Video Press Release Guide

What is a video press release

A video press release is basically a standard press release with a video component. Sometimes only a video is sent with no press release but in most cases the video is embedded into your company’s PR page or sent to a news outlet with a link (to a YouTube clip for example) and a short summary of the news.

A video press release can be an animation, especially useful when you’re launching a new product or service that may be slightly technical to explain.

Why Video?

Credibility

A video adds instant credibility to your press release. Sometimes a press release by itself can be good, but when you have a video accompanying it, it’s a sure fire way to tell an editor that you are the real deal. Remember that anyone can put out a press release and editors have hundreds of press releases flooding their inbox every day.

For example, one of my clients was a start-up software integration company that was working hard to get its new technology listed in national and international publications. The problem was that with so much start ups in the space it was difficult to get major publications on board and major tech publications weren’t returning their calls! However with our video completed and sent out they received 3 call backs in the space of less than 24 hours! Videos press releases work and can increase the response rate of your press releases, so you don’t have to sit and waste time callling and emailing reporters.

Television Coverage

When you send out a simple text press release it all but closes you off from receiving television coverage. It’s too much work (and outside the budget of many reporters) to send out a film crew to film your event. However having video footage with your press release allows a broadcast television channel/show to easily use those clips in creating  a report. It can also spur someone from the likes of A Current Affair or other to pursue the story further (and get more coverage).

Today Tonight runs every weeknight to an audience of over 600,000 in Australia. With 3 – 4 segments every show that comes up to 20 segments required every week. If you have a human interest story and a good video press release to make the job easier for them you stand a good chance of being shown.

B/Roll

You will find in many press releases on websites such as news.com.au that a lot of footage is simply B-Roll silent footage. By B-Roll I mean a quiet shot of an airplane or perhaps a quiet shot of an event (with minimal background noise). The reason for this is so that if your news is used in a broadcast by a local television station.

Just imagine how much more exposure you can get if your press release is optimized not just for print but also television. We all know millions of people watch television and the news stations are always looking for something to report on.

Viral benefits itself

Sometimes a significant news story is the fact that video has received a certain amount of views and attention. In some cases the makers of the video were not even trying to get press attention but got it anyway because the video was so popular. Can you imagine what you can achieve with a slightly popular video and a concentrated media push? Remember that news outlets are always looking for a story, and if your press release is setup for them they are more likely to put your news up.

Dumb ways to die as a perfect example of generating press due to the amount of interest all ready generated (the bandwagon effect). Click on the image to view the video.

Some tips and ideas

Tap into the conversation

Make sure that your press release has an angle that is relevant to the publication you’re targeting. A great idea is to simply tap into a conversation that is all ready happening on the news. For example much talk has been made in the news recently about outsourcing workers, here is an example of a news article – http://www.news.com.au/business/worklife/temporary-workers-built-into-staffing-strategy-no-longer-a-quick-fix/story-e6frfm9r-1226525618057. Perhaps your business specializes in contracting labor. You might do some interviews with industry leaders about how the government’s strict employee regulation is forcing businesses to hire part time or contract workers. You could then give businesses advice in that same article then email some journalists for an exclusive. You can be guaranteed that some trade journals that are within that interest would be more than likely to pick up and run with that story, and with video interviews meaning it would get much more attention.

Have third party endorsements

Another tip is to get third party endorsements. If you have a unique business or a superior product get industry leaders to comment on the product or perhaps even satisfied clients about how it has improved their life. This adds an air of credibility to your press release.

Target appropriate publications

Make sure that you target only publications whose readership would have interest in what you’re writing about. Obviously there’s no point to talk about your latest high tech startup in a gardening magazine.

Be available on phone and email

After you issue your press release make sure you are available on the phone to answer any questions that a reporter may have. You should be able to answer the phone and chat for 1 – 3 minutes about any clarifying questions and reschedule another time to speak to the reporter should there be any more in depth questions.

Do research and personalize your emails

Make sure to understand which reporter reports on which stories in publications. An online/offline newspaper will usually have one reporter that specializes on a certain subject. Make sure you understand who it is and target that reporter. Let him know that you have read other articles by him and how you feel your press release is relevant to what he is writing about. Most reporters are under a deadline and if you can lay everything out on a plate for them it will make it much easier to get your story picked up.