Writing a press release can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. If you follow the steps below, you will be able to write a successful press release that gets picked up by multiple publications and drives traffic back to your website.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Understand the purpose of a press release. |
| 2. Research your target audience and media outlets. |
| 3. Craft a compelling and concise headline. |
| 4. Focus on the most newsworthy information. |
| 5. Include quotes from relevant sources for credibility. |
| 6. Provide essential contact information for inquiries. |
| 7. Format the press release for readability and clarity. |
| 8. Proofread and edit to eliminate errors. |
| 9. Consider the timing and relevance of your release. |
| 10. Tailor the press release to your specific goals. |
Study Examples
Once you have a grasp of the basics, look at examples of press releases to see what works and what doesn’t. Most companies will be happy to send you an example or two if they have them on hand (and are willing to share). You can also find a variety of examples online just search for “[topic] press release.”
Of course, not every successful press release will work for your brand or industry; however, by looking at many different types of releases you’ll start to notice certain patterns that might apply to your company or product. You’ll learn what makes good content and what doesn’t appeal to the press.
Take note when reading through examples! You may find that some things work better than others do if so, make sure those elements are included in your own PR pieces!
When crafting a press release, it’s essential to keep in mind the strategies that can make it truly effective. Learn about 17 tips for putting together a press release to enhance your press release writing skills.
Decide How And Where To Issue Your Press Release
Once you’ve written your press release and proofread it, you’re ready to distribute it. Typically, there are two ways to get a press release circulated:
- Send it via email to journalists and editors at media outlets that cover the type of content in your press release
- Submit it through an online service like PR Newswire or BusinessWire
If you’re going with option one sending the release directly you’ll want to make sure that the recipient has an interest in covering stories related to what’s being announced.
You can do this by searching for reporters who have covered similar news items in the past and then finding their contact information on their respective sites or contacting them directly via phone (if possible).
For example, if you’re announcing a new product launch from your company, try searching for articles about similar product launches from other companies around when yours will be released (or near future).
This will give you an idea of which reporters may be interested in covering your story. If there aren’t any applicable articles on record yet, send out emails anyway; just keep in mind that they probably won’t write about something until after it’s happened!
Focus On The Headline
Your headline should be short, clear, and to the point. It should have just enough information to inform readers of what they’re about to read, but not so much that it’s boring.
Think about what makes a good headline for a story in your favorite magazine or newspaper than take a step back and look at how many other outlets are doing similar stories!
It should also be catchy: if you can make someone laugh while reading your release, they may share it with their friends. This is especially important if you want people who don’t know anything about your product or service to learn more about it through word of mouth.
You should always make sure that the content matches up with what was promised in your headline (and vice versa). You wouldn’t want someone saying “Didn’t see that coming!” after reading an article that doesn’t match its title!
Seeking to make your press releases stand out and gain widespread attention? Discover the techniques for creating press releases that have the potential to go viral with our guide on how to create press releases that go viral.
Craft A Strong Lead
A lead is a brief introduction of your press release that includes all the key information about the story you are writing about. A good lead will hook readers and introduce them to your story in an intriguing way. You can write it as a question or statement, but the best leads contain some sort of surprise or clever twist that makes readers want to learn more.
For example:
The headline “Dog Bites Man” doesn’t tell us much about what we’re going to read, so our curiosity isn’t piqued but if you change it up slightly and add something unexpected like “Man Bites Dog,” now we’re interested!
We want to find out why this happened (and maybe even see photos of dogs with their teeth around people). The same goes for the second sentence of your press release; give us something intriguing enough that we’ll keep reading!
Get The Format Right
There are several things to consider when creating a press release. First, make sure the format is compatible with the platform you’ll be using.
For example, if you’re sending a press release via email, it will need to be written as an HTML document and use the correct font size and spacing.
If you’re posting your press release on your website or blog, certain formatting rules must be followed for it to display properly—for instance, an image must be included in an embedded link where possible so that everyone sees what they should see when they click through.
In addition to these general tips about formatting and compatibility (which apply regardless of what platform you choose), here are some specific recommendations for writing your first press release:
- Use Courier New font at 12pt size for headers/headings;
- Use Arial Narrow font at 10pt size for body text;
- Keep line spacing consistent throughout the entire document; this means never going from single-spacing up to double-spacing (or vice versa) without changing fonts first!
Navigating the do’s and don’ts of press release writing can greatly impact your results. Delve into the insights shared in my favorite do’s and don’ts for writing press releases to refine your press release strategy.
Write An Informative Body
Your press release should be a summary of the news. The body includes the most important facts about your company, product, or service; and it should be written in a way that’s easy to read and easy to understand. It should be concise but informative, not too long or too short.
The goal of the body is to give journalists all the information they need to write stories about what they have done and why it matters in as few words as possible.
Choose Your Words Carefully
Your press release should be written clearly and concisely so that is easy to understand. This means you need to choose your words very carefully, as the wrong ones could cause confusion or even anger among readers. Here are some tips for making sure your content is as clear and concise as possible:
Be sure to use the correct tense. You want to write in the present tense (the same kind of tense you would use when writing about something that happened yesterday) so that it sounds like you’re talking directly to the reader.
This makes it easier for people who aren’t familiar with your topic or even just aren’t paying attention to understand what you’re talking about without having to reread sentences over again several times before they get it right.
