Writing a press release is relatively a straightforward process than most people imagine it to be; in fact, for the following reasons you should stop any protracted effort in writing the press release and go write it instead.
A press release is a message to the news media on something that is considered newsworthy and is written with the intention to be received by the media. Press releases can be considered a critical element of public relations and enable an organization to reach out to journalists and obtain media coverage. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to write an effective press release:Here is a step-by-step guide on how to write an effective press release:
Craft an Attention-Grabbing Headline
The headline is one of the most important components of the press release as it contains the main message of the report. In this case it has to provide a brief summary that will summarize the particular news item, but in a more engaging way. Another element of the headline is that it must be short, easily understandable, and specific. It should be born in black font and, specifically, in the lower case, notwithstanding the fact that some letters should be large. The shorter the headline, the better, though the optimal is 9 words at most. Moreover, incorporating certain keywords that are relevant to your industry in the headline of the article also enhances its SEO capability.
The initial part of creating any article or piece of text is the development of an interesting opening paragraph.
The first three or four lines known as the cutting line typically contain 100 to 150 words and must make journalists consider the news important enough to merit coverage. Write the 5 Ws – who, what, where, when and why in an interesting manner and make, for instance, an intriguing revelation of the latest discovery or statistics. Ensure that the first paragraph hooks the reader and paints a picture without being misleading.
Routinely, give detailed descriptions of news mentioned in the body text.
Support the news headline and the info provided in the first paragraph by supplying more details, facts, quotes and statistics. Switch between various aspects of the story and its relevance. It should not be littered with long and complicated sentences and the text should be broken down into short paragraphs. Remember that the aim is to make it easy to understand and do not use complicated terms. The body text word count varies between 300 and 500 words of the text.
Use Quotations to Appeal to Higher Authority
Quotations from company spokespersons or from the industry provides credibility of the information disseminated in the press release. These quotes make it easier for the journalists to just pick part of the press release and include it in their articles. Make sure that you do not use quotes that bring in information that is not contained in the news, but rather reiterate the main news highlights.
End with a ‘Boilerplate’
The boilerplate is commonly a brief paragraph often included at the end and containing the general background information about the company. They make it possible to set the track as well as provide the background information to a new reader. Some elements are fixed and do not change for any of the press releases, and the company boilerplate is one of those. It includes the company history and profile, summary and location with addresses and phone numbers.
Insert Contact Information
Provide the PR manager’s name, the phone number, email address and website of the company so that the journalists can easily get in touch for any additional information, quotes and interview.
Format Press Release Properly
No specific requirements are here but remember to use simple formatting and double space between the lines. Make sure to put the page numbers and leave lots of space in the margins. To make the article more scannable, include subheadings and bullet points where possible. It is still important to write the release in AP style in the third person simple past or the present tense. Ensure sentences are grammatically correct and there are no instances of ambiguous terms being used.
Selecting the Best Time to Distribute the Products
Put out press releases between 9 AM and 5 PM within weekdays to ensure that they are noticed by the target audience. It is advisable not to select major holidays or days that are marked by an important company occasion. If it is possible, do it during an event that you have planned to have an awareness about or during a trending topic.
Marketing: Ensure That They Reach The Targeted Consumers Through The Right Channels
Send it directly through E-mail to specific media outlets, journalists, and other key opinion leaders. Additionally, utilize paid press release distribution services for the articles to have a broader dissemination. Publish the release on all available social sites and place a link to it on your website for search engine indexing.
Reading this article, you learnt some of the key steps that can help in writing a professional press release that can easily catch the media attention. Focusing on the content, format and distribution ensure that your company stand the best chance in getting out its key message and achievement to the audience.
