FAQs

Here are some of the more commonly asked questions regarding our services:

 Do you publish all releases that are submitted to you?

There can be reasons why a release is not published by us. Those reasons are due to sexually explicit content, profanity within the release, as well as anything that could be cause for legal action such as slander, libel etc. These are just some of the reasons a release would not be published.

We will not accept or publish any releases from any of the political candidates or their spokespersons. We might also add that we will not publish any releases that are racist, sexist, or that portray religion in any unfavorable light. It has always been our stance that we do not promote religion nor do we publish anything in an unfavorable light concerning religion.

What is your idea of  an effective press release?

While there could be many answers to that we consider a press release to be something that promotes an idea or product that is newsworthy or of benefit to many people. The mere fact that someone is "selling an item, service or product" does not in and of itself make it a quality press release.

 
  • Be First
    Get your story to the media before your competitors. Keep in mind when writing your release that it is always best to be first.
     
  • Be Unique
    Your press release must be unique in order to stand out from hundreds of others. Always look for the unique aspects about your business and write about these first. Ask yourself, "What will catch the readers' attention?"
     
  • Be Focused
    In order to be successful you must have a clear focus before you start writing. What is the news and how can it benefit the reader and encourage them to take immediate action? The more focused and newsworthy releases are more likely to be published. A press release that contains a clear newsworthy focus or angle stands a much better chance of being read and picked up by the media.
     

  • Be Persistent
    Sending just one press release is not very likely to bring you a large amount of publicity. You must approach the press with the concept of providing a solution to their readers problems. Let them know that you are the expert on this valuable information. Send that message repeatedly with different stories or news over a period of time and you will be successful.
     

  • Have a Strong Hook
    The "hook" is the who, what, when, where, how, and why found in the first or opening paragraph. The hook must be a strong and concise summary of what your release is about. The hook is a critical element to your success. You must let the editor or reporter know why your news is important to their readers.
     

  • Have an Unforgettable Headline
    It is essential that your headline be attention grabbing and unforgettable. The editor must know that what you have to say is important to their readers by reading the headline. Start your search for a good headline by reading headlines of news similar to yours found in newspapers and magazines.
     

  • Powerful headlines have the following characteristics:

  • They arouse curiosity.
  • They pull you into the story.
  • They create emotional appeal.
  • They make the reader stop what they’re doing to read more.
  • They promise answers to a question or solutions to a problem.
  • They promise to reveal a secret or hard to find information.
  

How many releases can I or my band submit? Is there a limit?

 You many only submit one release per week per website per band. If you are found abusing the free submission then we will have no choice but to ban you or band from using our services.

Is there any way I can chart the distribution and pickup of my release?

We carefully follow Yahoo and Google alerts, so we know when a release may appear online.  Other than this, many of the sites to whom we  submit your release will notify us when a release appears on their site.   Other than this, we have no way of knowing who accesses, prints, nor publishes  the releases we handle.  Because of the time involved we do not track free releases   To ensure that your press release is read read our tutorial "How To Write An Effective Press Release." 

Can I add hyperlinks to my press release?

We do not allow the placement of html in the releases. We have this policy because press outlets want the releases formatted as plain as possible, and not like a web page, however you may use complete URL's in your release.

Can I have a logo or image on a free release?

 No, We only permit logos or images with the paid releases.

What formats do you accept for logos and images for the paid releases?

We would like for them to be in jpeg, or gif format so that we can work with them.  To submit these,  simply right click on a photo and go to Picture Properties.  This should open another free floating window.   Locate the photo URL, highlight and copy and send us this with your submission.

 Can I use all capital letters in my release or in the heading of my release?

Our requirements are that releases not be all in capital letters. This is viewed by some as yelling and is also considered by many to be rude in nature. Also, because of the time involved in changing an all capital headline to a headline including caps and lower case letters,  we ask that you make certain this is done before you submit your release.  If not, we cannot publish your press release. 

Can I specify my release for a certain geographical area?

Yes, you can.  However, this is not part of our free service.  If you would like your news release to go to a specified geographical area, we would suggest one of our paid services.

I have a big gig tomorrow night.  I would like as wide a distribution for my press release as I can get.  Am I submitting this too late?

Simply, yes.  We don't know who it may benefit if you submit a press release announcing your gig the night before a performance. Most people like to plan for an upcoming event.  How long ago did you know that you would be playing tomorrow night?  Unless you are a house band, and play the same venue every week, the best time to announce an upcoming performance is the second you find out that you have been booked.  Because of the volume of submissions we receive, and because submissions are hand optimized and hand submitted to our media contacts,  we ask that you give us adequate "lead time" for your submission.  Many of our media contacts ask that we give them a minimum of ten days to two full weeks if we wish to have something we submit published.  Likewise,  we ask the same of you.