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How to Write a Press Release: 11 Tips to Fresh Copy

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How to Write a Press Release (Featuring 5 Samples)

While press releases are an essential part of online marketing and digital communications, they’re tough to write, and few people understand their structure. Because of this, many companies and marketers hire expert writers or journalists to write press releases for them. However, understanding the format and how to write a press release important so you can recognize a good press release when you see it. Then you can always evaluate your press release content and be more successful when promoting your brand image and new products. While press releases can feel foreign, they all contain specific elements that should be present in every press release you issue. In the words of Robert Wyne, a prominent Forbes contributor, press releases “are formulaic, by nature, but so are poetry, tweets, columns, and other written communications. Everyone has constraints. Chefs work within an 8-inch pan to create an omelet, and the great ones know how to pick the best ingredients and mix them to create a savory sensation. Writers can season their sentences within the confines of a release.” When you know what to include in your press release and how to structure it, your PR material will be more official, credible, and useful for readers. This is true whether you plan to write your press releases yourself or hire someone else to do it for you. Follow along as we share the 11 steps required to create an expertly crafted press release. What Is a Press Release? A press release is an official statement from a business or organization that shares news with media outlets and the public. It is a formal document used to distribute relevant information in a simple, one-page format. The goal of a press release is to attract attention from the media and the public. When Should You Use a Press Release? As an official media document, press releases should be reserved for newsworthy events. If used too often for insignificant updates, your releases might get ignored. Press releases are commonly used for the following types of announcements or events: Product launches Significant service changes Hiring or leaving of company executives Funding announcements Breaking news Public and private events Grand openings and groundbreakings Press Releases vs. Company Announcements To the untrained reader, a press release might just seem like a fancy term for a company announcement. While a press release is technically an announcement, from a journalistic perspective, it’s viewed as a primary source that can be cited. Press releases are the source of official information. If a company shares the same news in another way, like a tweet or a blog, it will likely link back to the official press release. Since they are structured more formally, press releases also differ from other types of announcements because they are meant to be shared by media outlets. 11 Steps to Writing a Press Release No matter what kind of business you run, press releases are critical. They are an ideal medium for telling the media, Google, and your readers when something new and exciting has happened within your company. Use press releases to announce partnerships, product launches, new hires, and more. If your business has never written a press release before, don’t worry. Our 11 foundational tips will guide you through the process. 1. Use the Correct Release Language  When submitting a press release to a news outlet, you must tell them when you would like it published. If you’re ready for your press release to go out to the public right now, use the words “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” at the top. However, if you need to hold the release until a certain date (this is common with product launches), put “HOLD RELEASE UNTIL” along with your specified date. This is an important piece of your press release article because it tells readers and journalists when you want to see your article on the web or in print. It also gives you control over when the press release hits the media, which can have a massive impact on the success of your press release efforts. 2. Use Your Company Logo and Colors  Branding in a press release is crucial if you want your readers to know what your brand represents. To make your press releases more impactful and recognizable, use your company’s logos and colors in the headline section. Check out how the autonomous driving company Motional added their logo to the top of a recent press release: 3. Include Keywords in Your Press Release Headlines  Just like in other types of online content, you should include SEO keywords in your press release headlines. This makes it easier for search engines to find and rank your press release while ensuring that the media and your readers understand what your press release is about. Remember: you don’t want to go overboard with keywords – just include them naturally throughout like you do with other content. Check out how Apple does this in a press release published on December 6, 2022. In this case, you could safely assume the keywords Apple targeted include “App Store pricing:” Another consideration is the capitalization of your headlines. If you are following official AP Style capitalization, all the words in your headline should be capitalized except for prepositions and words shorter than four letters. As you can see in the example above, Apple only capitalized proper nouns. However, they published the press release on their website. If they had published the press release on an official news website, choosing title case capitalization would be the better option. For best results, keep your headlines under 160 characters. Longer than that and readers may lose interest, and you risk having your headline truncated by Google. Your headline must pique the interest of a very limited demographic – journalists. While you might want to write for your customers, a press release is for the press. Make sure your headline is factual, informative, and attention-grabbing. Here are a few tips to help you write more effective press … Read more

