Step-by-Step Guide to Effective Press Release Submission for Small Businesses

As a small business owner, you’re always looking for cost-effective ways to get noticed. Paid ads can be expensive, and organic growth takes time. That’s where press release submission comes in.

A press release is more than just a company announcement. It’s a direct way to capture media attention, build credibility, and increase visibility online. According to Cision’s 2023 Global State of the Media Report, 68% of journalists say press releases remain their most trusted source of brand information. That means if you can master press release distribution, you have a golden ticket to boosting your brand awareness.

But here’s the catch: simply writing a press release isn’t enough. You need the right press release submission guide, a well-planned distribution strategy, and post-submission tracking to get measurable results.

This step-by-step guide will walk you through what is press release, the process of how to submit a press release, highlight the best press release services, and share actionable press release tips for businesses like yours.

What is a Press Release?

A press release is a short, structured announcement meant to inform the media about something newsworthy happening in your business. It follows a journalistic style and focuses on facts, not fluff.

For example:

• Launching a new product.
• Expanding into a new market.
• Forming a partnership.
• Securing funding.
• Hosting an event.

Key Benefits of Submitting Press Releases Globally

Here’s why global press release submission works for small businesses:

1. Brand Visibility—Your story gets picked up by online publications, boosting your reach.
2. SEO Benefits – Backlinks from high-authority sites improve your search rankings.
3. Thought Leadership—By being featured in trusted media outlets, you’re seen as credible.
4. Investor Attention—Investors often scan industry news for emerging businesses.

Want to expand globally? Explore Fastlinko’s Press Release Services

Step-by-Step Press Release Submission Guide for Small Businesses

Start with a Clear Purpose

You need to know exactly why you’re writing your press release before you start drafting. Your specific business goal will guide you through the writing and submission process. A clear purpose acts as your compass.

Why You’re Writing The Press Release

A genuine reason to reach out to journalists and readers should drive every press release. These are official announcements of newsworthy events—not just chances to promote yourself.

Ask yourself this significant question: “Is this information actually newsworthy?” Journalists get many press releases each day. They quickly discard those that don’t have real news value. You might even push media professionals away from future contact if you send them irrelevant information.

Newsworthy events typically include:

• Launching a new business, product, or service
• Announcing major partnerships or mergers
• Hosting noteworthy events
• Winning industry awards
• Sharing remarkable customer success stories
• Opening new locations

Your press release should solve a specific problem or optimize things for your target audience. On top of that, it needs everyone inside the company to agree on the message and tone before distribution.

What Outcome Do You Want To Achieve?

Press releases can meet several objectives at once. Experts suggest you focus on just 1-2 main goals to keep things clear and directed. Think about which outcomes line up with your current business priorities:

Media coverage stands out as the most obvious goal press releases help journalists create stories about your business. This leads to better brand awareness, especially when your release shows up on trusted online platforms.

A well-crafted press release makes your company a trusted authority. Third-party validation carries more weight than advertising. Your brand gets positive exposure to journalists who pass that message to your target audience.

Beyond media attention, good press releases bring traffic to your website. They improve your search engine visibility and online presence when you optimize them with the right keywords.

Identifying the Right Angle for Your Story

Ask yourself: Why should someone outside my business care about this news? Journalists are flooded with hundreds of press releases daily. Yours must stand out by:

• Solving a problem in your industry.
• Offering unique insights or innovation.
• Connecting your story to a trending topic.

Stat: According to research, only 3% of press releases sent to journalists get published. Having the right angle increases your odds dramatically.

Craft a Press Release That Gets Read

Your press release’s structure and presentation will decide if journalists notice or ignore it. A recent study shows 70% of journalists call press releases the most valuable content from PR professionals. You can grab attention right away with the right format and compelling elements.

Writing A Compelling Headline

Your headline opens the door to your press release. Journalists scan their crowded inbox quickly, so you need to catch their eye fast. Data shows headlines between 51-75 characters get the most engagement. This length gives you just enough room to share your main message.

