How to Submit a Press Release (And Get Actual Views) 

After putting in countless hours to create a perfect headline and story, everything just stops working when you hit the publish button. You see syndication links, you get a simple report by email, and you wonder who actually read it.

That was the way it was with the legacy wire services. They would charge you a few extra dollars for premium distribution, extra charges for words or photos, and send the press release to the feeds where absolutely nobody would read it.

iCrowdNewswire has a very different strategy. It merges traditional distribution with the targeted digital advertising to target your target audience through websites, social media networks, and searches. 

This guide on how to submit a press release will help you through every stages of the process, from preparation and targeting to the moment you submit a press release and start getting actual views. 

Why iCrowdNewswire is Different

It is essential to know precisely what you are receiving before filling out any paperwork. The distribution plan is as crucial as the writing of your press release.

1. Multimedia and Flexible Length

Most cables are priced by word count, and exceeding this by a small amount may cost you more. That is not the case with iCrowdNewswire, because we are focused on digital media, which allows you to expand your story and include images, videos, and links without having to calculate how many words you are using and how that may affect the invoice. 

2. Ad-Driven Exposure

We use your press release headline to advertise across our partners, ad networks, and social networks in addition to syndicating your press release. You will receive a set number of impressions for your headline based on your specified audience and plan.

3. Exploration AI

The way people find things has changed. Rather than just searching on search engines, people are now turning to AI-powered assistants like ChatGPT and Perplexity to find brands and products. A good format for a syndicated press release makes it easier for these tools to find you, and you can see how fast AI tools cite your press release once it goes live. 

4. Free Built-In Translator Service

Now you can have your press release translated for free into some of the most popular foreign languages, which can make it much more affordable and convenient than ever before to expand into international areas. 

Gather Your Materials Before You Start

There is nothing quite as irritating as half-filling out an application form only to find out you have not got your logo yet. Before you submit a news release or start any campaign, just put everything in a single folder for now.

To start a campaign, the folders should have the following elements:

• Final version of the press release: Title, Subtitle, Dateline, Body & Boilerplate.
• Company logo: PNG logo in high quality, preferably with a transparent background.
• 1 or 2 nice visuals: An image of the product, the event, or executives.
• Video (optional): Demo video/Interview/Press conference on YouTube or Vimeo.

A Few Quick Quality Checks

1. Adjust your headline: It should convey the story and explain why it matters.
2. Use the sub-headline correctly: The headline should draw people in, whereas the sub-headline provides the background.
3. Get the dateline format right: City, State or Region, Country, Date. It might look simple, yet sloppy dateline formatting makes your press release appear unprofessional.
4. Include a real contact name: You cannot expect reporters to look for ways to contact you. Include a contact name and a valid email.
5. Understand your target market: You need to understand your target market before pitching. Not everyone is a target market.

Follow These 6 Steps To Submit Your Press Release 

Here are the six steps on how to submit a press release, from choosing a pricing package to final distribution. 

Step 1. Pick the Right Distribution Package

Packages are tiered, and each level usually adds more reach, more features, and more detailed reporting in the pricing section.

Here is a general breakdown:

Package names, impression counts, and inclusions are subject to change, so please check the most recent details on the website before purchasing.

Pro Tip: In case you manage an agency, or you intend to send releases on a regular basis, please contact the sales department prior to making an individual purchase.

Compare Packages & Claim Guaranteed Impressions 

Talk to Our PR Specialist

Step 2. Choose Self-Service or Managed Support

After selecting your bundle, you will decide the level of involvement you prefer. If you feel comfortable using online tools, the easiest choice is to use a self-service portal. You insert your content, upload your files, select your targeting criteria, and set up the deployment. Each option remains completely within your control.

But if you do not have the time or the news item is high-profile, then a managed service PR professional will do it all for you. They will ensure all formatting is done properly, check picture sizes, check links, and make sure targeting is set up properly. 

Step 3. Add Your Content and Media

The submission form is structured in a manner consistent with a press release template. Here are the tips to maximize each part.

Headline

Start with the information about the news and its benefits rather than excitement about the news by the company.

Subheadline

Add one fact that will make the headline trustworthy.

