I’ve always been fascinated by the power of press releases. When I was young, I would watch my dad send off the news to all the newspapers and magazines he could think of. It just seemed like an old-fashioned way of getting news out there but it worked because every time he wrote a new release, we’d see it on TV or in the newspaper.
In recent years though, things have changed quite drastically thanks to the internet – and now getting your press releases published has become much easier than ever before too!
| Takeaways |
|---|
| – Streamline your press release process for effortless publication. |
| – Learn strategies to enhance your press releases’ chances of being picked up. |
| – Discover techniques for effective press release distribution. |
| – Consider the benefits of using press release writing services. |
| – Optimize your press release content for better media coverage. |
Spend Time On Getting The Headline Right
The headline of your press release is the most important part of it. It’s the first thing anyone sees, and it determines whether or not they will read on. If you’ve never written an effective headline before, don’t worry we’ll teach you how in just a moment.
The headline should be short (2-8 words) and descriptive; people will see this when skimming through their inboxes and online news feeds, so this is where you need to make sure your message comes across clearly in as few characters as possible. You want to catch their attention so that they click through!
The headline should also be unique; there isn’t any point in writing a boring one if everyone else has already done that for you!
People are tired of reading about what happened at the office yesterday morning or what product was launched yesterday afternoon these aren’t things we care about unless we work there ourselves!
So make sure the headlines are interesting enough so we’ll want more information about them after seeing them once…and often twice (especially if they’re really good).
Writing an effective press release doesn’t have to be time-consuming or complicated. Learn how to save time and money with our guide on writing a press release efficiently, and ensure your news gets noticed.
Make Sure Your First Paragraph Is Succinct
When you write the first paragraph of your press release, make sure it’s short and to the point. Make sure it’s so short that it could be scanned by someone on their phone while they’re waiting in line at Starbucks.
This is because when writing a press release, most people won’t read every single word of your document (unless they have severe attention deficit disorder). They’ll just skim through as fast as possible, looking for keywords or phrases that interest them enough to stop and take notice of what you’ve written.
Use these tips below to ensure your first paragraph can be easily read:
Include Contact Information
Make sure you include contact information for a person at your company. This can be your name and email address, or someone else’s name and email address. When possible, it’s best to include both because people trust businesses more when they know that there are real people behind them.
One great way to get press releases published is by sending them directly to reporters you know or have met in person before. This can be the reporter who covered your product launch last year, or a reporter who interviewed one of your co-founders once at a conference (but only if she doesn’t work for one of the company’s competitors).
You should always include an email address and phone number as well as their LinkedIn profile so they can find out more about you if they want more information about what makes this particular release interesting.
Looking to make your press releases stand out and capture viral attention? Discover the secrets of crafting press releases that go viral and increase your chances of broader media coverage.
Use Bullet Points To List Features And Benefits
No matter what you’re writing, bullet points are a good way to make your content easier to read. They’re also easy for journalists (and their editors) to skim through and pick out the most important parts of your press release or article.
- Bullet points are super easy to scan.
- They can be used in any context where you want to highlight key information quickly.
- Bullet points enable readers to easily identify the most relevant information in your document.
Keep It Under 350 Words
There’s a reason why 350 words is a popular word count for blog posts and landing pages. It’s the ideal length for grabbing the attention of busy readers, without overwhelming them with too much information.
So what does this mean for you? If you’re writing your press releases, keep them under 350 words.
If you’re using an online service to write it for you, that service should try to stay under 350 words as well. This will help ensure that editors are more likely to read it and consider publishing it (and increase their chances of getting more high-quality content on their site).
It can be tempting to go over this limit particularly when there are high stakes involved but doing so will increase the likelihood of rejection.
Many editors receive hundreds or even thousands of submissions per month; they have limited time available each day and won’t spend much time reading long pieces unless they believe there’s something special about them that makes them worth devoting precious time to get through all those words to reach whatever conclusion was intended by their author(s).
Include an image
You also want to make sure that the image is relevant, high quality, and in the right file format.
The image should be a high-resolution JPEG or PNG file. You don’t need any fancy editing tools here just Google “how to crop an image” or “how to resize an image.”
Keep it simple! If you can’t tell what’s going on in your picture without reading the caption below it, then your viewers aren’t going to have much of an idea either. They also won’t be able to see any details that might help them identify with what you’re offering (like animals at an animal shelter).
Resist using stock photos! Stock photos instantly date your piece and will decrease how likely editors are willing to feature it since they’ve seen so many other pieces with similar ones already out there (and yours won’t stand out).
If you must use one though, make sure it’s not too generic so as not to attract attention away from your work, and try making sure the person(s) depicted aren’t recognizable by name only (if possible).
Press release writing services can offer valuable expertise and save you valuable time. Explore the benefits of using press release writing services to enhance the quality and impact of your news announcements.
Create A Landing Page For Specific Releases
If you have a landing page, you can use it to promote press releases. You can also use it to capture email addresses and drive traffic to your site.
Landing pages are great for specific purposes. For example, if you want to drive traffic to your site and capture emails, then create a landing page that promotes a product.
If you want people who click on the link in their email newsletter or social media feed to see something specific right away on the landing page (like an opt-in form), then create another type of landing page specifically for this purpose.
