What Makes Press Releases Newsworthy? Part 3

Part 3 of what makes a press release newsworthy follows. In parts 1 and 2, I gave you an overview of editors’ thinking and more specifically ideas for entrepreneurs. In Part 3, you will see more reasons why something might be newsworthy to editors.

Editors and news producers have the power to decide what to air or print. They can choose the items for online publications. However, they need ideas from start-ups and entrepreneurs. To be better at deciding what types of ideas editors want, you can send releases on these categories.

1. Upgrading Technology – Today, if you blink, your technology is already out of date. Editors like trend stories, especially toward the end of the year. Therefore, if you have upgraded technology that will be the next trend, you are likely to interest journalists. Even if your new technology is not the next trend, it still makes a good story because it will make lives easier on consumers. Microsoft and Apple send releases for every new upgrade even if the technology is relatively the same as the previous version.

2. New Infrastructure – Infrastructure encompasses a lot. It could refer to schools, water systems, transportation, levees and dams, distribution systems, recycling systems, and computer operating systems. Whatever your new infrastructure is, you are likely to be a hit. All of those items in the list are story ideas for journalists. There are financial gaps for what is needed. And what funding is available. Journalists love to follow the money. This applies to operating systems too. Companies often don’t have budgets for upgrades. Government agencies have to implement upgrades in short bursts. Often private corporations implement new technology first before government. The amount of money relating to infrastructure is staggering. Therefore, if you have a story idea about infrastructure, send the release. You are probably going to get picked.
3. Funding – Speaking of money, if you are doling out money, winning money or asking for money, you should send a release. I am referring to venture capital, seed funding and crowdsourcing. Such as a Kickstarter campaign. If you are venture capitalist, and you have just awarded a large amount of funding to an entrepreneur, journalists want to know. By the sam token, if you are the entrepreneur that just received that large funding, you also should send a release. If both organizations send the release about the same award, you will get journalist interest immediately. However, before any award can be given, it first must be proposed. Therefore, if you are a venture capitalist that is planning to award a large funding amount, tell the world. And, if you are an entrepreneur looking for funding or starting a Kickstarter campaign, you should send a press release. Many crowdsource funding opportunities require that you get media attention. Faselis Growth offers templates on seed funding releases if you don’t know how to do it.
4. Celebrities/Politicians – Famous people just have to sneeze and the story will go viral. Celebrities and politicians will be covered even if you don’t think what they are doing is newsworthy. Therefore, it is a good idea to invite local celebrities or local politicians to your grand opening. If you have landed a celebrity as a sponsor for your product, then you should announce that. And, ask their publicists to do the same. The same is true if a politician is happy you have opened your doors. Make sure the public and the media know what you are doing with your celebrities and politicians.
5. Industry Influencers – A new category of celebrity is industry influencer. These are the leaders in a field that entrepreneurs follow. They give ideas on how to run a business, especially for start-ups. And they are becoming famous because they have produced content in blogs, videos, books, lectures, workshops and social media. They are followed by both media and entrepreneurs. Therefore, if you are one or are working with one, you should send a press release. Even if you have based your business upon an influencer’s model, you should send a press release. That will tell journalists that you respect their advice and are going to be not a fly-by-night type of business.

If you are unsure whether your idea for a press release is newsworthy, the experts at Faselis Growth and other companies will give your release an evaluation and help you make it newsworthy. You should ask for help if you don’t know. That one might not be newsworthy, but something else might be.

This is the final article in the series.

You can be sure that you will always know what is newsworthy when you ask the experts of Faselis Growth and Faselis Professional solutions.

by Louise Harris