11 Tips for Making Nonprofit Press Releases Social and Shareable

Nonprofit Tech 2.0: A Social Media Guide for Nonprofits
11 Tips for Making Nonprofit Press Releases Social and Shareable Social media has forever changed how nonprofits and journalists distribute and consume news stories, yet the format of nonprofit press releases has not evolved at all. Almost every communication medium out there has been impacted by the rise of social and mobile media, but not press releases. I think that enterprising nonprofits would be eager to try something new to help your nonprofit stand out from the hundreds of traditional press releases that journalists and media outlets are bombarded with on a weekly or even daily basis. I have no proof these tips will help your nonprofit get more media coverage, but at the very least they will help your nonprofit’s press release get more exposure on the Social Web.
1) Include your nonprofit’s Twitter username. Print, broadcast and digital media outlets have embraced Twitter, but I’ve yet to see a nonprofit press release that includes a Twitter username in the contact section of a press release.
2) On the day of the press release, Tweet about the content of the press release throughout the day. If you are going to let journalists know your Twitter username, then be sure to tweet about the subject matter of the press release on the day its released. Provide links to back-up information, quotes from executive staff, and make it known to journalists that you are available to answer their inquiries on Twitter.
3) Include a photo on your press release. Press releases rarely get shared, retweeted, liked or +1′d and that’s likely due to the fact that the traditional format of press releases do not include photos. People on social networks ignore links that do not pull up thumbnails and are heavily text-based. It can only help your nonprofit if your fans and followers share your press release. Also, if you have share functionality built into your website and your Like, Share or +1 count is low or non-existent, a journalist may think that is because there is no public interest in the story.
4) Add a link to your Flickr account where journalists can download high resolution images related to the press release. If a print journalist wants to do a story on your nonprofit, they are going to need high resolution photos. Make it easy for them and compile a slideshow on Flickr in advance of the press release. That said, digital journalists will likely appreciate a selection of photos to choose from as well. Read More