Press releases, also known as news releases, are statements made by a business or a public relations company. They inform the readers about a new product or service, a forthcoming event, or a business acquisition.
Writing a press release is important since it enhances the company’s relationships with its customers. This announcement boosts publicity and media coverage, too.
That said, a news release is unlike writing any other newsworthy story. To be effective, you need to follow these tips on how to write a press release.
Is it your first time creating a written press release? Know that you can finish one successfully simply by following these key steps:
Reporters love getting first dibs on things. That said, you can capture their attention by penning a compelling topic, such as an announcement, a juicy news story, or trend changes.
You need to think like the rest of the media industry. You should ask yourself:
In essence, your press release should be something of value. It needs to be exciting yet relevant and credible to the brand.
If you want your immediate release to be read, it should have an impactful headline. As you’ll see in most press release examples, the right headline usually has:
When it comes to a product launch press release, the first paragraph should outline your topic and support your position.
So if you want to catch the eye of every journalist out there, you need to include some hard data. Stats, after all, make your article credible.
You mustn’t fabricate these numbers. You can’t just survey 20 of your friends and take it from there. Remember, press releases require at least 2,000 sources relevant to the company.
Now that the digits have captured some media attention, you can work on the rest of your press release example.
If you want your press release to have constant media coverage, you need to prove that you’re a credible source.
Journalists consider people with the following accomplishments as reliable news sources:
If you don’t have any of these accomplishments under your belt, you need not worry. If you have several years of industry experience, this will work as well.
To sum it up, always remember to include your impressive credentials in every press release.
The reporters, like your audience, have a short attention span. Because of this, you need to encapsulate the essence of your article in three to four sentences.
Simply put, this summary should answer these questions:
The ideal length for this story is 300 to 400 words. Despite this limitation, it’s enough for you to include all the necessary details in your body copy.
To accomplish this, you need to stay away from jargon or flowery words. Instead, use concise words and stick to the facts. As you’ll see in a free press release template, the copy can be easily understood by a 14-year-old.
Additionally, you should stay true to the outlet’s prescribed tone for press releases. You won’t get your conversational story published if the website uses a formal style.
As mentioned, people have a limited attention span. That said, you should write something that the journalists and readers can quickly skim.
That means using headers or subheaders, as well as bullet points or number points. It will also help to bold or italicize the significant points in your second or third paragraph.
The ultimate goal here is for the business to score interviews with journalists. They couldn’t do this if you don’t leave your contact information or social media details.
As such, you need to put your name, phone number, and email address at the end of your story.
This is a short company description or your writer’s bio. You should keep this below 150 words.
A press release is a great way to promote your company’s services. Since this can lead to more sales, it’s always important to follow the press release format stated above.
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Mashum Mollah is an entrepreneur, founder and CEO at Viacon, a digital marketing agency that drive visibility, engagement, and proven results. He blogs at BloggerOutreach.io.