These tips will help your headlines stand out:

• Show why your news matters to readers, not just your company
• Add specific numbers when you can (like “60% increase” rather than just “increase”)
• Pick strong, active verbs that show action
• Keep your company name out of the headline unless you’re well-known
• Skip technical jargon that might confuse general readers

Using The 5 W’s In Your Lead

Your lead paragraph needs to work hard because many journalists just skim press releases. The opening should answer five basic questions: Who, What, Where, When, and Why. Put your most newsworthy details at the top in an “inverted pyramid” style.

Journalists need to work fast. Your summary should let them quickly decide if they want to read more. This part bridges the gap between your catchy headline and detailed content, so keep it brief but packed with information.

Structuring The Body With Quotes And Facts

The body delivers what your headline promised. Here you’ll explain all the details, give background info, and build trust through statistics and quotes.

Quotes make your press release feel more human. They should come from the core team like executives or project leaders, and run 2-4 sentences. Good quotes sound natural and offer real insights instead of marketing speak.

Research shows 61% of journalists want original research and market data from PR teams more than anything else. Adding relevant stats or data points makes journalists much more likely to cover your story.

Including A Boilerplate And Contact Info

End your press release with a boilerplate—a standard paragraph about your company that goes in every release. This short description (ideally 50-150 words) should tell readers your company’s purpose, mission, founding year, main products, and big wins.

Don’t forget to add complete contact details. List your PR contact’s name, email address, and phone number. Note that journalists will move to another story if they can’t reach someone to ask questions.

Your boilerplate gives you a great way to get your business mission, values, and offerings across—this helps explain why your news matters.

Make It Searchable and Shareable

Image Source: Neil Patel

Your press release’s success depends on making it easy to find and share in today’s digital world. A smart optimization strategy will give your announcement the reach it needs and boost reader participation.

Incorporating SEO Keywords Naturally

Search engines favor press releases that smoothly blend relevant keywords. Press releases optimized for SEO substantially improve your search engine rankings and drive organic traffic to your website. You can achieve this by placing your primary keywords strategically:

• Add target keywords in your headline, ideally within the first 56 characters
• Put important terms close to the start of your press release
• Blend keywords naturally throughout the body text
• Add keyword variations and synonyms to keep it readable

Quality matters more than quantity. Too many keywords can make your press release look spammy and damage your SEO. Focus on creating valuable content first, then add keywords where they boost—not hurt—your message.

Using Visuals To Boost Engagement

Visual content dramatically affects press release performance. Press releases with visuals get up to 9.7 times more views than text-only ones. Here’s what makes visuals powerful:

Social posts with images get 53% more likes and 104% more comments than those without. Tweets with images are nearly twice as likely to be retweeted, which helps spread your message further. People retain 95% of a message through video, compared to just 10% through text.

Your press release should include these visual elements:

• High-resolution, original photos instead of stock images
• Infographics that present complex data clearly
• Short videos no longer than 90 seconds
• Charts and graphs to illustrate key points

You should optimize images with descriptive file names and alt text to help journalists and search engines understand your content better.

Formatting For Readability And Mobile

About 80% of readers just skim headlines, subheadings, and bullet points. Good formatting becomes crucial. Journalists now read press releases on mobile devices, so your content must work well on smaller screens.

Make your press releases mobile-friendly by:

• Writing short sentences and paragraphs (2-3 sentences per paragraph)
• Adding plenty of white space between sections
• Including subheadings every few paragraphs
• Using bullet points for features, data, or milestones
• Making sure all images adjust automatically on mobile

Your press release should be easy to scan. Use bold text for key points and put your most important information first. This structure helps busy journalists quickly decide if your story deserves coverage.

Submit Your Press Release the Right Way

Distribution makes or breaks your press release’s success. Your announcement needs to reach the right audience through strategic submission to generate media coverage. Otherwise, it might vanish without a trace.