Avoid jargon and acronyms whenever possible, especially if someone unfamiliar with these terms will be reading them (like journalists). Jargon can be particularly confusing because someone might think they know what an acronym means based on its name alone but don’t!
For example: “I went into labor today at 4 pm” vs.” I’m giving birth today at 4 pm local time.” Both mean the same thing but use different wordings which may lead one person into thinking one sentence means something completely different than another …
Provide A Quote For Context
Quotes are important for the same reason that quotes are important in any writing: they give context and personality. If you’re writing a press release about your company, you can quote employees or yourself.
For example, if you are launching a new product and want to include what it will do for people and businesses, consider including quotes from customers who have already purchased it.
Or if you’re announcing that one of your brands has been named “Brand of the Year” by XYZ Magazine, consider using the editorial team at XYZ Magazine as a source for information about why this brand was chosen over all others.
Press releases play a pivotal role in startup communication. For startups looking to effectively convey their message, explore these 9 tips for writing press releases for startups to ensure your release hits the mark.
Give More Information
You should provide a quote from an expert. For example, if you’re announcing that a new drug is FDA-approved, include a quote from the doctor who led the clinical studies.
You should provide a quote from a spokesperson. If you’re announcing a new product launch or partnership, include quotes from someone who represents your company as well as anyone else involved in the project (like engineers).
You should provide a quote from a customer or partner that uses your product or service, such as an airline talking about how much they rely on certain parts from one of their suppliers when making repairs on planes during flight time.
You should provide quotes from employees of your company who have direct experience using what’s being announced for example, if any new products are being introduced into stores across North America and Europe.
Within this time frame then employees who work in those locations would be best suited to speak with media outlets about them directly rather than just having someone else do so over email or phone calls alone!
Proofread Carefully
Don’t rely on spell check. Spell check doesn’t catch everything, especially when you’re using common words like “it’s” or “their.”
Don’t rely on grammar checks. A grammar check can be helpful in some instances, but it won’t tell you whether your sentence structure is clear and concise or if your paragraphs flow logically from one idea to the next.
Don’t rely on auto-correct. Auto-correct can be useful for fixing typos and such, but it can also change words or phrases that are perfectly fine as they are, and then there’s always the chance that what looks like an obvious error will be correct (e.g., “its” vs “it’s”).
Don’t rely on auto-expand abbreviations, especially with proper nouns (e.g., don’t try to expand “New York” into “New York City).
You may think a word looks wrong because it didn’t expand correctly when you typed it out; however, if someone else sees this text in their inbox, they won’t know what abbreviation has been expanded and which hasn’t been expanded yet they’ll just see some strange combination of letters mixed!
Include Contact Information
Once you’ve written your press release, it’s important to include contact information so that reporters and other members of the media can reach you. This includes:
- A phone number
- An email address
- Website address (or social media handles)
- Address (if appropriate)
You should also include a company logo or photo, company name, website address for the company site or blog, contact name, and email address or phone number for someone who can answer questions from reporters and journalists.
Writing A Press Release Is Not Easy
Writing a press release is not easy. If you want to get your message across, you need to be concise and accurate before anything else.
A good press release will also be interesting, relevant, and timely but that’s hard for anyone except the most experienced writers to master.
In addition, there’s nothing more frustrating than reading an otherwise excellent piece of writing that contains typographical errors or grammatical lapses (or both).
The final element of a well-written press release is its visual appeal; after all, if your press release looks like it was written in crayon on someone’s back porch by a 5-year-old with a head injury then no one will want to read it!
If you’re new to press release writing, you’re in the right place. Discover the essentials of creating impactful press releases with a beginner’s guide to press release writing to get started on the right foot.
Conclusion
Writing a press release is not easy. It’s a lot of work, and it may take you some time to get the hang of it. But with these tips in mind and some practice, you can make sure that your first press release is effective and well-received by readers.
Further Reading
Writing Press Releases: A Guide by Mailchimp Learn the essential elements of crafting effective press releases and how to distribute them strategically for maximum impact.
Press Release Template and Guide by HubSpot Access a comprehensive guide and template to assist you in creating compelling press releases that capture attention and convey your message effectively.
How to Write a Press Release: Tips from Zen Media Gain insights into the art of press release writing, covering everything from formatting to storytelling techniques that ensure your press release stands out.
And now, here’s the “FAQs” section based on the semantic of the titles:
FAQs
How do I write an attention-grabbing press release?
Crafting an attention-grabbing press release involves focusing on a strong headline, a clear and concise lead paragraph, and including relevant details that resonate with your target audience.
What should I include in the body of a press release?
In the body of a press release, include key information such as the who, what, when, where, why, and how. Incorporate quotes from relevant individuals to add authenticity and depth to your story.
How can I ensure my press release gets noticed by journalists?
To increase the chances of your press release catching the eye of journalists, ensure it is newsworthy, well-written, and tailored to the specific interests of the journalists and publications you’re targeting.
Are there any best practices for formatting a press release?
Yes, formatting is crucial for readability. Use a clear headline, subheadings, and a structured body with short paragraphs. Include your contact information and a boilerplate about your company at the end.
What are some effective strategies for distributing press releases?
Effective distribution involves sending your press release to relevant media contacts, using online press release distribution platforms, sharing it on your website and social media, and considering personalized outreach to key journalists.
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.