How can you write better press releases?

Although press releases are part of the marketing/PR activity, it is essential to keep the writing in a journalistic manor. A press release is more an article for media targets than an ad for consumers. Keep that in mind and your text will look more professional.

Bridge the gap between corporate speak and news. A lot has changed since press releases made their debut but one thing hasn’t: it’s a tool to help bridge the continuum between public interest and business priorities. It’s very easy to lose yourself within what your business wants to communicate, after all you are spending a significant amount of time working for them. Always retain perspective: if you were a journalist, what would you like to see? What would you appreciate if you were looking for your next by-line?

Sometimes, your audience for a news release is internal. Let me explain. Different stakeholder groups within a company can have a hard time getting on the same page with respect to what to say about a given thing. Comms and marketing are in tension more often than one might think. Add legal, HR, C Suite, and other cohorts to that conversation, and there are going to be disagreements about framing, etc. A press release may act as a forced messaging exercise. Once everybody understands that, yes, this is a release that is going on a newswire on X date, it forces consensus. I'm on the agency side, so it also reveals to me who has the decision-making power. That's useful. In this way, recommending a release is a way to get messaging done.

Avoid jargon and terminology not commonly used by your audience as it will not help gain traction. Be sure to use simple and familiar terminology, and avoid being overly technical. Understand the audience and who you are writing for before you craft your newsworthy release.

A catchy headline and covering your key messages / announcements in the first paragraph itself is important. Try and keep it crisp and to the point not exceeding two pages. Avoid inserting too many quotes in the news release.

The Headline is what defines the journey from "Attention" to "Interest" for the reader. You don't just write a headline, but rather craft it in order to pave that journey for the reader.

A good headline makes all the difference to a Press release .It should tell you what is in it for the reader and hook him or her to read further Two to three subheads as bullet points should capture the essence of the message in the press release This can be followed by a concise elaboration of key points and end with the details of how they can know more.

A great headline gives you the essence of the message in the PR. It should be short, concise, and straight to the point. Use simple words to give a preview of the news, which in and of itself can suffice to understand the content.

Crafting a compelling headline is like opening a door to your press release. ???? It's all about hooking your audience with a sneak peek of what's to come. Keep it clear, relevant, and engaging, and watch curiosity do the rest.

The headline of a press release should already give a hint on the content of the following text. It’s not like in social media with click-bating headlines like “You will never believe what happened next…”. A journalist, who is usually the target of your press release, wants to know what expects him in the text.

You have to get to the point and the purpose of your press release as quickly as possible. Imagine that the person reading it has only one minute to spare. What will your press release tell them in 60 seconds? What key points are needed in that time frame for them to make a decision? Most people will not read your press release in its entirety, especially if it’s more than one page long.

Often, that “one minute to read” idea is literally true. In fact, the window of opportunity could be as small as a few seconds. A busy journalist, editor or influencer might be scrolling through dozens of releases and reposts, looking for the next story or topic or product to cover. They won’t get past the headline if there’s nothing in it for them. Your headline and lead paragraph need to stand out by setting the hook — telling them why YOUR news is compelling enough to share it with their audience.

In a good press release it should always be possible to shorten from the end without losing the key message within. No matter how many sentences you delete from the end: at least in the very first sentence the key message should still be contained.

The inverted pyramid is a timeless strategy for impactful press releases. Starting strong with the essentials ensures your audience gets the core message upfront. ???? Remember, the five Ws pave the way for clarity: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. As the story unfolds, weave in the context and details to build a comprehensive narrative. And that final paragraph? It's the perfect place to nudge readers toward action and connect with you. ???? Crafted right, the inverted pyramid is a blueprint for press release success!

You don't -have- to use the inverted pyramid style. Releases that are written as marketing fodder posted to a newswire, or releases about material matters coming from public companies: Sure, play it safe and use inverted pyramid. But if the goal is to make a statement or a point with the release, then go wild with the format and structure. I read a one-word press release once that came from a political campaign. A political foe retired (I believe in disgrace; there was some scandal or something), and the entire body of the release was "good." That's more of a rapid response technique, not a formal release that goes on a newswire, but the point is that you don't have to follow the rules if the goal is to stand out.

They definitely do add weight to whatever you've written in the overall press release. Just understand how to place those quotes strategically instead of filling more than half of it with a lot of them, without any contextual connect of the story being told, so the flow is really important even in the choice of quotes & facts.

Present accurate information and avoid exaggeration or speculation. Journalists appreciate accurate and credible content. Ensure that all the information you present in the press release is based on verified facts and data. Avoid making assumptions, speculations, or exaggerations. If you're including statistics, quotes, or any other type of information from external sources, make sure those sources are reputable and trustworthy. If possible, provide references or citations for such information.

