Another press release rejected because the distribution service doesn’t approve of your business? That doesn’t seem fair. But, it’s reality. Most press release distribution services categorically refuse to run press releases for nutritional supplements, loans, cosmetics, adult, tobacco, gambling and so forth. They have their reasons, but there are ways to get your company name and backlinks picked up even if you are writing about a topic that is verboten.
The following ideas do not enjoy a 100% success rate, but they are infinitely better than trying to get a basic “Weight Loss Supplement Offers Valentine’s Day Sale” kind of press release distributed. That one will be rejected 100% of the time. Being in a business that’s taboo for PR means working a little harder, a little smarter:
- Make News that People Actually Want to Read – The truth is that online publications frequently write about supplements, gambling, cosmetics and more. They just don’t want to look like shills for your businesses they consider off limits. There have been some scammy/spammy things done in the past with these categories that also make publications reluctant to pick up their releases. We’re all paying for someone else’s earlier sins.
However, there is an opportunity to get coverage for your press release if it covers a topic that’s relevant to the publication. This might take some extra work, but for example you could do an online survey about weight loss and do a press release about the results. That way, your news might be, “Survey Reveals that 7 out of 10 Women Want to Lose Weight for Valentine’s Day.” That is real news… and your backlink can be part of the announcement.
- Be the News (Yes, You) – Don’t sell yourself short. You’re a subject matter expert. (Even if you don’t think you are, I just made you one so let’s run with it, okay?) You can make news as an individual by issuing a press release that says something like, “Nutrition Expert Offers 10 Weight Loss Tips for Valentine’s Day.” Again, the supplement name may not even make it into the actual press, except perhaps in a job title quote such as, “…said John Doe, CEO Nutri-Supplement, Inc.”
- Be a Bounce Back Newsmaker – Reporters want to write about major news stories. To do this, they need opinions to draw upon. For instance, imagine that that the US Customs Services seizes 100 tons of banned supplements. This is real news. It’s a great moment to put out a press release with a “Bounce Back” announcement that leverages current events to land your company in the news. You can rush out a release that says, “Legitimate Supplement Makers Support Customs Policy.” You can get quoted as a “thought leader” from the industry in the article. If you read the news, you’ll see this kind of quote all over the place. What you may not realize is that there is often a PR firm pushing for their client to be interviewed for the story.
- Be a Background Source – Reporters need sources. If you offer to share your insights and expertise with reporters off the record, they will be grateful to you. You’ll give the great story ideas. They will owe you, and you’ll start to have a relationship with them. That will result in you getting coverage in the future.
- Work Your Own Lists – If people are buying product, that means they like to read about products like it. This means that there will be publications that cater to them. Find them. You can and should build your own private media hit list of friendly reporters. You can reach out to them directly. You won’t need a distribution service to reach them. Here’s a free tip: Look at who is writing articles about your competitors. They will write about you, too. Reporters love to do comparison stories.
Have faith! You can get media coverage and vital SEO juice for your business, even if it’s in a category that the press release distribution services don’t like. They’ll work with you if you position yourself correctly.
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