Press Release WRITING

Press Releases Earn Backlinks, Traffic, and Trust

Press releases have become an increasingly popular PR tool for small and online businesses over the last few years. This is in part to online distribution making their use more affordable.

Online press release distribution does more than make news releases a more affordable option. While press releases have always been about exposure and image (getting coverage by members of the media and niche outlets, who in turn have influence over your end target audience through their own trust), they're now able to offer much more.

Press releases are a cost-effective promotional tool for small and online businesses that can:

• Get exposure for your company, website, or product!
• Drive highly-targeted traffic to your website or blog!
• Build high quality, relevant backlinks to your site!
• Help improve your search engine placement!

 Things to Consider When Hiring Press Release Writers

With the increasing popularity of press releases, we've also seen an increase in (often unqualified) press release writers across the Web. With extremely low prices and promises of instant backlinks and traffic, these services can seem attractive. However, they can do more harm than good.

If press releases aren't newsworthy, but rather strictly promotional, readers know it. They don't like it. A tool designed to improve your image may do just the opposite when poor releases are repeatedly put out - something on par with search engine spam.

Another problem is the over-use of mass-submission to free press release distribution sites. While these tactics can lead to quick traffic and backlinks, much of that is essentially worthless in the big picture.

 Why?

The traffic and backlinks gained from issuing a release in this manner are not generally well-targeted.

Much of that traffic will not convert for you on your site (to sales, sign-ups, or repeat visits). They're people who saw the release and clicked over to get a glimpse of your site (perhaps to see if your news was worth covering on their own niche site or blog).

While it's true that your end target audience can access your press releases online these days through news engines, you have to remember that it isn't how most people get their news - they prefer news from trusted sources, and placement in a niche media outlet can still carry far more weight than news directly "from the horse's mouth."

Incoming links generated quickly from online press releases are another issue. While some press release writers will brag that you'll get hundreds (or thousands) of quick backlinks, what they don't tell you is that the majority of those links will come from from irrelevant, low quality sources (such as the distribution sites themselves, where your links will be buried in the archives very quickly, and from scraper sites / spam blogs that pick up the press release feeds).

Why hire me as your press release writer?

Unlike many newer press release writers joining the fray simply to take advantage of the growing demand, I'm qualified to write real news releases. My degree is directly in PR, and prior to moving to a full-time business writing career, I ran a small PR firm where I specialized in online public relations, writing numerous press releases for small businesses, webmasters, larger corporate clients, and creative professionals.

When you hire me to write your press releases, you'll get more than a generic article with a few links thrown in, slapped into a press release template. If you don't have a solid news angle in mind, I'm qualified to help you craft that angle or find timely information in your niche or industry to tie your releases to.

While I focus exclusively in press release writing these days (I no longer take on distribution), I do consult with my press release writing clients on their distribution options if they request my advice (basing those suggestions not on which methods I'm most comfortable with, but on what distribution options will be best for their particular news and their particular audience).

Review my samples and rates below, and feel free to contact me about your press release writing needs if you have any questions. You can read more on my thoughts regarding the online use of press releases at my former PR blog.

Note that rates below also list rates for press release editing and proofreading. These are not an additional cost on top of writing - basic edits are included in the press release writing fees (the only exception is if the client decides to entirely change the previously-approved angle, resulting in the need for a new release, in which case the editing / re-write charge will apply). The editing and proofreading fees are generally only charged when you have your own draft and want a professional press release writer to look it over and improve it before distribution.

Rates (Press Release Writing)

The following rate chart covers press release writing, editing, and proofreading services. No bulk options are currently available for editing and proofreading of news releases.

* Please note that press releases will be invoiced when I contact you with detail requests / questions for the writing. Payment is due when you send the release details, before I start writing your release. Bulk orders of 3, 5, or 10 releases are also based on prepaid package pricing. If you don't want to prepay for the entire package at once, you need to place single release orders at the regular rate.

† Discounted bulk press release orders of 3, 5, or 10 releases must be used within a 45-day period of payment being made. This is to limit open orders at any given time to ensure that all clients will receive a fair amount of time devoted to their projects.

Turn-Around

In most cases, upon payment and receipt of any requested details, you will receive a draft of your press release within 48 business hours. Orders placed after 5pm Eastern Time will count as being placed the morning of the following business day. (For example, if you send requested details and payment at 8pm on a Friday evening, it counts as being received the following Monday morning, and you will receive your draft within 48 business hours from that time - by Wednesday morning).

This estimate applies to single-order releases. For bulk orders, I will discuss turn-around with you prior to invoicing. If there is going to be a longer wait than usual for any reason (such as a full client schedule), I will let you know up front before payment and you can choose to move forward with the new deadline estimate, or I will be happy to refer you to someone who may be able to write your release more quickly.

Free E-book on Press Release Writing

If you'd like to learn more about press release writing (whether to try your hand at writing your own press release or to simply better understand them before hiring a press release writer), consider downloading my free e-book: Press Releases Made Easy before ordering.