How to Turn a Press Release into a Compelling Blog Post

A press release is a powerful tool for companies and organizations to announce news, launch new products or services, and generate media coverage.

However, repurposing a press release into an engaging blog post can be an effective content marketing strategy to reach a wider audience and drive more traffic to your website.

In this blog post, we'll explore the differences between press releases and blog posts, and provide actionable tips to help you transform your press release into a compelling blog that resonates with your target audience.

Press releases are typically written in a specific format, using third-person language and adhering to AP style guidelines. They aim to capture the attention of journalists and news outlets by providing concise, newsworthy information about a company announcement or important news.

Blog posts, on the other hand, are more conversational and often written in first-person, allowing for a more personal tone and the inclusion of opinions, tips, and detailed information about a subject matter.

It's important to note that while a good press release would actually make for a poor blog post, there's no reason you can't use the information from a press release to create an engaging and informative blog post.

By understanding the key differences between the two types of content, you can effectively repurpose your press release into a valuable piece of content for your blog readers.

Understand the Differences Between Press Releases and Blog Posts

Before diving into the process of turning your press release into a blog post, it's crucial to understand the fundamental differences between the two:

1. Purpose: Press releases are designed to announce newsworthy events or updates to the media, while blog posts are primarily used for content marketing, brand awareness, and educating your target audiences.
2. Tone and Style: Press releases are written in a formal, objective tone, adhering to AP style guidelines, while blog posts adopt a more conversational, first-person style, allowing for personal opinions and a human face.
3. Structure: Press releases follow a specific format with sections like headline, dateline, lead paragraph, body, boilerplate, and multimedia assets, whereas blog posts have a more flexible structure, often with subheads, images, and embedded hyperlinks.
4. Distribution: Press releases are typically distributed through newswires like PR Newswire or Business Wire, targeting journalists and media outlets, while blog posts are published on a company's or organization's website or blog platform, aiming to reach a broader audience.

Tips for Turning a Press Release into a Compelling Blog Post

Now that you understand the key differences between press releases and blog posts, let's explore some actionable tips to help you transform your press release into an engaging blog post:

1. Craft an Attention-Grabbing Headline: While press release headlines are often straightforward and focused on the news itself, blog post headlines should be more attention-grabbing and enticing. Use powerful words, ask a question, or make a bold statement to pique your readers' interest.
2. Write an Engaging Introduction: Unlike press releases, which typically start with a concise lead paragraph summarizing the news, blog posts should have an engaging introduction that hooks the reader and sets the context for the rest of the content.
3. Provide Detailed Information and Context: Press releases are designed to be concise, but blog posts allow you to dive deeper into the subject matter. Use the press release as a starting point and expand on the key points, providing additional context, background information, and relevant details.
4. Incorporate Multimedia Content: While press releases may include multimedia assets like images or videos, blog posts offer more flexibility to incorporate various types of multimedia content, such as infographics, charts, GIFs, or embedded videos, to enhance the reader's experience and break up the text.
5. Add a Personal Touch: One of the key advantages of blog posts is the ability to add a personal touch and inject your brand's personality. Share anecdotes, personal experiences, or behind-the-scenes stories related to the news or announcement to create a more engaging and relatable narrative.
6. Leverage Storytelling: Press releases often present information in a straightforward manner, but blog posts allow you to tell a captivating story. Use storytelling techniques, such as character development, conflict, and resolution, to make your content more engaging and memorable.
7. Optimize for Search Engines (SEO): Unlike press releases, which are primarily targeted at journalists and media outlets, blog posts should be optimized for search engines. Incorporate relevant keywords, optimize your meta descriptions and alt tags, and leverage internal and external linking to improve your content's visibility in search results.
8. Include a Call-to-Action (CTA): While press releases rarely include calls-to-action, blog posts should have a clear CTA that encourages readers to take a specific action, such as signing up for a newsletter, downloading a resource, or making a purchase.
9. Promote and Encourage Engagement: Once your blog post is published, promote it across your social media channels, email newsletters, and other marketing channels to drive traffic and engagement. Encourage readers to leave comments, share their thoughts, and engage with your content.
10. Monitor and Analyze Performance: Unlike press releases, which are typically one-time announcements, blog posts can be a valuable long-term asset for your content marketing strategy. Monitor their performance, analyze metrics like pageviews, time on page, and engagement, and use these insights to inform your future content creation efforts.

