Have you ever surveyed your audience or created a quiz to get more leads? If so, you probably have a lot of valuable data from the answers provided.
However, you might not be doing anything with that data right now. It’s just sitting there and collecting dust when it could be turned into valuable content that gets you even more traffic, leads and sales.
Data-backed content is interesting and thought-provoking when you share it with a wider audience, you can do this using a press release.
In this article, I’ll show you exactly how you can do this and get press fast.
Why you should create a press release
Getting press for your business is a highly effective way to get your name out and spread your message. There are some key benefits that you might not be aware of, too, such as:
It’s free advertising – Send a press release yourself costs nothing. News websites and magazines are constantly on the look out for interesting content and stories to share with their audience. This means they are always open to hearing your pitch as long as it’s valuable or thought-provoking information.
It boosts your authority – Getting featured in the press will help you boost your credibility and expertise with potential clients and partners. You can use “featured in” logos in your marketing material and it will help you get more press in the future.
It draws attention to your quiz – If you get featured in the press and the piece is relevant to your quiz or survey, then more people are likely to take it to see how they score too. Nobody wants to feel “left out”, and as long as the benefits are clear, you should get a good increase in the number of people visiting your website and learning more about you.
There are many more benefits to PR, which is why it’s important you make the most of your quiz data and start creating a press release as soon as possible.
Collecting your quiz results
There are lots of different ways to get free PR, but having your own data? It definitely gives you a big advantage: editors LOVE that!
But that’s not enough on its own. You must still use it strategically.
So, check your survey or quiz results and start collect some data. If you’re using any of the top quiz tools like ScoreApp, this will be easy.
The main question you need to ask yourself is: what will make the best or most interesting story? What kind of topic and angle would other publications be ITCHING to write about?
To get there, analyse your quiz data and focus on:
- What’s particularly surprising?
- Did some results change dramatically over time?
- Is there a stark difference between two or more points?
- Are any of them particularly timely and topical?
- Can you spot an overarching theme?
Then, brainstorm some story ideas and different angles until you get to the most newsworthy option.
Relating your results to your business goals
Don’t fall for the myth that ‘any press is good press.’
If you are a B2B company selling productivity software, I doubt you’d get a lot of business out of a press release on skincare routines. If anything, an irrelevant angle could even backfire: your audience wouldn’t know what to associate you with.
Instead, you must focus on the most relevant results and find an angle that’s connected to your brand, products or services. In other words, a press release that can position you as an expert and promote what you do!
- Stay on track with your goals – What exactly are you hoping to achieve with your press release? More brand awareness? Growing your newsletter subscribers? Booking more sales calls? If you’re not clear on your goals, you won’t know whether or not you’ve reached them. Hopefully you’ve already thought of all this before creating your survey and quiz. If not, it might be time to go back to the drawing board and create a new, strategic one
- How exactly do your quiz results tie into your business to build credibility and authority? – For example, there might be a specific area you can focus on. Let’s say you’re a graphic design agency, and your press release is on business owners being ashamed to share their DIYed graphics. Well, you’ll obviously want to relate it to how this changes once they outsource them to professional graphic designers!
Create a webpage report based on the results
Once you have collected a good amount of responses and some interesting data through your quiz or survey, you should consider creating a report page on your website. The data from your audience is classed as “original research” and news outlets and magazines LOVE having data to back up a press release as it gives it more credibility.
If you have one page on your website as your original research page with numbers, graphs, findings, opinions etc, it becomes a valuable piece of content that can get a lot of traction all by itself.
For more information about creating original research from your quiz data, check out this article.
Writing a press release to increase brand awareness
So, you’ve got your data and a strategic angle.
Of course, you can already share your findings through your own marketing channels: write a blog post, create an infographic, share it on your social media and so on.
But if you want to reach people who’re not familiar with your brand just yet? Then you need to put out a strong press release.
That way, you’ll grow your audience and build trust at the same time – as long as you get it right! Here’s how you can do that.
What’s your press release ‘hook’?
Your headline will make or break your press release. As you can see from the graphic below, some editors get over 50 pitches a day, so you really need something that’ll grab their attention.
At the same time, your headline must make it clear that your news is relevant to their audience (otherwise, why would they want to publish it?).
So, to pique your editors’ interest and introduce your main findings, you could:
- Focus on the most relevant of your 5 W’s – Who is this press release about? What does it announce? When and where did it happen? Why does it matter?
- Tell a story – e.g. Poetry is dead. And Instagram has #KilledIt
- Include numbers – e.g. Self-care is vital. Then why don’t 72% of freelancers practice it?
