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Want to get your book noticed? A press release is the perfect tool. It gives you a chance to give information about what’s going on with your book, and it helps connect people who may not have known about it before. Here are some tips for how to write one that will help make sure the media picks up on your work!
A press release is a written announcement of something, typically issued by a company or public figure to announce the publication of new information. They are usually released to the media and appear in print, electronic, broadcast and online formats. Press releases are also known as “media advisories.” Read more in detail here: sample book release announcement.
Writing a press release after your book is published is one strategy to get attention and get your work in front of the media. You must first determine your target demographic and build the groundwork with appropriate formatting before writing an efficient book press release. Then create a compelling title and subheadline, as well as a few words describing your new book, boilerplate, and contact information. Last but not least, you must disseminate it to journalists and media outlets.
If you don’t disseminate your book press release to a vast network of journalists who cover your issue, even the most captivating press release might be a marketing disaster. Using a press release distribution provider like eReleases, you can ensure that your book press release reaches the correct people. They’ll do the legwork for you and expose you to tens of thousands of potential customers. Learn how eReleases may help your book get noticed by the press and increase sales.
Visit eReleases for further information.
Here are seven stages to writing a book press release:
1. Identify Your Target Market
Before you begin writing your book press release, like with any other sort of press release, you must first establish who you want to read it. You’ll be able to adjust the content of your press release to attract their attention after you’ve identified your target audience. It will also assist you in determining the most effective distribution techniques so that your press release reaches the correct individuals, those who are most likely to read it.
Begin by generating a reader profile that describes who your target audience is. Consider their age, gender, and hobbies, as well as their actions. What age group and gender did you write your book for, for example? Are your viewers attempting to address a personal issue? Are they attempting to immerse themselves in a captivating story? Which publications are they most likely to read? The answers to these questions should be included into your press release.
2. Make Your Press Release Look Professional
Set up the proper press release format, structure, and typeface after that (e.g., Times New Roman, 12pt). Because media outlets and journalists will anticipate the usual press release format, this is an important stage in creating a book press release. If you don’t utilize it, your press release can get lost in the shuffle. Download the free book press release template below to save time and guarantee you get the formatting and structure perfect the first time.
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3. Create an eye-catching headline
Your title will be the most attention-getting section of your press release, so make it interesting. As a general rule, it should be specific and targeted, with a length of 65 to 80 characters. The ultimate purpose of your headline is to totally engage the reader and entice them to read the remainder of your book press release and, eventually, your book.
Here are a few pointers to help you develop a catchy headline:
- Connect it to a hot subject or current event: For example, Rondini Press issued a press release headlined “Italy Is Open for Travel and a New Book from Rondini Press Says Le Marche Is the Place to Go” in response to news of Italy reopening to foreign travel.
- Include any honors or medals you’ve received: “We Animals Media’s New Book “HIDDEN: Animals in the Anthropocene” Wins Two Major Awards,” for example, was published by We Animals Media.
- In the press release “New book by George Zimmer: I Guarantee It chronicles the real and untold tale of the creator of Men’s Wearhouse,” by George Zimmer, for example, words like “true” and “untold” are appealing because they make it appear like you’re receiving access to hidden knowledge or information.
- Make it a tale: For example, T.J. Newman’s “Prior Flight Attendant’s Debut Novel Hits #2 on New York Times Bestseller List in Its First Week” makes an underdog story by demonstrating how a regular person can do the seemingly impossible by citing the author’s former work title.
- Build trust with expertise: For example, the press release, “Mike Rothmiller, LAPD OCID & Douglas Thompson Share the Truth about Marilyn Monroe’s Death in New Book” by Ad Lib Publishers instills trust by sharing that the author is part of the Los Angeles Police Department and the Organized Crime Intelligence Division.
- Assist your audience in achieving their objectives or give a solution: For example, Morgan James Publishing’s book press release titled “A Lifeline to Happiness After Suicide Loss” presents the concept of joy to individuals who are grieving the loss of a loved one.
- Use social proof (even if it’s not your own): For example, Rob Sedgwick’s memoir “Rob Sedgwick’s Memoir Is One Degree From Kevin Bacon” leverages well-known Kevin Bacon to pique readers’ interest.
While some people believe that writing the headline first establishes the tone of the press release, others believe that once you’ve written the remainder of the press release, you’ll have a better understanding of the overall message you want to convey to the reader. If you write your title last, you may find that it enables you to condense your ideas into a single, well-crafted headline.