Building A Media List

A carefully curated media list forms the foundation of successful press release submission. Quality matters more than quantity when sending your announcement to journalists. Research publications that align with your industry and topic. Your media list should include:

• Contact information (primarily email addresses)
• Full names and journalists’ roles
• Outlets they write for (many contribute to multiple publications)
• Topics they typically cover
• Recent articles they’ve published

Journalism’s high turnover rate makes keeping your list updated crucial. Editorial teams run leaner than ever with frequent personnel changes.

Personalizing Your Pitch To Journalists

BCCs and generic mass emails show you don’t understand the publication—a major mistake. True personalization requires more than using journalists’ names. You need to grasp each media outlet’s specific needs. Research shows journalists respond best early on Mondays and Tuesdays, before their morning meetings.

Your follow-up messages should avoid templated responses. Add fresh angles or new data to enhance your original pitch.

Using Press Release Distribution Platforms

Professional distribution services can substantially expand your reach through vast networks of journalists, bloggers, and influencers. Leading platforms connect you with over 1.7 million media contacts, including 700,000+ bloggers and social media influencers. These services offer:

• Targeted distribution based on demographics and interests
• Analytics to measure performance
• Scheduling capabilities for optimal timing

Sharing On Social Media And Your Website

Your press release can live longer as social media content. Social media users expect dynamic content that speaks directly to them. You should:

• Create eye-catching visuals for your posts
• Use relevant hashtags to boost discovery
• Craft platform-specific versions with casual language
• Include direct links to additional information

Posts with images receive 53% more likes and 104% more comments than text-only content.

Why Choose Fastlinko for Press Release Services

Selecting the right press release service makes all the difference in your marketing success. Fastlinko is a top choice for businesses that need professional press release distribution with real results.

Expert Writing And Formatting Support

Fastlinko’s professional team provides expert guidance based on press release best practices. Their editorial team keeps remarkably high accuracy rates to make your announcement polished and professional. They review each press release’s grammar, spelling, and formatting before distribution—a step many cheaper services skip. This careful attention helps your press release catch attention among hundreds of daily journalist submissions.

Affordable Distribution Packages

Small businesses with limited marketing budgets will find Fastlinko’s press release packages specially designed for them. Many distribution services charge premium rates with hidden fees, but Fastlinko offers clear pricing with genuine value. Their packages have complete distribution without surprise charges for simple features like multimedia attachments or analytics.

Targeted Outreach To Relevant Media

Fastlinko connects you with media contacts most interested in your story instead of randomly distributing your press release. Their distribution network has:

• Industry-specific journalists and publications
• Regional and local news outlets relevant to your business
• Online news sites that reach your target demographic

Proven Results For Small Businesses

Fastlinko has showed impressive outcomes for small businesses in industries of all types. Companies using their press release services report major increases in website traffic, better brand visibility, and valuable media pickups. You’ll receive detailed analytics during campaigns that show your press release’s performance, letting you measure ROI and improve future announcements.

Visit Fastlinko today to boost your brand recognition, improve SEO rankings, and build credibility through strategic press release distribution.

Conclusion

Press releases pack a marketing punch for your small business even with today’s social-first strategies. This piece shows you how to submit press releases that work through careful planning, from setting clear goals to smart distribution.

Getting your press release to the right people matters just as much as writing it. You can make or break your coverage chances by building targeted media lists, personalizing your approach, and picking the right platforms. Of course, sharing on social media helps your announcement reach more people for longer.

Need help with your press release? Fastlinko’s press release services give you everything to reach your target audience. Their core team takes care of the writing, formatting, and distribution while you run your business.

Now is perfect to boost your brand’s visibility. Put these press release tactics to work or team up with Fastlinko to handle the whole ordeal. You’ll soon find why press releases remain vital to successful small business marketing.

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