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Press releases are a great way to share information with the public. They’re so important that many companies have hired PR firms just for this purpose. A well-written press release can make or break your company’s reputation, and lead to you getting more exposure in the media than ever before!
A press release is a document that is written to promote an organization, product, service, or event. It can be sent out to the media and published on websites.
To produce a press release, start by deciding on the objectives and KPIs for the release. Next, choose a narrative angle that will grab the attention of journalists. Then, under the document format settings, start adding beginning components like your logo, location, date stamp, and release date. Before delivering your press release to journalists and media sources, compose the content of the release as well as a boilerplate.
We’ll guide you through each of these phases while offering advice on how to make your tale stand out:
1. Determine which angle is the most newsworthy.
Ask yourself how your press release will help the readers you’re targeting to come up with a noteworthy viewpoint. Your press release should not only be a statement you are proud of, but it should also appeal to the journalists’ audiences (where you want to publish it). It must be relevant or time-sensitive, fashionable, cutting-edge, or inventive, seasonal, impactful to targeted readers, and award-winning or celebrity or influencer-endorsed.
Keep in mind that what excites you as a company owner may not be fascinating — or noteworthy — to the wider public. If you’re having trouble deciding on the ideal viewpoint, consider why your news is important to others (e.g., what do they benefit from it). Talk to individuals outside of your company about your press release and seek their opinion.
2. Add Your Contact Info, Logo & Release Date
The format of a press release is similar to that of a cover letter. Following this framework entails incorporating all important information that journalists expect to see—information that they need. For example, you’ll need to add your contact information and logo, as well as a date stamp and the release date you want (for time-sensitive press releases).
Here’s what you’ll want to put in your press release:
- Your contact information: Include the complete name and title of the person inside your firm that journalists should contact if they have questions (first line), as well as their email address (second line) and phone number (third line).
- Your logo: Place your logo above your release date and contact information in the top center of your paper. If your news release is solely for digital viewers, fill this area with a 200×200 pixel logo. Alternatively, if it’s for print, add a picture of your logo as an attachment.
- Date stamp: Just like a letter, provide the date on which you’re composing your press release.
- Release date: On the left-hand side of your press release, in addition to your date stamp, you should specify the date you want your press release to be released. “For immediate release” or “Embargoed for release till [date]” should be written in all capital letters. If you use embargoed releases, you’re telling journalists that you don’t want your news announcement to be released until a certain date.
3. Create a headline that grabs the reader’s attention.
The first thing a journalist will notice is your headline. So, if you want people to read your press release, you’ll need a stunning title or header. Use the title to explain why the news is timely, significant, innovative (e.g., a breakthrough in the industry), and helpful to the general public. Use language that evokes an emotion or piques your interest. Also, try to restrict your header to 70 characters or fewer as a general guideline.
You may add a subheader to your press release in addition to the header. A subheader is an optional part of a news release that appears below the header. If you choose to add one, make sure it expands on the title rather than repeating it. Provide extra information regarding the subject of your press release, but don’t go overboard. Instead, create a sense of mystery that makes readers desire to know more.
Do you need assistance creating a catchy headline? Use a free headline analyzer tool like Sharethrough to measure the quality of your title and get insight into how to produce a fantastic headline.
4. Construct a Persuasive Message
Start crafting your press release after that. You have 500 words to back up your headline and persuade a writer to write about your tale. To do this, rather of building up to it, start with your narrative and what makes it fascinating. Remember that journalists are busy, and if you can’t pique their attention enough to keep them reading, they won’t.
Develop the newsworthy elements from your opening paragraph as you write, and remain objective as if you were writing a news piece. Include quotations from one or two major stakeholders to create a well-rounded article with a variety of viewpoints. To support your ideas and make your press release more intriguing or informative, use hyperlinks, photographs, and statistics.
Are you having trouble writing a compelling press release? Writing isn’t for everyone, and if you don’t produce a good press release, you’re not going to receive much attention. For many, leaving the writing to the pros at Newswire, which provides one of the most economical writing services by press release specialists, backed by a $250 money-back guarantee, is a sensible choice.
5. Come up with a Boilerplate
The next stage is to compose your boilerplate when you’ve finished writing the body of your press release. This is the “about us” part of your website. It should contain a description of what your company does, a synopsis of your mission statement, and any details that distinguish you from the competition, such as accolades and experience in the field.
If your body content mentions more than one firm (for example, a merger announcement), create two boilerplates, one for each company.
6. Get Your Press Release Out There
Finally, you must send your press release to journalists and media in order for it to be picked up and published. You may manually distribute your press release to journalists through email if you have a contact list.
The usual small firm, on the other hand, does not have a press list and must rely on a press release distribution provider. This not only saves you time compared to manual outreach efforts, but it also ensures that your press release is successfully covered by the media.
Here are the best small company news release distribution services:
- eReleases: For industry-specific targeting, this is the best option.
- Newswire: The most cost-effective strategy to reach a certain audience based on their location.
- PR Distribution: The best way to get the assurance of assured placements.
What is a Press Release and How Does It Work?
For their different publications, journalists rely on captivating tales, and one method they get news is via press releases. These press releases may be found in their inboxes (if they use press release distribution services) or on prominent newswire websites. Journalists may publish the press release as is once they locate a topic that interests them, or they may create their own narrative based on the press release.
Of course, that’s easier said than done, but if a writer takes up your tale and publishes it, your company may get a lot of (useful) attention. This is why putting out the effort to create an engaging paper and tracking its effectiveness is typically well worth it.
Most Commonly Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the definition of a press release?
A press release is a professionally written or produced corporate news item intended to pique the attention of journalists. The idea is to pique this interest so that the narrative may reach a relevant target audience in a certain industry or place. It might be a merger or acquisition news, the release of a book or product, an event, the opening or hiring of a new firm, or a corporate crisis. Learn more about what a press release is and how to write one.
I’m not sure when I should submit my press release.
Sending press releases throughout the week is the best option. According to statistics, Thursdays seem to be the best day to issue press releases, with an average open rate of 26%. Furthermore, the best open rates are between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Eastern Period, therefore send your press releases around this time of the week. Granted, you should think about when your news should be released and schedule it around your desired publication date.
Is it true that a press release may assist with SEO?
Search engine optimization will not be aided by a press release alone (SEO). Getting press publicity, on the other hand, is a possibility. Keep in mind that nofollow links are often used in press coverage, which can hurt your SEO and link-building efforts. In a roundabout manner, press attention aids SEO. If your press release is really noteworthy, it may lead to the creation of content with dofollow links that will help your website rank higher in Google, such as interviews and blog articles published by influencers.
What should the length of my press release be?
As a general guideline, a press release should be roughly 500 words long or fewer, and preferably no more than one page long. Remember that journalists have a certain amount of time to examine stories and a finite amount of space to publish them. Instead of sifting out information for a publishable narrative, if you overwhelm them with too many details, they’ll likely go on to a press release, which is closer to a publishable draft of a story.
Conclusion
The prospect of preparing a press release might be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Keep in mind that you’ll need a newsworthy topic first, and then you’ll need to be able to rapidly express that narrative in under 500 words to attract journalists’ attention.
Once you’ve prepared your press release, use a press release distribution service to guarantee that your efforts are rewarded. A press release distribution service will send your press release to thousands of journalists and publications.
