There is no doubt today that we are part of a global economy. With a click, we can purchase goods made next door or halfway around the world. For many companies, this provides exciting opportunities to enter new markets faster than ever before.
But increasing brand visibility in unfamiliar markets is not always easy. Each market has different expectations for and by media, including varying requirements for news releases, local market language considerations, and more. For a company without existing relationships or translation capabilities, success with the international press might be limited.
We can help.
At Business Wire, we work with private and public companies to maximize their brand value, mindshare, and coverage opportunities across borders. We work with global news services and local media providers to ensure they are receiving the right news in their preferred dialects, allowing them to move your brand forward.
We make international distribution easy, managing everything from press release translations to media distribution to measurement. We’ve compiled eight public relations and press release tips designed to effectively extend your brand’s market value.
1. Know your international audience(s).
Who are you trying to reach? Will you need the power of an international media outlet like the Associated Press, or industry trades? What about local market media? The answers to these questions will help you identify the right options for your market outreach. Once you know your markets and targets, this is a great time to pick the right delivery solution.
You can also look to organizations like the Foreign Press Association (FPA) and the International Press Association (API) which are designed to facilitate connections and relationships with international reporters and news organizations.
2. Email vs. Newswires: Pick your partner.
Unless you or your brand is already well known, email delivery-based media relations is not your best option. Not only is your email one of dozens – or even hundreds – international journalists receive, you’re making an assumption they will automatically trust that your content is real and relevant. Without a local market presence and media relationships, a simpler, and more effective approach exists: partnering with an established global newswire to get your news out.
A newswire partner is a smart choice when you are distributing news in unfamiliar markets. Not only does it already have relationships with global and local media, it understands the cultural nuances needed for your news to resonate.
3. Distribute your release, widely and locally.
Once your targets, markets, and distribution partner align, consider the best way to reach them. That is, find the distribution that makes the most sense. For most companies, this includes a mix of global news services like AFP and AP, local media outlets, industry trades, and online services to reach audiences via multiple avenues and formats. Work with our team to build a distribution plan best suited for your communications needs. Our multi-channel approach to distribution ensures your news can be distributed locally or as widely as needed and when needed.
This is the reason why companies choose Business Wire to grow their brand in markets around the globe. We have deep, trusted relationships with media partners around the world and are well-versed in the needs of each local market. This helps increase your coverage opportunities, emphasizing your commitment to each local market.
4. Speak the language. Translations maximize local market resonance.
The fastest way to increase the adoption of your news in markets outside the United States is to provide your release to that market in their local language. This is another great reason to use a newswire! If you have translated copies of your news release, a newswire can send out your English and translated versions simultaneously, or even at the times you designate. The fact that you are taking the time to reach local markets, in their contextual language, underscores your commitment to making a connection and can increase your chance of both coverage and reader adoption.
If you do not have access to local market translations, don’t worry. As part of our own commitment to best servicing our media partners, Business Wire’s international circuits include local language translations. This allows reporters to act faster on the news we sent them because it is in their local market language of choice. The second added benefit of using Business Wire is that you can reuse these translations for your internal PR and marketing efforts.
5. Always be branding for international media.
Imagine every time your news release is seen by someone in your target market, your logo is seen as well. Smart public relations teams use news releases to not only share news but to increase their brand visibility. To maximize your brand and your news, we recommend adding your company logo and URL to your news releases whenever you distribute over a newswire. This is a free service with Business Wire designed specifically to increase the reach of your brand – and bring audiences back to your website.
6. Images are required. Tell your story visually.
Thanks to the merging of media and technology, the business world has adopted the ancient global language of visuals. While we all know that multimedia enhances story experiences and delivers greater impact and understanding, especially useful in brand building, the biggest benefits of adding imagery to outside market news are:
- Visuals do not require translations - they tell your story, at a glance, to your entire audience
- Multimedia news releases attract 3x more attention than text-only news
- 100-word captions are great ways to position your own news
- Business Wire distribution includes placement into AP’s global video and photo portals
7. Launch in local time.
News releases are distributed to news media, online services, and consumer audiences with a push of a button. Use this to your advantage and request that your news be distributed in local markets at local times. This ensures the highest possible impact of your news by reaching reporters during their workday, not the middle of the night.
8. Track your work and build on your results.
We know that everything today is all about return on investment. Take full advantage of the global market measurement reports provided with each release to track your successes and to identify points of change for your next release. Test your work to maximize your results – try varying distribution days, and times, as well as headlines and image choices to find the right fit for your news.
International PR is not easy. It can be a time-consuming process with many pieces, especially when translations are involved. Allow Business Wire to streamline this process – taking on the responsibility for translations, distributions, and measurement – so you can focus on the results.
Learn more about Business Wire’s international news distribution or contact us today to talk to our distribution experts.
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