The decision to release a press release is still smart. This classic newsy kind of material is not dead, but it has significantly changed (which is probably why it is rumored to have passed).
Adam Oakley
September Is our Record Content Production Month!
Howdy, blog readers!
Big news! We hit over 150,000 words in written content for 1 week in September. Since launching a two-person team in May 2011, we’ve never, ever been this busy.
7 Critical Aspects that Distinguish Impactful Copywriting from Clutter
If you’re reading this, you’re probably looking for some answers on how to improve your copywriting.
5 Embarrassing Mistakes Made by Copywriters (We’re Human Too)
Even as copywriters, we are only humans; so, every once in a while, we make mistakes compromising the end result of our work, to some extent. When it comes to copywriting, there are no one-size-fits all solutions that we can apply over and over again, to come up with positive results in the long term. Every creative process is based on a trial-and-error strategy, implemented until copywriters finally manage to write compelling copy with a real substance. Copywriters Most Embarrassing Mistakes (So You Can Avoid) One might be tempted to think: If it’s good, it’s on the lips of numerous potential buyers. If it’s bad, it’s considered experience. Is that how it really works? In fact, some copywriting slipups are perfectly understandable and pardonable, while other trigger significant consequences, impacting the copywriter’s reputation, affecting conversion rates and making several clients lose their competitive edge. Here are some of the most embarrassing and dangerous mistakes a copywriter can make, and do everything it takes to never repeat them. 1) A dull, uninspired headline with no impact on your audience David Ogilvy acknowledged the crucial importance of a killer headline and always advised copywriters to settle for no less than magnetic, attention-grabbing titles. Ogilvy stated that “on the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.” This is a valuable lesson showing marketers that not all that glitters is gold and not all titles are: a) Short, clear and concise b) Powerful, suggestive, persuasive and original enough to make Internet users want to read your entire article c) Fully optimized, to guarantee higher rankings in search engine results Stay away from dull, incredibly common headlines and try to write headline copy with your readers in mind. What would attract your attention in a matter of seconds? 2) Action-centered marketing messages Believe it or not, everybody gets it: copywriting is not storytelling. Copywriters should always come up with beautiful content pieces with a powerful call to action. While trying to focus on this aspect, numerous web content writers make one major mistakes impacting conversion rates: they use numerous action verbs, trying to trick the readers into doing something (visiting a webpage, buying a product, taking a survey and so on). Revealing your goal way too soon and highlighting it over and over again is not a subtle technique. The key is to focus on the promised benefits of an action, rather than on the action itself. Never write “buy”, “get”, “invest in” your luxury bedding sets for X reasons. Instead, try to highlighting the fact that your luxury products guarantee a flawless wellness experience, a superior level of comfort and guaranteed satisfaction. This way, you will make more readers want to order your product in the blink of an eye, tempted by its numerous advantages. 3) A negative visual impact Writing compelling copy is not enough. You also need to comply with the basic formatting guidelines, increasing the level of readability of your web material. Make sure your text contains: a) H1, H2, H3 headers b) Short paragraphs numerated using letters, numbers or bullet points c) Multimedia elements (high-resolution images, videos, charts, maps, infographics), favoring a better interaction with your readers d) Sections with bold text, highlighting the main ideas of your text A content piece based on heavy text will visually intimidate your visitors and will never manage to capture the attention of readers with a short attention span, who usually skim and scan the text in a matter of seconds. Try to make your copy as user-friendly as possible by opting for a simple structure. 4) Opting for random stock photos that fail to deliver a clear message A real expert with excellent copywriting skills will immediately tell you that images are just as important as the clever, well-organized words of a content piece. In fact, we have been told countless times that a great picture is worth a thousand words. Paul Cheney from Marketing Experiments Blog reveals the fact that, somehow, numerous business owners and inexperienced, uninspired copywriters neglect this fact and choose to associate their web content with some of the most random pictures failing to send a clear message to the audience. For instance, one could easily find the same picture, illustrating two hands popping out of two computer screens. What does that tell visitors who are in a hurry to find info on a webpage? It says absolutely nothing about the company and the main product or service. The website owner could be offering quick loans, marketing services or free dating advice. Some of us may never find out, simply because the copywriter chose the dullest images available on the Internet. 5) Not testing your copy strategy Who doesn’t dream about writing incredibly effective, catchy sales copy? There are numerous novices who are afraid to embrace a trial-and-error strategy and prefer to rely on copywriting templates guaranteeing their success. Even if you choose to walk into the footsteps of world-class copywriters, this doesn’t mean that you should skip the testing phase. A certain approach might fail to influence your audience in a positive manner; not because it’s wrong, but because it’s not entirely compatible with the desires, needs and expectations of your public. Conclusion Analyze these 5 major mistakes and do everything in your power to avoid them at all times. If your content strategy is not brining you the desirable results, think about opting for professional content writing services, tailored to your budget, necessities and business objectives.