How to Write a Press Release (Infographic)

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How to Write a Press Release (Infographic)

Thinking of getting some press buzz for your brand this year? Did you know? Bad press releases can ruin your relationship with the media and make your company look less than credible. That’s why press release writing isn’t a skill you just “know” — it’s one you build and learn. (A journalism major takes four years to earn in college!) The key to writing a good press release? Knowing what to write, who to distribute it to, and using the proper format. Written correctly and with finesse, press releases can help you establish a favorable relationship with the media, not to mention encourage your audience to engage with your brand further. How can businesses create a successful, professional press release for publication online? Let’s deconstruct (and demystify!) the classic press release. ✅ Don’t want to write it yourself? At Express Writers, our expert, journalistically-trained writers craft great press releases at a steal — under $200! See pricing & our service here. [bctt tweet=”Bad press release writing can ruin your relationship with readers and the media, not to mention your reputation. ? GOOD press release writing? A whole different story. ? Learn the how-tos on the @ExpWriters Write Blog:” username=””] How to Write a Press Release: 6 Must-Have Ingredients to Get Your PR Noticed There are many different ways to write press releases. Having these critical elements will help get your organization’s news noticed faster. See the full infographic on SlideShare. How to Write a Press Release 1. Newsworthy Material Think about why your product, event, or service matters to the public. If you can’t answer, “What’s in it for them?” then skip the press release altogether. 2. Objective Tone Write in third person and avoid using “we,” “I,” and “you.” Also avoid emphasis language, hyperbolic claims, and hype flags. 3. Clear and Condensed Information Get to the point upfront and avoid using jargon. If you must use industry terms, define them in the piece. 4. Valid Contact Info There’s nothing worse for a media rep to have than the wrong contact information. Use an up-to-date email and phone number within the media contact text. 5. Excellent Grammar and Spelling Your press release will get crumpled up quickly if there are signs of poor grammar and typos. Proof and re-proof your piece before distributing it. 6. Relevant Quotes from the Sources Whenever possible get a quote from an industry professional or executive. This gives you credibility and helps emphasize the message. The Structure of a Published Press Release How to write a press release is answered with our structure breakdown. (See a live PR example done right from Facebook and TuneCore.) Headline — Short and sweet attention grabber, no more than 65 characters Sub-headline — Builds on the headline, two sentences max. Dateline — The city where the news is originating and the date of the release Lead or intro paragraph — Generally answers the who, what, when, where and why questions; in other words, the facts Body — Minimum of 300 words, ideally no more than 600 words, provides supporting details, quotes, and call to action Boilerplate — Short paragraph with information about the issuing company or organization ### — Journalist PR designated sign that signals the end of the press release Press releases also include a company’s logo and media contact information: at minimum, the name, phone number, and email address for the PR or media relations contact who can answer any questions regarding the material.  Don’t want to write it yourself? At Express Writers, our expert, journalistically-trained writers craft great press releases at a steal — under $200! See pricing & our service here. 7 Tips to Write a Press Release That Gets Picked Up Now that you’ve got press release formatting down, let’s dive into content. Here’s how to hone and craft your message for your press release so readers read it and news outlets pick it up. 1. Make Your Message Reader-Focused When writing press releases, you need to know what point you’re trying to get across. Remember, what is newsworthy to you may not be relevant to the press. Take into account who your readers are and make sure your press release will be something interesting to them. Forget why your news matters to the company and focus on why it matters for your reader or customer. This aligns with the media’s goals: to satisfy readers’ curiosity and fulfill their need for relevant information. To help you decide whether your topic is newsworthy enough for a PR, check out this worksheet from PBS. 2. Get Inspiration It’s never wrong to search Google for examples of press releases to use as inspiration for your PR. Look at the structure and format, the tone of voice used, and the information included in the samples you peruse. Don’t forget to check out press releases that have already been written about your topic, and make sure that your particular press release is somehow innovative. If it’s a repeat of something that has already been published, forget it. 3. Stick to the Right Structure A basic press release should follow a certain format. For example, the heading should always be bold and centered at the top of the page. The headline should include your keyword for SEO potential, too. Under your headline, you may put a sub-heading (usually in italics) that further develops your headline. Make sure to use your main keywords here, too. Additionally, pay particular attention to the first paragraph of your press release. Structure it with engagement in mind because usually no one will read beyond the first paragraph. That means you should place all the relevant information right at the top. Follow the traditional structure of the inverted pyramid with the most important information on top and supporting data in the paragraphs to follow. 4. Use Concrete Quotes Never quote the ambiguous “anonymous” in your press release. Quote someone who is an expert or at least has insightful information about the content of your press release. It’s … Read more