Use A Call To Action At The End
When it comes to writing a press release, you should always include a call to action at the end. This is something that will tell your readers what they can do next and help them take action that aligns with the topic of your press release.
A good CTA will be short and to the point, relevant to both your topic and audience and something that can be immediately done by the reader.
Here are some examples of good CTAs:
- “For more information about this topic, contact us at [phone number].”
- “Learn more about our services by visiting [website].”
- “Buy our latest book here.”
Don’t Send Your Release On Tuesdays
While you might be tempted to send your press release on a Tuesday, don’t do it. The same goes for Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. You can also forget about Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. Any day of the week is undesirable.
The reason for this? Journalists’ inboxes are crammed with releases from PR professionals who have no idea how to get their news published. So if yours arrives during the middle of the week when journalists are still sifting through their emails for breaking stories, there’s a good chance it will be overlooked or ignored altogether.
Getting media coverage through press releases requires strategic planning. Find out how to achieve press coverage with an effective press release by following best practices for creating compelling and newsworthy content.
Don’t Use Jargon, Clichés, Or Industry Buzzwords
Your press release should be as simple as possible. Don’t use industry jargon, clichés, or buzzwords that only people in your industry would understand. And never try to impress the reader with big words or obscure vocabulary it just makes you look silly.
Instead of using complicated words, search for synonyms and other variants using a thesaurus or other reference books (e.g., Oxford English Dictionary). Or get even more creative by combining two words into one new word that conveys exactly what you mean (e.g., “re-branding” instead of “brand management”).
Proofread, Read Again, And Then Read Out Loud Before Sending It Out To The World
Proofread, read again, and then read out loud before sending it out to the world.
Don’t skip this step! The best thing you can do for yourself is proofread. When you are proofreading, be sure to look at your writing from a third-person point of view and make sure that everything flows well.
If not, change it! It’s okay if your press releases aren’t perfect on the first try they will only get better with time as you practice them more often and become more comfortable with this new skill set.
If you need more help than just proofreading alone provides, ask someone else (a friend or family member) who has good English skills to check over your press release (and any other documents) before sending them off into the world.
Avoid Html Content
HTML content is hard to read. When you use a WYSIWYG editor, it’s easy to forget that not everyone can read what you’ve written. If you have anything more than a few sentences, consider typing them out instead of pasting them into HTML code.
HTML content is hard to edit. The same issue applies here: if someone else needs to edit your document, they’ll need access to the original text file and not just an online web page with some weird formatting on it (like this).
HTML content is hard to search for. Google does a good job at finding relevant results from documents that include HTML tags such as or, but when these tags aren’t present in everything or even most things it makes things much harder on Google and its users who are trying to find relevant information quickly without reading hundreds of pages of stuff they don’t care about!
HTML content isn’t always shareable since links are sometimes broken when pasted into social media sites like Facebook or Twitter because the links were created using the wrong protocol (e.g., http://www rather than HTTPS://).
Don’t Send As An Attachment Unless Specifically Requested To Do So By The Receiver
Don’t send as an attachment unless specifically requested to do so by the receiver. Some recipients will indeed ask for your release as an attachment, but it’s more likely that they’re just trying to avoid having to compose a reply email. It’s better to re-send your press release as a link or pasted text in the body of your message.
Attachments are also more likely to be ignored, deleted, or opened by someone other than who you wanted to read which can make all the difference between getting published and ending up in a dead inbox folder.
Unlock the key principles of successful press release writing with our comprehensive guide to press release writing. Learn how to structure your releases for maximum impact and improve your chances of getting your news published.
Use A Proper Title In The Subject Line
- Use the same title in the email subject line as you did in your press release.
- Make it as concise as possible try to fit it into 60 characters or less.
Use keywords that may be relevant to the publication, since they’re likely searching for content with those words in them (for example, if you’re submitting a story about a new hamburger recipe and it has “burger” in its headline and body text, put “burger” in quotations so that your email will come up when editors search for articles containing that keyword).
Conclusion
In the end, it’s all about the quality of your press release. If you don’t have something worth reading, then nobody will want to publish it. So make sure you make every word count and get your information right before sending anything out into the world!
Further Reading
How to Get Your Press Release Picked Up Discover strategies to increase the chances of your press release being picked up by the media and reaching a wider audience.
Press Release Distribution: The Ultimate Guide Explore a comprehensive guide to effectively distribute press releases and maximize their impact on your target audience.
Review of Press Release Distribution Services Read a detailed review of various press release distribution services to make informed decisions about your distribution strategy.
FAQs
How do I improve my press release’s chances of being picked up by the media?
Press release success relies on factors like newsworthiness, clarity, and targeting. Ensure your content is relevant and well-structured.
What are some effective strategies for distributing press releases?
Effective press release distribution involves using reputable distribution services, targeting specific media outlets, and optimizing for online visibility.
What should I consider when choosing a press release distribution service?
When selecting a distribution service, factors like target audience, reach, pricing, and the platform’s reputation should be carefully evaluated.
How do press release distribution services differ from one another?
Press release distribution services vary in terms of their network, features, and pricing. Reviewing and comparing services is crucial to find the best fit for your needs.
Is it worth investing in paid press release distribution services?
Paid distribution services can offer broader reach and better targeting, but their value depends on your goals and budget. Evaluate their benefits against your objectives.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.