Press releases and public relations go together like peanut butter and jelly (if you’re into that sort of thing!). They are essential to any PR strategy and can be used to inform people about new products or services, events, and other newsworthy information. They are also there to build trust and increase brand visibility as well as legitimacy.
Or at least, that is what good press releases do. And because most media institutions and journalists get many potential stories or ideas for stories, you need to make sure your press release stands out from the rest. Here’s how to make this happen.
Writing a top press release
Write an attention-grabbing headline
The headline is the first thing someone will see on your press release. So, make sure it grabs their attention. Keep the headline relatively short, always mention the company name and then mention the main point of the press release.
Make it catchy enough so people want to read on. Remember that people decide on whether or not to read a press release – or any other piece of copy, for that matter, based on the headline – so make sure that you hook them in from an early stage.
Don’t beat around the bush
Use the first paragraph to explain why people should care about your press release. Include the critical information and main point in the first paragraph. Make sure your readers learn all they need to know from the first paragraph.
In your first paragraph, be sure to include as many benefits as possible that the reader will get when reading your press release. Show them what they will learn and make sure that they realise that they can’t go without reading what you’ve written.
Give facts, not opinions
A press release is not a creative essay or advertisement, so stick to the facts. If your company has started a new trend, back it up with proof. Are you promoting a new product that will revolutionise the industry? Show them the money!
New is always better
Always write press releases to inform people about new information. Write your press release because you believe you have some value to add and then do so. Don’t confuse this type of release with a thought leadership piece which gives the company’s opinion on a subject. (This subject may or may not be new in the market.)
No mistakes!
Always check your spelling, grammar, and facts. A single mistake could show someone they mustn’t take you seriously and that’s the last thing you want. It’s always a good idea to have a fresh pair of eyes look over your release before you send it out. If you don’t have this, there are online tools such as Grammarly which will help you make sure that your releases are error free.
Quote some people
It’s always nice to include relevant quotes from a director or manager. It adds some colour to any press release and brings across the human element while being another source of information.
Keep it short and sweet
The ideal length for a press release is one or two pages at most. State the essential information in the best possible way, and you’ll have a winner.
Include your contact details
And last, but not least, include a small section about your company at the end of the press release and add all your contact details.
Get in touch with the Digital School of Marketing
Become an expert in digital marketing and digital public relations with the Digital School of Marketing’s Digital Public Relations Course.
The digital era has drastically changed the way we do traditional PR and the way PR work is measured. With this course, you will learn how to meet organisations’ and your target market’s needs and weave the fundamentals of traditional Public Relations into a digital world.
The Digital Public Relations Course will teach you the art and science of engaging with media on all different digital channels to enable you to spread your brand’s message through strategic communications. Contact us today to find out more about our digital public relations and online digital marketing courses!
