There are thousands of pieces of content hitting the internet every day. If you’re not keeping your audience updated on your business, you’re losing out.

How to get the word out? First, before considering the how, take a look at the what: Whether it’s going out in a press release or in a customer email, you want to make sure that what you’re actually sharing is news. “Super Duper Ice Cream Offers 18 Exciting Flavors!” is not news. But “Super Duper Opens Second Location Downtown” is.

Not sure how to judge what’s newsworthy? Here are some tips to get you started.

Is your business is moving or expanding? Spread the word!

Are you changing locations? Expanding your current offices?

A relocation definitely calls for a press release to your local news media, and, depending on your business, a submission to industry and trade publications as well.

Next, use a more informal version of your news release to send out an announcement to your customers and the general public through all your normal communication channels—email, website, billing inserts, maybe even direct mail.

In your more personal communications with customers, such as emails and blog posts, don’t be afraid to bring them into the process. Take pictures and interview staff to let people see the ‘behind the scenes’ part of the move.

And don’t neglect the obvious: the company website and local SEO. Be sure your website is updated thoroughly with the new address, wherever it appears, looking especially at the header and footer and location-specific SEO tags, as well as the Contact page. And update your online listings, so that people searching for you—or for your type of business—will find your new address online.

You’ve hired great talent or promoted someone special. Show them off!

It takes time to find and hire new talent, those just-right people who will add value to your business. Why not take the time to share why you brought them on board?

For your ‘inside’ communications—the company newsletter or email updates—don’t be afraid to get personal. Use an informal photo, and tell about the new person’s background and interests as well as his or her role in the company. Be sure to update the website promptly, and maybe even add a news flash announcement on the About or even the Home page.

And don’t overlook the humble press release. Although many local news outlets no longer publish new-hire announcements (except in small-town papers or for big-time companies), changes in management or senior level positions are still often newsworthy in themselves.

Finally, ask yourself if a bigger story is lurking behind a new hire or promotion. Put yourself in a journalist’s shoes: Is the company expanding operations? Is it shifting how it does business? Is it headed toward a merger? Is this a newly created position? What’s behind that new talent might be the more intriguing story to a feature writer or news editor, so consider all angles—and make a pitch if there’s an interesting story there.

You’ve won an award. Flaunt it!

Winning awards and recognition for your industry builds trust. Anyone unfamiliar with your business can quickly see what you’re known for, and dedicated followers will have confirmation for their confidence in you.

Whether it’s for the company as a whole or a specific employee, awards ultimately reflect back on the business’s commitment to excellence and hard work. It also distinguishes you from your competitors by showing what you’re good at and value. So don’t miss an opportunity to showcase exceptional work.

First, write up a clear and concise press release, giving clear information about the awarding institution and the nature of the award, as well as a link to any online citations. Next, send it out to all relevant news outlets, and announce it to your customers and followers through email, website, and social media. Finally, update that website with the new award—and highlight the person or work being honored.

You’re offering a new service or product line. Make an announcement!

What’s the point of offering something new if you don’t tell anyone?

When you have a new product or service, first make sure all your current customers know about it and understand how it might benefit them. If it’s appropriate, consider noting which of your other offerings pair well with the new.

Then get the word out to everyone else, via website and social media. If it’s a major development for the company, a news release or story pitch would be in line, too.

Now for the how.

Now that you’re getting a list of newsworthy topics, it’s time to get the word out. Here’s a quick list of ways to share your good news.

Cover all bases:

• Your website & social media – This is a no brainer. Write up a news post for the company website, update pages of other content that may be affected, then spread the word on social media.
• Your current email list – If you send out regular email communications, be sure to include a section for Business News. Write a short little intro to your latest news announcement, and link to the full post you’ve written for your website.
• Specialized business & industry publications – Does your business belong to a professional or trade association? Does your industry have a website or publication that shares news from member businesses? Write up a succinct announcement and send it in.
• Local news outlets – If your news has significance locally, write a well-crafted and clearly focused news release and submit it to the appropriate editors at your local news outlets.
• Your local chamber of commerce – If you’re a member of your local Chamber, they probably have an active section on their website and email or print communications dedicated to news from members. Use it! You can usually send them the same press release you wrote for the news media.

Submit to the press:

A well-crafted press release sticks to the facts, so avoid hyperbole. Ditch the sales pitch, and stay away from words like “best” or “top” when referring to your business. That said, even a fact-based news release has a story behind it, so announce the news in a way that tells that story, indicating how this new development will allow you to expand your products or develop new services or serve your customers better.

Track your results:

Finally, be sure you have a news tracker in place for your business. Start by setting up Google News Alerts for any mention of your company’s name, principles’ names, and names of any trademarked or proprietary products or services. Go to Google.com/alerts to get started. News alerts make it easy to track any online mentions of your business—and easy to share the published stories with your customers and wider audience.