Press releases have long been the most effective way for brands—consumer and lifestyle brands, celebrities, politicians, and so on—to spread a specific message. Ivy Lee, who is often credited as the founder of modern public relations, relied on the facts when writing the first known press release about the Pennsylvania Railroad accident in 1906. The hallmarks of public relations remain the same more than a century later, but press release distribution has certainly changed.
Press Hook is a leader in that change. Think of Press Hook as a modern-day Little Blue Book, connecting publicists and brands with journalists that cover relevant topics. Press Hook relies on technology, namely a user-friendly interface, to take the guesswork out of writing press releases and pitching them to potential outlets.
For the most part, the basics of press releases remain unchanged—hard facts, attention-grabbing opener, and tailored pitch emails—but the distribution itself has evolved over time to meet the demands of media and technology. Here’s how Press Hook is revolutionizing press release distribution (and why it makes sense for you to join).
Press Hook matches relevant brands and media
In the sign-up process, journalists identify the topics that align with their beat (think: technology, fitness, and so forth). If they’d like, they can also follow specific brands or topics that may be applicable to future stories. Likewise, brands select content tags, which help journalists find exactly what they’re looking for. The end result? Less time spent sifting, more time working.
Brands can use a templatized press release
Press Hook provides brands and publicists with press release templates for different purposes, including product launches, crisis management, or company news. Instead of crafting a new press release each and every time, brands can simply drop in any pertinent details into the automated, media-friendly templates. Once complete, brands have the option to add content tags for journalists to track it down easier.
Because the template is a major time-saver, it makes press release distribution less of a headache. Brands can quickly add details, make changes, and attach hi-res imagery as it trickles in. This ensures that the media is getting the most up-to-date information at all times… without a million follow-up emails from the brand that inevitably get lost in their inbox.
Press Hook takes a personalized approach to press release distribution
For a more seamless process, Press Hook allows journalists to create a customized profile, and then connects them with relevant brands. The idea is rather simple: Instead of drafting a million pitch emails and dropping in a journalist’s name, brands can build strong, personal relationships with media outlets on Press Hook.
When signing up, journalists highlight the publications they write for, the type of content they write (gift guides, seasonal features, product roundups, you name it), and their interests in order for brands to pitch relevant stories. Because journalists provide this bounty of information, brands know exactly who they are pitching rather than just seeing another name in their email inbox. They can tailor the pitch to a journalist’s likes, interests, or publication, which proves more beneficial in the long-run. And from a journalist’s perspective, this attention to detail and personal touch stands out among a sea of unread, uninspiring pitches flooding their inbox.
Brands and media communicate in one, easy-to-find spot
Pitching is one thing, but, typically, press release distribution requires some back-and-forth between brands and media. Because journalists are able to follow specific brands, they can then receive press releases that are most relevant to the topics they cover. And if they want to move forward with a story, they can message brands directly on Press Hook to get more information, request product samples, or gather whatever else they need to round out a story. All of the messages are stored in a centralized hub, so everyone knows exactly where to go to find details—and doesn’t have to waste any time sorting through emails in the process.
Brands save big money
Not only do major press release distribution sites like Cision and PRNewswire have expensive annual memberships, but they also have hefty distribution costs.There are tons of hidden costs, too: Cision has a fee to include a video, image, or audio with your press release distribution. Even though brands pay a pretty penny to get their information out there, they aren’t even given the proper tools to do so (think: press release templates and regional or specified targeting). Press Hook gives brands the best of both worlds: There are three different outlined plans, ranging from $100 to $1000, with varying capabilities. Some allow a content review, while others give you the bare bones, letting brands use a templatized press kit, tag and trend topics, and receive media requests. But if you want to customize a plan that works best for your brand, you can work with Press Hook to find a plan and cost that best fits your needs.
There’s less room for error
Because there’s less back and forth between brands and journalists, Press Hook's press release distribution makes it easier for all parties involved to get things right from the beginning. All of the brand’s information is stored in one secure spot, from product launch details to hi-res imagery to direct contact information. As details are solidified, the page on Press Hook will update the information automatically. For journalists, this is a game-changer: Instead of scrolling through emails to track down the specifics, journalists can turn to Press Hook to find all of the necessary details in one easy-to-read home.
Journalists and brands will stay up-to-date on trends
In some cases, you don’t know what you have until it’s right in front of you—and journalists know this feeling all too well. Along with the press release distribution, Press Hook also sends a weekly digest to brands and journalists to keep them informed on the happenings in any relevant industries. That way, if either party is too occupied to browse through Press Hook (although it’s seriously quick and easy, if we must say so), they can still stay up-to-date. This benefits both parties: Brands can get a look at competitor offerings and see what’s clicking with the media, and journalists can get a taste of all the latest and greatest in one quick read.
Journalists can take the hands-off approach
In short, Press Hook handles most of the work for journalists and brands alike. Given the fast-paced nature of our digital world, journalists, especially, want to spend more time researching and writing (obviously) than crafting emails and taking phone calls with publicists. Press Hook, essentially, cuts out that middle man, allowing journalists to get the information they need in a timely, efficient manner. Brands will also reap the rewards: Because they’re spending less time writing pitch emails, answering phone calls, and organizing desksides, they can focus their efforts on bigger, better things.