The best press release contains a lot of facts and figures and still presents them with a well told narrative. Even a techie journalist likes to be entertained.

A valuable tip I received from a previous manager during my early days was to adopt the "tone of your stakeholder", especially when preparing C-level quotes to be included in the release. While writing styles can be subjective, it's essential to ensure a solid foundation of accurate facts, data, and fundamental grammar rules.

Ensure that quotes are concise and easily scannable, avoiding overly lengthy excerpts that read like paragraphs. Achieving this involves providing editors with clear governance and guidance. Especially annoying on mobile. Quotes also serve to visually break up text, enhancing the article's overall appeal so spend some time on the design as well :) Additionally, certain websites offer one-click sharing options, making it effortless to share content on various social media platforms.

Keep it short, simpel… and stupid! Always write like you can assume absolutely no knowledge from your audience. Start from zero.

It depends on the subject matter. If the topic is highly technical, it is okay to write a longer press release with more elaborations and supporting materials. The key objective is to facilitate journalists and the readers to get accurate and comprehensive information. If they are confident of the accuracy of the content, they are more likely to share your message. They will know how to edit and pick the points they want to publish at their own platforms.

Brevity is the key. It is always a challenge especially when it comes to technical products . It is good technique to explain with analogy or example which helps people relate and understand better

I'm going to kind of troll this part of the article and point out that, for public companies, complex transactions, etc., you're going to need more than 400 words. The Safe Harbor statement of a release is usually more than 400 words, and it's a regulatory requirement for material statements coming from public companies. This may be one reason why the big newswires charge based on word count. ALSO: There are situations in crisis comms where you sort of have to issue a release, but the release is about bad news. You're going to issue that release on a Friday afternoon if you can, and you're going to make that release as long and as full of jargon as you can. You WANT that release to be boring, complex, and hard to understand.

I would add additional tips to a successful press release: ensure your content is exclusive, genuinely newsworthy and relevant to the target audience. Use storytelling that resonates emotionally whenever possible. Tailor it to a specific locality and consider incorporating social media links or handles to encourage engagement and sharing.

You also need to include the location from where the PR is being published. The location is usually the company’s headquarters or where the event took place. It is essential to use the proper format of city, then state or country. For example MIAMI, FL or PARIS, FRANCE.

Additionally, attribute the press release to the appropriate office/person; either the CEO, Head of Comms, Spokesperson etc. I've seen some press releases especially in the public sector published with a signature, do not do this. (the signature can be restricted internally for purposes of approvals only) Consider a boilerplate inclusive of contacts in case someone wants to make a follow up.

Sometimes the best press release is the one that is scrapped and turned into an exclusive, well-written pitch to the right journalist.

I want to be clear about something. Reporters only care about two things: conflict or exclusivity. The absolute worst thing you can do with a press release is just throw it on a newswire, or email it to a bunch of media folks all at once, because that destroys any potential to use exclusivity. If the goal is to maximize coverage, then every piece of news should be pitched as exclusive before the release receives broad dissemination via newswire or an embargo or whatever else. Yes, every one, if maximal coverage is the goal. Sometimes, coverage is NOT the goal of a release, and those situations call for different techniques when writing and using a news announcement. But if coverage is the goal, then pitch it as exclusive first.

?? An often underutilized but powerful #strategiccommunications technique in a press release is the inclusion of a valuable quote précising the key points expressed in the lead. The tone and tenor of soundbites are effective validators and touch points that go a long way to engender trust.

Don't be boring. Press releases often fall into the trap of being uninspiring, self-indulgent and more like advertising than an actual news story with a hook to spark curiosity. They scream, "Please, give the client a free commercial because we can't afford to pay for an editorial, and the CEO wants to see his name in print"... If it's not newsworthy, don't send it. It's that simple. And tone down the fluff overload - if your release contains more acronyms than a spy movie, it's like deciphering hieroglyphics with a blindfold...

A media release on a major research finding could be sent to national and international media. It needs to answer the questions, so what, what does it mean, why should we care? Numbers numb and exist in relation to each other, so including statistics can be hard-hitting. Hyperlink the names of the scientists and the organizations they represent. Pepper the release with direct quotes. In terms of scientific discoveries, use metaphors or simple comparisons to convey technical information. A fact sheet could be sent with the media release, while it helps to have a one-minute voice note of the lead scientist, explaining the discovery. It is also useful to WhatsApp media contacts to inquire if they would like interviews with the scientist.