Are Press Releases Still Beneficial for SEO & Exposure Today?

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Are Press Releases Still Beneficial for SEO & Exposure Today?

To many marketers, press releases may seem like an outdated way to share information. The thing is, that’s just not true. Today, thousands of press releases are distributed around the world every single day. But just how effective are press releases — for your SEO rankings and online exposure? The answer isn’t simple. Used the right way, press releases can be an extremely beneficial and effective marketing tool. Used the wrong way, press releases are absolutely useless. Let’s take a deeper look. First: What Are the Benefits of Press Releases? 1. Send Out Your Brand News Straight from the Horse’s Mouth Do you have a news-worthy story, an announcement, or some other piece of information about your brand where the facts are vital to get right? (Think new product launches, earnings reports, company mergers or acquisitions, or an official statement on an issue.) Do you want that news distributed to a targeted network (e.g. local news stations)? If the information is going to make news anyway, sending out a press release is a great way to take control of the narrative (for your part in it, anyway). Companies have been doing it for over 100 years for a reason. Press releases help you get out accurate facts about a news event so they’re reported correctly when journalists pick up the story. [bctt tweet=”Used the right way, press releases can be an extremely beneficial and effective marketing tool. ? Used the wrong way, press releases are absolutely useless. ? Find out the difference ➡” username=”ExpWriters”] Did you know? We write press releases that have a 100% acceptance rate with outlets like PRNewswire, PRWeb, etc. See pricing! 2. Startup? Publicly Traded Company? Get Important Press Coverage If you’re a publicly traded company (read: swinging around big numbers) OR a startup looking for investors, buy-in, new customers, etc… For your most important news and announcements, you need more than a simple blog or social media post to get it out there. Press coverage gives you the potential to show up in local AND major news publications, where your target audience gets their news. It’s a good investment to draw up a press release and get it distributed for maximum exposure in these cases. 3. Increase Brand Awareness Good press release writing can do a lot more than simply announce your news to the world. It also has the potential to earn you positive brand mentions and associations. Even if they don’t include a backlink to your site, those positive mentions still matter for building brand awareness, authority, and a good reputation. And, according to Search Engine Land, the search engines might be using these linkless mentions to determine your website’s authority. After all, the people who read your press release matter. Their opinions and perception of your brand matter. If your press release does a good job of presenting your brand positively, and news outlets pick it up and their subscribers read it, those are big wins. Need a stellar press release written for your brand? Trust our proven team. When Are Press Releases Useless? Don’t get me wrong. Press releases are great for meeting certain goals. But if you’re not using them the right way, producing and distributing them can be worthless. Particularly, I’m talking about syndication.  Now, syndication as a tactic to get your press release more widely read and shared is a good idea. Syndication as a strategy to get SEO rankings and backlinks: bad, bad, bad. To illustrate this point, let’s look at a study I did a few years ago. The findings are still relevant today. Syndicated News: Is It Worth the Investment? (A 2016 Study) $6,100.00. That’s what one big brand was spending per month on press release distribution, according to a study by marketing agency owner Tim Grice, posted on Moz in 2012. That’s a huge number. At Express Writers, we used to offer syndicated online press release distribution to all of our customers, at rates well below what our former news partner charged on their own site. Our clients got a good deal—and we felt happy to offer it to them. That is, until October 2016—when we stood back and looked at the actual benefit of using online, syndicated news for Google rankings. I even got two experts on the line to help me dig up solid truths about this industry. (I’m indebted to Steve Rayson at BuzzSumo for pulling metrics and data for me, and Tim Grice at Branded3 for an updated quote.) Our findings weren’t good, by any means. The Story Behind the Study: What Inspired Me to Take a Deeper Look at Press Release Distribution In 2012, when we started offering press release distribution at EW, I saw amazing, fast results in Google. For instance, one press release we did back then was about a stuffed toy. The company’s keyword, a solid, low competition long-tail, ranked #3 in Google in just days — and that #3 result was their actual press release. Now that was value! But I had not seen those kind of results since. And we’re talking out of dozens to hundreds of press releases that our team wrote and distributed. On average, we were distributing 6-10 press releases for clients in a month. But we had SO many clients complain about the reports we sent them. “This is all the data and results we get?” And the truth was, we didn’t really have an answer for them. The quality of the news results online was finicky. I’d see an online Fox station pick one up — and then it would be gone the next day, when I was ready to send the link to the client. Results weren’t permanent. And nothing showed in the first page of Google for their (great) long-tail news keywords. The more I saw this happening, the more I realized I needed to research syndicated distribution. A bad feeling in my gut drove me to do it before we renewed our contract that year. And sure enough, … Read more