Key Takeaways

Repurposing a press release into a compelling blog post can be a powerful content marketing strategy, allowing you to reach a broader audience, drive more traffic to your website, and establish your brand as a thought leader in your industry.

Remember to:

• Understand the key differences between press releases and blog posts in terms of purpose, tone, structure, and distribution.
• Craft an attention-grabbing headline and engaging introduction to hook your readers.
• Provide detailed information, context, and multimedia content to enhance the reader's experience.
• Add a personal touch, leverage storytelling techniques, and incorporate a clear call-to-action.
• Optimize your blog post for search engines and promote it across your marketing channels.
• Monitor and analyze the performance of your blog posts to inform your future content creation efforts.

By following these tips and best practices, you can effectively turn your press release into a compelling blog post that resonates with your target audience, drives engagement, and supports your overall content marketing and PR efforts.

Terms:

News Release

A news release, also known as a "press release," is a public relations tool used by companies or organizations to announce something newsworthy, such as a new product or service, an upcoming event, or any other company news. Press releases are often written in third person and distributed to media outlets and news sites to generate coverage and increase visibility for the company or organization.

Headline

The headline is a crucial component of a news release, as it's the first thing that might strike the attention of press release readers and journalists. A compelling headline should be attention-grabbing, concise, and accurately summarize the key news or announcement.

Company News

Company news refers to any significant developments, updates, or announcements related to a specific company or organization. This could include product launches, leadership changes, financial results, partnerships, or any other newsworthy information that the company wants to share with the public and media outlets.

Content Marketing

Content marketing is a strategic approach to creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience. It's a key component of many marketing strategies, aiming to drive profitable customer action by creating actionable content that caters to the needs and interests of target audiences.

Press Release vs News Article

While both press releases and news articles convey information, there's a difference between the two. A press release is a written communication directly from a company or organization, often used for public relations purposes. In contrast, a news article is an unbiased, third-party report or story written by a journalist or news outlet about a particular event or topic.

Company Blog

A company blog is a section of a business's website where the organization can regularly publish blog posts and articles. Unlike press releases, which are primarily designed for media outreach, a company blog's content is typically geared towards the site's existing audience, customers, and potential leads.

Press Release Distribution

Press release distribution refers to the process of disseminating a press release to various media outlets, journalists, and online news sites. This can be done through paid wire services like PR Newswire or Business Wire, or by directly contacting specific outlets that might be interested in the news or announcement.

AP Style

AP style refers to the Associated Press Stylebook, which is a widely recognized set of writing guidelines and rules used by journalists and public relations professionals. Many organizations adhere to AP style when writing press releases to ensure consistency, clarity, and professionalism in their communication with the media.

Press Release vs Blog Post

While both press releases and blog posts can be used to share information, there is a key difference between the two types of content.

A press release is written in a specific format, using third-person language and adhering to AP style guidelines, with the primary goal of capturing the attention of journalists and news outlets.

On the other hand, a blog post is typically written in a more conversational, first-person style, allowing for personal opinions, detailed information about a subject matter, and a more flexible structure.

The difference between a press release and a blog post lies in their purpose, tone, structure, and target audience. Press releases are designed to announce newsworthy events or updates to the media, while blog posts are primarily used for content marketing, brand awareness, and educating an audience.

In summary, while you're writing a press release, the focus is on delivering concise, newsworthy information in a formal, objective tone.

When you're writing a blog post, you have more flexibility to provide detailed information, incorporate multimedia content, add a personal touch, and leverage storytelling techniques to create engaging and actionable content for your target audience.