For startups and growing businesses, brand awareness is everything. Unfortunately, this is also something very few brands are able to consistently generate. Frankly, the reason is that most startups are utilizing antiquated methods and outdated strategies that no longer deliver healthy returns. What you really need to be focused on is attracting media members to your site and engaging them with a stellar press page.
The Media: A Startup’s Greatest Ally
Outside the Silicon Valley startup bubble, where fledgling tech companies are overvalued and overhyped, most young companies totally fly under the radar. The only way to make some noise in an established industry is by “catching a break” or putting the brand in front of the right person. And in many cases, the right person is someone with a large and captive audience: a member of the media.
See, in the startup world, the media is your best friend. (It can also be your biggest enemy, but that’s a separate story for another day.) If you can somehow develop strong relationships with members of the media – journalists, bloggers, publishing platforms, etc. – then your brand will instantly become more recognizable and credible.
In the past, the popular strategy for connecting with the media was to develop a formal press release and distribute it to as many sources as possible. The hope was that a few would pick the release up and share it. In 2016, this strategy no longer works. Some larger brands can get away with it, but startups will see very little return from press releases.
There are dozens of ways to engage the media, but the one we’re focusing on today involves the creation and optimization of a stellar press page.
3 Tips for Optimizing Your Press Page
The purpose of a press page is to house general company information, press mentions, recent news, past projects, and any other information that could potentially be of interest to consumers, potential clients, and the media. It’s essentially a consolidated page that touts all of the great things your business is doing/has done.
However, over the years, the marketplace has changed and people’s behaviors have evolved. As such, the traditional press page is no longer as effective. According to design strategist Howard Tempero, today’s internet users are doing three things differently: Passively finding information on social media, actively searching online, and expecting easy web experiences.
As a result, you need to optimize your press page to meet these preferences. Here are some simple tips and examples to help you do just that:
- Be a Show Off
When potential clients visit your site, they want to see that your startup is the real deal. One of the best ways for you to show them that you’re credible is by highlighting the different accolades you’ve acquired.
Related, a fast growing men’s underwear and garment company based out of Los Angeles, does a great job of “showing off” on their press page. The page features images, screen shots, and links to a variety of different magazines and publications the brand has been featured in. This instantly earns the company credibility in the eyes of potential partners and customers.
- Give Out Directions
The press page is the place to give directions to people who may want to link up with you. If you’re a software company, this is the place to explain the rules regarding logo usage and brand mentions. Here’s an example from GitHub. They outline when and how people can use their visual assets.
- List Interviews and Quotes
Journalists and bloggers are always looking for stories. And while they can learn a lot about your company by visiting your website, quotes are currency in their business. One good practice is to include questions and answers, interviews, stories, etc. and give people permission to use those quotes in articles and blogs.
Don’t Ignore the Value of a Press Page
Today, startups tend to ignore the press page altogether or use outdated strategies that no longer yield value. It’s up to you to ensure your startup doesn’t make either of these mistakes. A press page – not a press release – is your best tool for engaging the media.
Meet with your team to discuss how you want to handle this aspect of your website moving forward.
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