Any public relations strategy relies on press releases. These compelling, short documents offer details about upcoming events, product releases, services offered or other newsworthy items a business produces. A great press release not only keeps the industry and media informed about your company’s recent developments, but it also piques the interest of journalists, who might cover the topic further.
But creating a great press release has to follow certain rules, which are often overlooked by many.
- Make sure your story is newsworthy
Before even considering creating a press release, ask yourself if the story is newsworthy. Is this what you would like to read about or listen to the media? If you do not have a clear answer, then try answering these questions:
- Is there anything new in this story?
- Would this interest anyone outside my business?
- Is there anything unexpected or unusual about this story?
- Will anyone care reading it?
Even if you are excited about your the launch of a new product or your company’s new marketing director, would anyone else also be excited to read about it? If the answer is ‘no’, then you’d better find another topic to write about. If you are not sure what your press release should be about, watch, read or listen to the programs or publications you would like coverage in, to get a feel for what kind of stories they usually cover.
- Headlines and first line
People do not have time to read articles filled with a lot of details and information. They are always on the go, they usually read from their mobile phones and skim the text not read it thoroughly. So if you want your press release to catch their attention you’d better use a great subject line that will make them read further.
Also, the first line should have 15-20 words and be a summary of the story. It should also offer as many of the five W’s – what, who, why, where and when. It also helps to imagine that your story will be covered on a radio or TV program. The presenter only has 5-6 seconds to introduce the next story. So be concise.
- Keep it short and use quotes
A press release should not be longer than 300-400 words. So 3-4 paragraphs and several quotes would be more than enough. Do not include information about your company in the first paragraph and stick to bullet points and sub-headings that catch the eye of the reader.
Include quotes from influential people in your company, to offer opinion and insight. Also, avoid technical language and jargon.
Be realistic in your expectations. Although you would want hundreds of readers to be interested in your press release, the number might not be so high. If writing a press release is too difficult for you or you would like a professional to write it, you can always resort to companies offering press release content services. You will know for sure that you will have a high-quality press release.
