to know if it’s successful without careful consideration for how you will measure it. Most wire services offer reports to show how well a press release performed, such as number of views or online postings. These metrics are helpful, but organizations should dig deeper into those reports for other metrics, such as link clicks, which can provide a better idea on how much viewers engaged with the content. Did they simply scan it, or did they go the extra step to click on hyperlinks for more information?
Fintechs should also go beyond reports provided by wire services, including reviewing web traffic. Was there a spike in traffic the day a press release was distributed? Organizations should also review the number of new visitors versus returning visitors, as well as how much time was spent on your website. Social media activity is also important to evaluate after releases are distributed. And last, you should know where leads come from. Make sure you’re speaking with your sales team and linking any potential deals to specific tactics, like press releases.
Press releases can be hugely impactful for driving awareness and generating leads, but they must be approached with careful consideration for how they are crafted, distributed and evaluated. As organizations look to shave costs, it’s crucial to plan ahead and consider what will drive the value.
Jennifer Silva is an Account Associate at York Public Relations, a global fintech PR firm.