How to Write a Press Release for a Band
In order to get the attention of new fans, it is important to learn how to write a press release for a band that is relevant and informative. A well-written press release for a band, whether they are brand new or established, can increase attendance at a concert, improve attendance at an album launch or gig, and gain faithful fans who otherwise might not have heard of them. A release that does not contain accurate or adequate information will be ignored and the crowd might be sparse for their next performance.
How to Write a Press Release for a Movie
Need to boost your press and learn how to write a press release for a movie? You’re in the right place – and the right direction. A well-written press release for a movie will significantly ramp up its viewership by helping spark interest in its production or by generating media buzz about a particular aspect of the film such as a reclusive indie director, a controversial actress playing a cameo role, or an ingeniously crafted screenplay. But, you have to know how to write a press release for a movie. Like everything else these days, a movie—however exquisitely produced or complemented by big-name stars—will make a terrible mistake if it solely relies on its internal merits to boost its bottom line. In fact, a few critically acclaimed films performed poorly in the box office, while movies with less artistic or technical credentials unexpectedly raked in millions of mind-blowing dollars in gross sales. In many cases, well-written press releases spell the difference between a movie that attracts high viewership and one that miserably misses its revenue targets. Knowing the secrets of the trade in how to write a press release for a movie will boost your PR readability and power. How to Write a Press Release for a Movie Raindance, an international organization of filmmakers, has recognized the importance of marketing and public relations to a film’s success, clearly stating that a movie—even one that has bagged major cinematic awards—is worthless without a viewing audience. This is from an organization that helps train directors such as Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins), Guy Ritchie (Sherlock Holmes) and David Yates (Harry Potter), as well as produce brilliant and strongly marketed films such as Pulp Fiction and The Blair Witch Project. Press Releases vs. Ad Copies That said, what factors should you consider when how to write a press release for a movie? Press releases represent the main tool outside advertising, which movie publicists and marketers can use to generate viewer interest about a film. Unlike true-blue ads, press releases are deemed more objective and are far more affordable. Strictly speaking, press releases are pseudo news articles that aim to showcase the newsworthiness of an event, service or product—a film in this case—to a decision maker in media such as a reporter or an editor. Failing to pique the interest of these decision makers will prevent the publication of the press release in credible and widely used channels such as established newspapers and online media portals. Compare the impact of a press release published in The New York Times and the effect of one just wallowing among thousands being hosted by a PR aggregator, and you can see the importance of why press releases should be written and deployed by trained professionals. You can read a related post to get more insight on how to create effective press releases. Six Key PR Writing Tips for Films As has been established, the process of writing and distributing press releases is very important in the box office success of a newly produced movie. If you are tasked to create one, here are a few tips to help you achieve your PR objectives: 1. Recognize your role. Trained press release writers for films are aware of the potential impact of their output on the overall profitability of the movie they are handling. Remember that press releases can backfire instead of propelling a movie’s gross receipts, and failing to get published on widely read channels is not the worst outcome a press release can generate. At their worst, badly written or deployed press releases can create negative publicity for a movie, which often results to a major dent in its box office revenues. Poorly crafted press releases can also damage the PR agency’s reputation and—knock on wood—ruin your credential as a press release writer. The key is to take your role seriously and to deftly navigate the potholes that block the development of good, effective press releases. 2. Package the message. A movie has a message. For PR purposes, the message could be one that is not intrinsic in the film but in the process of making it. However, the best message a movie can communicate is the movie itself. This means that writers tasked to craft a press release for a movie should have a panoramic view (pun intended) of the material whenever possible, including attendance at prescreening sessions whenever there is one. If there are limited prescreening sessions, make do with the information the filmmakers are willing to share and use your ingenuity to package the message. To do this, you can showcase the film’s major draw such as its director, cast, story, or special effects. Remember to be especially creative, original and clever when deciding on the press release’s title. The first few sentences should also deliver your message in a way that readily catches viewer attention and entices readers to wait for the film’s theatrical release in eager anticipation. If you are new in the trade, it’s a great idea to snoop around the Internet for excellent press releases for films that you can use as models. 3. Follow the standard formats. Press releases for films generally conform to a more or less standard template and it’s good practice to follow industry-accepted formats in knowing how to write a press release for a movie. Doing so not only reflects professionalism but also lends the press release with a sense of credibility. Commonly, a press release for a movie has the following major elements: Company name and contact info of press release agency Date of PR publication (this can either be for immediate release or for a specified date) Press release title Location and date of the press release (usually a major city followed by a dash, the date, and a final dash) Press release body (should not only showcase the film’s major merits but answer the standard questions of Who, What, Where, When, Why and How in the journalism parlance) Boilerplate (this is where information about related … Read more
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How to Write a Press Release for Audience Engagement and SEO
Press releases are a thing of the present, so how to write a press release is imperative for you to know. Google loves them, people notice them, and they are the perfect candidate for sharing around on all social platforms in existence. If you are considering a press release for your company, join the crowd investing in one of the top ways online to get your name out. With a high quality press release boosting your brand and audience, it’s time to learn the name of the game in PR.
How To Write a Press Release That Rocks Your Audience