4. Use a Subhead to Back Up Your Headline
Subheadlines are roughly 120 characters long and appear underneath the headline. Subheadlines assist readers comprehend what your press release is about by drawing their attention to them. To put it another way, a strong headline will tempt readers to read your subhead, and a strong subhead will support your title and persuade readers to read your press release.
A subheader for a book press release example
5. Fill in the blanks with the body of your press release.
The opening paragraph of your book press release, often known as the “lead,” should be as powerful and captivating as possible. You want to provide the reader a quick overview of what the remainder of the press release will be about, which is your book’s theme. Your opening paragraph should be no more than 60 words long. You will have a greater chance of being picked up by media outlets if you do this.
As you compose the first paragraph, keep the following points in mind:
- Begin with the date and place of your press release: Your press release should begin with the date you want it to be released as well as the city where it was written. Whether selecting when to pick up your press release and when to post it, media outlets will search for this.
- Answer the following questions: “Who, what, when, where, and why?” Many people won’t read beyond the first paragraph, so include the most important details here, such as who the author(s), what their expertise is, what the book’s subject is, what motivated them to write it, when it was created, and when and where it will be available for purchase.
- Keep it basic with your language: Avoid using business jargon or other terms that your reader may not be familiar with. It’s critical that your reader comprehends the press release’s overall substance.
Additional information about your book should be included in the paragraphs after the lead. In 300 to 500 words, describe the book’s highlights, the advantages of reading, and any other intriguing information.
You may also insert quotations, photographs, and links in the body of your news release. This is also where you’ll offer a full explanation of your book and why it’s important to your audience. You’ll expand on your first paragraph’s summary and provide extra specifics here.
An example of a book press release’s body
Pro tip: As a quotation, provide a review or famous testimonials to offer more appeal and social evidence. The quote(s) should come from someone who has a good track record in book reviews or is an expert in your field.
6. Come up with a Boilerplate
A boilerplate is a one-paragraph description of a company in a news release; however, in the case of a book press release, it acts as the author bio. This is where you tell us about yourself as an author, how many books you’ve published, and any other pertinent information about your book, such as awards and proof-of-topic knowledge.
You may include the following items in the boilerplate:
- If your background is relevant to your novel, include it (e.g., a former Fortune 100 CEO writing a book on a business strategy)
- How many copies have you sold of this or your prior books?
- Any of your high-profile reviews with links
- Your honors, awards, and accolades
- a hyperlink to your webpage
- If you have any extra contact information, such as an email address, please provide it.
A press release boilerplate should be around 100 words or less. It should include a hyperlink to your webpage and your contact information should a journalist wish to reach out to you for an interview or with questions.
If your book has many authors, you can either use a single paragraph to introduce them all or use a different boilerplate for each. It’s also fairly unusual for book press releases to contain information about the publisher in the boilerplate. A book press release may include separate boilerplates for the author and the publisher in certain situations.
Example of a boilerplate press release for a book
Example of a boilerplate press release for a book
Example of a boilerplate press release for a book
7. Send out a press release for your book.
You may begin the process of releasing your book press release whenever you are satisfied that it is ready to be sent to media outlets and journalists. The most crucial aspect of public relations is this. It’s where your press release finds its way into the hands of journalists who can help spread the word about your new book. You have a few options for delivering your press release.
Here are some of the best methods to get your book’s press release out there:
- Direct contact with media contacts: If you already have a list of media contacts, contact them directly. If you don’t already have one, make one by locating media sites and journalists that commonly cover similar issues.
- A professional syndication service, such as eReleases, is the most popular approach to publish your press release for maximum visibility. Check out the finest press release distribution services to pick the ideal one for you and your budget.
- Publish it on your website or blog: To maximize overall exposure, you should always post your press release on your website or the website of your book. If you utilize a syndication provider, search engines will not consider your press release to be duplicate content if you put it on your blog or website.
- Distribute through social media: Once you have a shareable link (either from your website or via a press release picked up by news sources), publish it to your social media accounts for your friends and followers to view, like, and share.
Follow our step-by-step guide on how to send a press release for more information on how to disseminate your press release for maximum exposure and publicity.
Conclusion
A book press release may be an excellent and effective instrument for spreading the news about your book. To get the most out of your press release, make sure it’s not just succinct and entertaining, but also that it’s sent to the proper people so that it gets seen. Using a press release distribution provider like eReleases, which allows sophisticated targeting, is the quickest and simplest method to achieve this.
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