Body copy

Copy and paste your text into the editor and format it for skimmers

• Keep paragraphs short (two or three sentences).
• Use bullet points for features, stats, or important facts.
• Bold the most important details.
• Add natural links by linking relevant phrases to specific pages on your site.

Pictures and video

Add your logo and photos in the media section. If a demo video of the product exists or there’s an interview with the founder, add the link to that video. A brief clip can hold readers on the page for longer than plain text is able to.

Step 4. Set Up Your Targeting

You decide who sees your headline.

Position

Select the nations, states, regions, or cities relevant to your release. When you open your facility in one country, there is no reason to get impressions in another country.

Industry classification

Select the industry categories for your news, whether it is technology, health care, financials, consumer goods, energy, or lifestyle. This will help ensure your release ends up in the right places. 

Audience profile

When you are sending advertisements as a news distribution package, it would be easy for you to divide your audience depending on their age, interests, or profession.

Step 5. Take a Look at Optional Add-Ons

Before you pay for it, there are some optional add-ons that you would select depending on your goals, not the quality of the package.

• Translation: If and only if you are trying to reach out to markets that do not speak English.
• Voice & Audio Distribution: Convert your press release summary to audio format. This distribution package will be suitable for consumer brands looking to connect off-screen
• Additional Impressions: Only makes sense for major releases where visibility outweighs budget concerns.

Step 6. Review, Schedule, and Publish

It’s almost complete. Make sure you do these things before paying:

• Check all links: Any broken link is just wasted money on traffic that you pay for.
• Check your contact information: One missed digit in a telephone number may cost you a press inquiry.
• Proofread again: This way you will notice mistakes and correct them.
• Select the timing: Determine if you want your release to go out right away or at a chosen time and date.

Timing tip: Based on your market’s time zone, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday mornings from 8 to 10 a.m. work better than Friday afternoons or weekends. That is the best time to send a press release when journalists and other professionals look through their feeds.

After payment, our editorial team will review your release for compliance. After that, it will be published according to your plan.

Reading Your Distribution Report

After you launch, you will find the information you are looking for. We also provide you with the initial distribution report for each of your campaigns. This tells you a few things worth looking into:

1. Syndication link

This is the live URL of your distributed press release. Keep these links; they will help with promotion and credibility with potential customers.

2. Impressions and CTR

The number of times your headline is viewed is indicated by impressions. You can find out how many people find your title compelling enough to read by looking at the click-through rate. If you are getting low CTRs generally, it indicates that you need to change your title in future publications.

3. Location and device information

If most of your users are on mobile, ensure your landing page is mobile-optimized.

4. Search and AI visibility

Here you may check where your release was distributed. News aggregators, search engines, and other sources of discovery. Use this data to optimize your next release. Every campaign is subordinate to a better campaign. 

Three Ways to Turn Readers Into Customers

Visibility is essential. But revenue is better yet. There are three things that you can do to make sure that your press release is in line with real company objectives.

1. Drive Traffic to a Landing Page

Your home page appeals to everyone, which is why it is not a great place for press release traffic. After landing on the main page, visitors must search for their purpose. Create a landing page to go along with your press release. Just make sure your call to action is really obvious, and your title is identical.

2. End With a Clear Call-to-Action

Click here for additional information. This leads to nowhere. Tell the readers to do something and why. For further information, please visit our website. Choose: Free 14-day trial and learn how much time you may save in your first week. Be detailed, brief, and make the benefits prominent.

3. Use Your Coverage as Social Proof

If you are getting coverage from well-known media outlets, use it to your advantage. When someone visits your website for the first time, you might see a widget that says  As featured on with the logos of magazines on your landing page, pricing page, or even the checkout process page, and this can minimize suspicion. 

Conclusion 

In short, now you know that how to submit a press release that earns actual views; you can see press releases are no longer just another thing to tick off a list. A good press release will build awareness, establish credibility, and attract traffic. For this to be achieved, a strong press release must be coupled with effective distribution and a report that will help in understanding if the distribution technique was successful or not.

We help with targeted adverts, multimedia capabilities, translation services, and reports that you may apply. If you have spent time and effort on something that is worth telling the world about, then you need to make sure the correct people know about it.