How to Get Media Coverage for Your Event
Okay—your big event is right around the corner.
Every least detail has been planned, everything’s ready to go, and you know it’s going to be incredible. Now it’s just a matter of promoting it.
This is where things get tricky. For you, planning and organizing an event is a cinch. You’re a natural at corralling caterers, snagging celebrities, and finding that once-in-a-lifetime venue.
But crafting an event press release that will attract media coverage is something else entirely. Most event planners are terrified of writing a press release.
You don’t have to sweat it. Keep in mind two considerations when writing a release: it should include all relevant particulars (date, time, website links, etc.), and it should conform to the standard press release format.
What is an Event Press Release?
An event press release is a written communication issued to media outlets and other interested parties to announce and provide details about an upcoming event. It serves several key purposes:- Announce the event: Provide basic information about what the event is.
- Share key details: Include the date, time, location, and any other critical information.
- Generate interest: Highlight why the event is newsworthy or important.
- Provide context: Offer background information on the organizers or the event’s significance.
- Include quotes: Often features statements from key figures involved in the event.
- Offer contact information: Provides details for media inquiries or further questions.
- Encourage attendance or coverage: Aims to attract media attention and potential attendees.
Now, let’s take a look at ten helpful tips for how to write a press release for an event.
How to Write an Amazing Event Press Release
1. Do Some Research
Your first step is to suss out the kind of press that you think will be interested in covering your event.
Writing a charity event press release? Research websites and local outlets that cover this sort of thing. How about a press release for a music event? Create a list of local arts reporters.
2. Tailor Your Message
Now that you’ve compiled a list of reporters and outlets that you want to target, you can begin to work on the actual event press release.
Since your aim is to attract the attention of a journalist or news outlet, you want your news release to play up to the particular angle that will interest them. So if you’re crafting a press release for a sports event, tailor your writing style and message to something a sports reporter would find engaging.
3. Make It Interesting!
This tip might seem obvious, but it bears repeating.
Look, if you can’t communicate the interest and excitement of your event to a prospective reporter, then it’s unlikely that reporter will want to cover it.
So do some homework, and familiarize yourself with examples of engaging reporting, and well-written press releases, to find out what works. Don’t be afraid to get creative with your event press release—remember, the object is to pique the reader’s curiosity.
4. Look for a Great Hook
Play up to your event’s strengths when writing the press release.
For instance, maybe your event will host a well-known local or national celebrity. Or maybe it features some topic or person of interest to the particular audience your news release is targeting.
By all means, draw attention to this when creating the hook for your press release.
5. Use Eye-Catching Headlines and Subheads
Once you’ve got your hook, go ahead and work that into a great headline that grabs the reader’s attention.
Remember, you have one chance to attract a reporter’s or news chief’s interest. So make sure your headline features the main attraction of your event. And don’t forget to use a catchy subhead underneath the headline; this can help further pique a reporter’s curiosity.
6. Craft an Engaging Story
This is where you draw in the reader, and seal the deal with an effective press release.
This is the body of the event press release, and this is where you have the opportunity to sell your event. Focus on the main draw: if it’s a celebrity of some kind, include quotes and a short bio; if it’s a sports event, describe the kind of excitement that attendees can expect.
7. Who, What, When, Where and Why
Sometimes it’s easy to get wrapped up in the cleverness of your press release.
But don’t forget your main object: to get attention for your event. Even the best press release will bomb if you don’t include the main details. Ensure that it answers the questions who, what, when, where and why.
That way, no one will be in any doubt as to what your event is all about, and when and where it will take place.
8. Wrap It Up
Finally, close your press release with a concluding paragraph that wraps everything up.
This is your chance to insert some information about your client. You can include their contact information, as well as something about what they do.
9. Social Media Campaign
Now that you’ve drafted the perfect event press release, it’s time to get the word out.
