Trying to win press coverage for your crypto, ICO, token event or blockchain product? Well one of the easiest “do-it-yourself” PR hacks is to write a crypto press release, then pitch it to journalists and influencers.
But unfortunately crypto and blockchain experts aren’t always PR experts. And I’m often amazed at how underused the humble press release is when a startup is trying to win media coverage. That’s why I’ve written this blog post to talk you through how to write a crypto press release.
Approach it the right way – the press release golden rules
You’re obviously eager to get your ICO or crypto talked about in the media, that’s why you’re reading this. But make sure you stick to a few golden rules when it comes to writing a press release. This way you can stay on the good side of journalists and influencers and increase your chances of generating that media attention you crave.
1. It’s not a sales brochure.
This is the most important thing to bear in mind. A press release is a medium for publicizing an announcement. It should therefore be a factual piece of writing. If it’s a blatant piece of promotional material, journalists and influencers won’t be interested in it. After all, it’s a journalist’s job to tell stories, not promote products
2. Find your angle
Here’s one of the first things we often have to educate our clients on: simply announcing the launch of a new cryptocurrency or blockchain company is no longer considered newsworthy. Therefore you have to develop your hook or your angle. Put simply, you need to explain why this matters to the people reading it.
You no doubt already know what makes your product unique. It could be that your blockchain product or crypto solves a common problem, addresses a clear need, or opens up a gap in the market. Whatever your angle is, make sure you build the narrative of your press release around this.
3. Support arguments with data
Objectivity is key here. The angle that you work into your press release should be backed up with credible third party data. If you’re claiming there’s a huge market potential for your crypto, provide links to reliable sources that support this claim, such as industry or governmental reports.
4. Include social proof
Just as important as articulating your angle is including your social proof. This is the proof that you and your company are credible and are to be taken seriously. This usually gets easier the longer you’ve been established, as the more you will have achieved. But if you’re a new startup, this could be things such as whether you’ve been through an incubator or accelerator program, or if the founders have graduated from a prestigious university.
5. Keep it short
A press release should be a concise summary of an important announcement. Try and keep it to around one page of text (with a normal font size). The longer it is – the less likely people are to read it!
How to lay out a crypto press release
The precise layout and content of a press release will always be determined by what it is you’re announcing. The content of a press release for an ICO will differ a lot to a blockchain partnership or funding press release.
However, professionally written press releases will generally follow the below structure:
Crypto Press Release Example
Below is an example of a real life crypto press release we wrote on behalf of one of our clients. The press release is making a number of related announcements, which are a new partnership and venture, a white paper release and an upcoming token generation event.
The format of this example could also be used for an ICO press release, as the information being provided and arguments being made are similar to a TGE.
Want to view more crypto and blockchain press release examples? Download our free Crypto & Blockchain PR toolkit, which contains 7 real world examples and the contact details of the top 100 crypto influencers.
This is why we wrote it like we did
1) Use the headline to focus on the who and the what. In this example the who is “Blockchain-based distribution platform ALAX…” and the what is “…to allow app and game developers to reach tens of millions of ‘unbanked’ consumers”.
When it comes to the subheading, include an enticing piece of information, to encourage the reader to keep reading. In this example, we’ve called out the fact the company is looking to break into the lucrative South-East Asian and South Asian mobile markets.
2) This section always has to answer Who, What, When, Where, Why.
It kicks off with the location and date of the announcement; the where and the when.
It then answers the who: “ALAX, a new venture between…” the what: “has today released a white paper outlining further details of its token structure and confirming that it’s TGE will commence on…” and the why: “…in the fast-growing South-East Asian and South Asian mobile market, where it seeks to break into the market.”
3) Here comes the detail.
After the Who, What, When, Where and Why is answered in the first paragraph, you need to now start expanding on the details of the announcement. In this example, this paragraph provides details on how the product works.
4) Here’s the social proof, which provides readers with a reason why this announcement should be taken seriously. This takes the form of a brief summary of the achievements of each company.
5) Now comes the hook. In these three paragraphs the value proposition of the product is explained and details of the market size potential are provided.
6) Once the product has been explained along with the value proposition, the press release then provides details of the actual TGE, along with a link to a one-page summary document.
7) The boilerplate “about us” copy always closes a press release.
Where to send it?
A press release can be sent directly to journalists and influencers, who may then publish it or write it up into an article. Or it can be submitted to press release distribution services and platforms.
For a list of the top 100 blockchain and crypto influencers in 2019 (including contact details) download our Crypto & Blockchain PR Toolkit.
Conclusion
When approached the correct way, writing a crypto press should be quick and painless. So just follow these guidelines and you’ll be writing professional quality press releases in no time at all. Remember, a press release isn’t a sales brochure, so keep it objective and factual. And make sure you work in a strong angle and that you present your social proof to the reader. This is how you write a crypto press release and start generating PR for your blockchain product!