As for how to write your headline:
- Aim for 8-9 words if possible (or 14 max) and 70 characters or less
- Keep it simple and clear – If you have to explain it for it to work, it means it doesn’t. So, avoid jargon for the same reason
- Steer clear of hyper-sensationalised headlines and clickbait – e.g. Best marketing news of the year
- Whatever you do, DON’T WRITE IT IN ALL CAPS? (Nobody likes being shouted at)
Press release best practices when writing the body
- Location (if relevant) – Start with your city and state/country
- Offer a comprehensive overview in your lede – The first sentence or paragraph should cover all your 5 W’s. Don’t try and be playful or mysterious! Get all the main facts out in one go
- Keep going down the reverse pyramid formula – Your most important information should be at the top; the least, at the bottom. So, after your lede, include some supporting information and your best quotes. You can then expand on them through additional facts and findings. Then, contextualise them with your background and niche: how does this all relate to your industry or a wider topic? Finally, end your press release by sharing who should be contacted and how
- Aim for 300-400 words – That tends to be the optimal length for press releases, but you can think of 500 as your maximum. Don’t make it too long! Editors are busy, and seeing a huge block of text would only put them off
- Be objective and unbiased – Exaggerations and claims that can’t be backed up (e.g. “the best writing agency in the UK”) are a one-way ticket to an editor’s bin
- Once again, avoid jargon, and don’t try to be literary – Keep your press release simple, and use everyday language
Press release examples
1. Financial Advisor Press Release
“Title: 60% of Millennials Feel Underprepared for Retirement, New Survey Reveals
City, Country – A recent survey conducted by [Financial Advisor Firm Name], a leading financial advisory company, discovered that a staggering 60% of millennials feel underprepared for retirement. This is a significant uptick from just two years ago when the figure was at 45%.
The quiz, aimed at understanding the financial literacy and readiness of this generation, took into account various financial aspects such as investments, savings, and financial education. One shocking revelation was that despite having access to more resources and information, the majority still lack confidence in their financial future.
Jane Doe, a senior advisor at [Financial Advisor Firm Name], commented on the findings: “It’s alarming to see the increasing number of young people feeling unprepared. It underscores the need for tailored financial education and guidance for millennials.”
The full findings of the quiz and more details on how millennials can better prepare for retirement can be found on [Financial Advisor Firm Name]’s official website.”
Contact:
Jane Doe, [email]@financialadvisorfirm.com, (0123) 456-7890
2. Fitness Coach Press Release
“Title: 75% of Urban Adults Don’t Achieve Recommended Weekly Exercise, Reveals Fitness Quiz
City, Country – A new quiz by renowned fitness coach, [Fitness Coach Name], has uncovered that 75% of urban adults don’t achieve the recommended weekly exercise levels set by health experts. This unsettling discovery points to the increasing sedentary lifestyles in urban environments.
The quiz, which assessed the weekly exercise routines and general fitness knowledge of over 5,000 participants, also revealed that 50% don’t know the recommended weekly exercise levels.
[Fitness Coach Name] responded to the results stating, “It’s crucial for urban adults to integrate movement into their daily routines, even with their busy schedules. Fitness isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity.”
For those interested in learning more about their fitness levels and how to achieve a healthier lifestyle, they can take the quiz on [Fitness Coach Website].”
Contact:
[Fitness Coach Name], [email]@fitnesscoach.com, (123) 456-7891”
3. Marketing Agency Press Release
Latest Marketing Quiz Shows 65% of Small Businesses Struggle with Digital Advertising
City, Country – A recently conducted quiz by [Your Marketing Agency Name] highlighted the challenges faced by small businesses in the digital advertising landscape. The survey aimed to understand the hurdles businesses face in the ever-evolving digital marketing sphere.
Tom Gray, the Chief Marketing Strategist at [Your Marketing Agency Name], states, “Our survey shows a clear demand for professional marketing support and expertise. Our agency offers tailored solutions to help businesses navigate these challenges.”
Primary findings from the quiz:
Over 55% of participants aren’t sure about their target audience online.
About 70% believe they would benefit from professional marketing consultation.
For a detailed understanding of the survey or to discuss a marketing strategy, please contact [Your Contact Details].”
Your press release might need to more indepth than these, but as you can see, these press releases show a similar style and structure across three different industries.
You can also include
AI-generated press releases
Finding it hard to get that first draft out? ScoreApp will do that for you in a few seconds thanks to AI. All you have to do?
- Select a specific data point
- Click the AI button… and watch it do its magic!
- Check if you’re happy with your AI-generated press release as it is or if you want to tweak it slightly
How easy is that?!
Getting your press release out
Now that you’ve created a press release based on your quiz results, it’s time to share it with the world – or better: with the editors of the most relevant publications!
- Select the websites and publications to pitch – Hint: the ones that are read by your target audience. You also want to find the right editor (for instance, the one who looks after the section that’s most relevant to your news) and their contact details
- Make your pitch about them and their audience – Editors are only interested in stories that can be useful or entertaining for their readers (and we can’t blame them). So, don’t make the mistake of sending them a pitch that’s all about you and your company
- Keep it short and sweet – Once again, they are busy and receive dozens of pitches, so go straight to the point
- Personalise your emails – Don’t start with ‘dear Sir/Madam’ – unless you’re trying to annoy them, that is
- Follow up – The success with PR is in the follow-up. When you don’t hear back from an editor, don’t be disheartened. They get hundreds of pitches every week. You just have to be prepared to send the 2-3 emails sometimes to get a response
Start using a quiz builder to get more press for your brand
Now, you know all the right steps to write a strategic press release and send a successful pitch.
Why waste countless hours doing all that manually, though?
With a quiz-builder like ScoreApp, you can create a survey or quiz, track your data and even generate new press releases with AI.
Oh, and did we mention you can use our AI quiz builder to create all your questions and results pages in as little as 3 minutes?
