One of the most efficient ways to get your business ‘out there’ is to be written about in magazines, newspapers and other publications. In order for that to happen, you can’t just exist, you need to take action.
In the digital world we live in, this involves having an online presence, because just like you and me, when journalists want information about a business or a product, the first thing they do is ‘google’ it.
This is why a website is an absolute must - and this highly recommended, definitive guide on how to make your own professional website will surely help. The experts from Wix.com with their free website builder, suggest that it will allow you to establish your brand online, as well as attract potential clients looking for a business like yours.
But there’s more to it. If you want the press from near and far to cover your story, you need to prepare some content for them to chew on. This is what a press kit, also known as a media kit, is all about. From the text to the images, this article will show you how to create the perfect press kit for your business:
What is a press kit?
The easiest way to conceptualize a press kit is as your business’ online resume. More specifically, a press kit is a page of your website dedicated to providing fast, resourceful information for media coverage. It displays the top highlights that you want reporters, publishers and bloggers to mention (facts, statistics, quotes, etc.) in a way that’s as easy as possible for them to access. A thorough one should also include media files that journalists can freely download and use.
A media kit can attract both national press and local news sources that’ll give you free PR. From having this media coverage at all levels, you’ll gain more exposure, traffic to your website, and eventually, more business and sales - making it a highly valuable use of your time.
In addition to all of that, it’s also great for your website’s SEO. A press kit provides unique, quality, and updated content on your pages - which is exactly what Google bots like to see when determining your ranking on specific keywords search results.
A press kit is not just good for corporate businesses though. Many people in the art and music industry also utilize them, but in slightly different ways:
If you’re a band or a performer, you’re probably familiar with the term EPK (electronic press kit) - an essential component of any music website. The principle is the same as for a traditional press kit, even though the end goal is slightly different here: To land gigs. If you’re looking for more information, we’ve got you covered with this guide to creating your own EPK.
On another note, photographers tend to stick with the term media kit. If you’re a shutterbug, you’ll use this to market yourself to brands by summing up your achievements through stories and visual elements, like your photos. In this field, a media kit is just one of the components necessary when it comes to reaching out to brands to work with.
Let’s sum this up: You can see here that no matter what your background is, a press kit is essentially an organized presentation of who you are and where you’ve succeeded as a business or as an individual.
What goes into a press kit?
The ingredients that compose a media kit will vary based on your business and industry. However, below are the most common and important elements - create your own mix based on your needs:
Company overview: Here, you want to answer the traditional “who are we?” “what we offer?” and “why should you care?” questions. Every business has a story or mission behind how they got started, and today, with the storytelling trend in marketing, it’s become popular for these businesses to share it. On top of being an opportunity to express your originality and jot down your mission statement, you’ll also want to list the hard facts: location, products/services, number of employees, etc. You certainly have a lot to say, but it’s important to keep this short and straightforward. The easier it is for someone to grasp the concept of your business, the more likely they are to write about it correctly.
Company stats and facts sheet: Provide the media with relevant data about your business and customers. This can be anything that is impactful, memorable and relevant: Your sales growth year over year, your amount of followers on social media, or the number of funding rounds you’ve achieved. It’s an opportunity to show how much you’ve grown, and why your brand matters in the industry.
Pro tip: For optimal visual impact, all this content can also be displayed as an infographic.
Quotes: Your quotes make it easier for the press to write about you and reference your opinion. These phrases should be inspiring and impactful, but also short and written in a personal way. If you are obtaining quotes from top management from within your business, make sure that they are used only with approval.
Biographies: Here you’ll tell the short story of the people behind your business, like the founders and top management, who are shaping it today. If you run a one-person show, an individual bio works too. Also include photos of each person in this section to help the press put a face to a name.
Link to your social accounts: Adding links to your Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc. is an added benefit for you. When the press cover your business, they’ll be able to easily share your social info thanks to this. It’s one more way to help you instill your PR efforts a step further.
Details about products and services: This is more than an overview. Here, you’ll want to clearly show what you’re offering your consumers. If you have multiple products and services, or a lot to say about each one of them, just make sure you’re not going off on a tangent. Decide what it is that you want to highlight in a clear description: price, size, materials, use, etc. It’s also important to give some context by adding a sentence about the benefits of each of your offerings.
If relevant, you can mention here that you’ll give out product samples so that the press can experience your products first hand. This is possible if you offer a physical product and it’s small enough and cost sufficient to send out freebees.
Finally, you should update this every once in a while to keep the information fresh.
High quality media: Photos and videos are both eye-catching design elements. The press will use them across multiple platforms, so you want to ensure that they look good no matter what. In order for that to happen, present the highest quality visuals in your press kit, from the pictures of your office to the portraits of your team members. To get your images in perfect order, check out the Photo Editor within your Wix website.
When it comes to your photos, quality means more than just using the most adapted image file format. On top of avoiding unwanted, pixelated pictures, the overall look should be nothing short of stunning - and these free photo editing tools can help you achieve just that.
For your logo, it’s crucial to add several options - such as one that’s resizable (like an SVG file) and another with a transparent background - to make it easy to use for any purpose and size. If applicable, you can also include a downloadable, raw file.
Don’t have a logo? This online logo maker is every business’ favorite. In minutes, it lets you create your own logo starting from a template, then personalizing your colors, title, etc. Once you’re done, you’ll receive your creation in a resizable format, to be used across your website and by the press.