Choose the social networks that you think will most appeal to your target audience, and post images, advertisements, and even links to the press release (if it’s up on a website) to generate buzz.
10. Connect With Journalists
If you’re ambitious, you can try to connect with journalists, either through social media networks or through email.
Whether you message a journalist with a link to your press release, or email it to them, it’s at least another opportunity to pitch your event.
Of course, they might not respond—and that’s okay. The point is to get the word out by any means necessary, and if even just one responds, that could make all the difference for your event.
What Else Can You Do to Get Media Coverage for Your Event?
But you don’t have to stop at just writing an amazing event press release. There’s much more you can do to get media attention for your event. Yes, some of these take more work, so you won’t want to do them every time, but for the right event, here are some key approaches:- Organize a smaller, exclusive event for media representatives
- Offer behind-the-scenes access or a sneak peek of what’s to come
- Example: For a food festival, invite local food critics and lifestyle journalists to a tasting event featuring select chefs from the main festival.
- Develop eye-catching infographics or short video teasers
- Provide high-quality, professional photos of key participants or previous events
- Example: For a tech conference, create an infographic showing the evolution of key technologies that will be discussed at the event.
- Collaborate with relevant influencers or local personalities
- Have them promote your event on their platforms
- Example: For a fitness expo, partner with popular local fitness instructors to share workout videos promoting the event on their Instagram stories.
- Plan an attention-grabbing activity related to your event
- Ensure it aligns with your event’s theme and values
- Example: For an environmental awareness conference, arrange a flash mob in a busy city center where participants create a human chain forming the shape of a endangered animal.
- Highlight inspiring stories of participants, organizers, or beneficiaries
- Connect these stories to broader social issues or trends
- Example: For a charity run, highlight the story of a participant who overcame a significant personal challenge and is now running to support the cause.
- Provide different exclusive angles to various media outlets
- This could include first interviews or unique access to certain aspects of the event
- Example: For a film festival, offer one media outlet an exclusive interview with the headline celebrity, while giving another the first look at the festival’s lineup.
- Develop content that builds anticipation for your event
- Feature guests or discuss topics related to your event theme
- Example: For a launch of a new version of a video game based on historic events, the video game company hired a top historical podcaster to create a podcast reporting on the actual events that game was based upon.
- Submit your event to local news stations, newspapers, and websites
- These often have dedicated sections for upcoming events
- Example: For a community art fair, submit detailed event information to the events sections of local newspapers, radio stations, and community websites.
- Collaborate to expand your reach and newsworthiness
- Joint promotions can attract media attention to both parties
- Example: For a health and wellness expo, partner with local gyms to offer free trial memberships to event attendees, creating a joint promotion opportunity.
- Create buzz with a competition related to your event
- Ensure the prize is newsworthy and aligns with your event’s theme
- Example: For a music festival, run a social media contest where fans create and share original artwork inspired by the headlining acts, with winners receiving VIP passes.
- Connect your event to current news, trends, or seasonal themes
- This can make your event more relevant to media outlets
- Example: For a cybersecurity conference scheduled near Election Day, focus media pitches on the importance of election security in the digital age.
- Position event organizers or speakers as experts in their field
- Provide insights on relevant topics to establish credibility
- Example: For an economic forum, have your keynote speaker provide analysis on a recent major economic event to establish credibility and relevance.
Host a media preview or pre-event
Create a visual story
Leverage influencer partnerships
Organize a newsworthy stunt
Pitch unique human interest stories
Offer media exclusives
Create a podcast or video series
Utilize local community calendars
Partner with local businesses or organizations
Host a contest or giveaway
Leverage timing and current events
Offer expert commentary
Make Your Event Press Release Shine
The first step to attracting media coverage for your event is to have the right kind of event press release. These tips can help you craft a news release that will make your event the talk of the town.
Look, crafting the perfect press release can be tough. Here at eReleases, we can do all the hard work for you. So contact us today to start your press release order.