Press releases and PR brochures: A press release is a written announcement of what you want to share with the world. It should answer the ‘who,’ ‘what,’ ‘where,’ ‘when,’ and ‘why’ of your news update, along with a striking headline to draw the press in. Ideally, each press release should be around 300-400 words. Here are some examples of how to write a press release.
You can also add your PR brochures to your media kit, as downloadable files that journalists can save, print or share. Unlike a press release, a brochure is not focused on a specific news story. Instead, it’s meant to give a more general overview of your company. Because brochures are for long-term purposes, they are generally longer and you should invest more time in designing them.
When it comes to presentation, decide on an organized way to display these files. You can sort them by date, title, product type, etc. Only show your most important ones, to avoid overwhelming your readers. After that, refine your releases’ titles, so that journalists can pick up quickly on the keywords that interest them while skimming through your pieces. Remember: It’s all about making their lives easier and getting your business out there.
Previous press coverage: Like everything else in life, experience is advantageous towards future opportunities. So, include samples of previous media coverage that you’re most proud of - from articles to interviews, blogs and podcasts - in order to help you get more PR.
Accomplishments and awards: Here is your chance to humbly show off the golden ribbons you wear as a result of your hard work. Expose the press to any noteworthy awards, recognitions and accolades that you think they will either be interested in covering, or that will further validate the strength of your brand.
You can also be proud of the work that you’re doing for the community. If you want to be public about it share any volunteer work or nonprofits your business supports and donates to.
Testimonials: A testimonial is a review in written or verbal format left by a customer about your products or services. Displaying these on your page will positively enhance your brand’s image not only in the eyes of other consumers, but most certainly the press.
FAQ section: You can help journalists find the best wording to answer their burning questions by adding an FAQ section (frequently asked questions). It’s a nice way to incorporate impressive statements and quotes, or talk about your past achievements and future vision for your company. Examples range from: ‘what problem is your company solving?’ to ‘what milestones have you achieved thus far?’ and ‘what are your goals for the coming year?’
Overall, consider this section your biggest time saver. It allows you to limit the back and forth conversation between you and the press, while making sure your business is spoken about in the way that you want it to be.
Contact details: Now that journalists are hooked on your content thanks to your press kit, they may want to reach out to you for an interview. But, you don’t want them to have to hunt for your contact information from your website.
On top of presenting the traditional phone number and social media links, it’s crucial that you provide a dedicated email address for PR needs. This address has to be different than the one you use for your customers or other business-related needs, as it ensures that you can compartmentalize your focuses and answer every request more effectively.
Moreover, it’s important that the email address you give to the press is fully branded. You don’t want reporters to correspond with you from suescakeshop-PR@gmail.com, do you? To present yourself in the most professional way, you need to acquire a business email address - in this case, PR@suescakeshop.com, or press@suescackeshop.com.
Lastly, the most engaging option is to include a contact form, so that the press can easily input their information and send a personalized message directly to you - straight from your site.
Press kit examples
Here’s one well-rounded media kit. They made sure to cover all of their grounds, from a company overview to sketches of their product’s architecture, press coverage, artist collaborations, and a detailed contact page.
Here’s an example of how to provide ‘product samples,’ through a free album download from this musician’s EPK. On top of that, the musician’s EPK displays several of the tips mentioned above - such as company bios, photos, and more - in an aesthetically pleasing format.
From videos to podcasts, this cooking show has their press kit’s media section covered. Then, they finish off their PR efforts with social media links at the bottom of the page.
This business shows how you can use awards and previous PR coverage to your advantage. Following this impressive display of accolades, the press will be more inclined to get in touch with them through their smartly placed contact form at the bottom of the page.
How to create your own press kit
Create your website: If you already have one, you can move straight to point number two. If not, now is the time to build your own site, as it’s absolutely a prerequisite for your press kit. How will you start? In this library you will find hundreds of stunning and free website templates - including options for everything from ecommerce website templates to music website templates, photography templates, and so much more. All you have to do is look for the one that best suits your brand’s needs, look and feel. Then, sign up in minutes - at no cost. Finally, personalize your pages with your own content and style.
Add a 'Press’ section: Include a new page titled ‘Press,’ ‘Media room,’ or something along those lines that obviously states its purpose. Make sure you connect it to your menu, so that visitors can automatically see it when they land on your homepage.
Fill your press kit: Now that you have your page, all that’s left to do is include your content: High-res images, press releases, notable accomplishments, and more. Go over the list above, pick the elements that you find the most relevant to your own business, and add them to your press section. At this stage, it’s crucial that your press kit page is systematically ordered. Thankfully, you don’t have to be a professional designer to achieve this result. All you have to do is follow these basic tips:
Keep your page organized by adding strips and columns to separate the different sections. It will help you to maintain a strong balance between the various design elements on your site.
To avoid visual saturation, never use more than three colors on your page, and only pick the most legible fonts.
Clearly invite journalists to contact you by adding a powerful call-to-action (CTA) at the bottom of your page.
Congratulations! Your press kit is now up and running. Remember that creating one is a necessary step, but there are many more actions you should take in order to promote your business, both online and offline. From defining your brand identity, to shaping your PowerPoint presentation skills, the life of an entrepreneur is full of challenges - but oh so rewarding.
One last thing: Feel free to share your own press kit or the press page of your website in the comments below - we’d love to have a look!