How to Distribute a Press Release for Maximum ROI

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How to Distribute a Press Release for Maximum ROI

This post was originally published in October, 2013 and completely updated in May, 2020. Your well-crafted press release is sizzling and ready to see the world. There’s just one more hurdle to leap over before the job is done: who (and where) should you send it to? There are two main tactics for how to release a press release. The first stems from the old days. It involves subscribing to a syndication service. The second is a modern approach: developing personal relationships with journalists. Both are valid options, depending on the needs and budget of your brand. We’ll explore both methods, as well as best practices for releasing your news so you can make a solid press release plan. Let’s dive in! [bctt tweet=”Your well-crafted press release is sizzling and ready to see the world. There’s just one more hurdle to leap over before the job is done: who (and where) should you send it to? Find out via @JuliaEMcCoy:” username=”ExpWriters”] The Traditional Method: Distributing Via the Wire Want to read thousands of journalists, influencers, bloggers, reporters, and editors in one shot? Consider using a press release syndication service. Here are a few of the top service providers: Newswire Cision (PR Newswire, PR Web) Businesswire Muck Rack PR Fire Response Source Press Release Wire 24-7 Press Release While this method is fast and easy, it isn’t free. Leading distributor Newswire costs between $150 to $800 for a single PR, which may push it out of the price range of up-and-coming brands. If your brand has the budget and is looking for a wide reach, the time-saving investment may be worth it. However, it’s worth noting that professionals report high ROI from relationships with journalists, and caution against sending too many cold, impersonal PRs via the wire. Let’s say you’re still growing your media list, though, and you’re not sure where to pitch. Using a syndication service can quickly reveal which publications are interested in your news, allowing you to skip the step of in-depth research in your quest to build lasting relationships with journalists. That’s why using distribution services are part of a balanced PR strategy. The Modern Strategy: Building Your Media List on Relationships Beyond saving time, the biggest benefit of investing in big-name syndication services is that they build a media list for you and track your results. If it’s your first rodeo, that simplification can seem like a boon. But it comes at a cost: By relying on press release distribution services rather than building a personalized media list, your brand will grow to depend on those same services. However, it’s possible to construct a valuable media list on your own and start building relationships right away. According to Gil Eyal from the Forbes Agency Council, this improves PR results because you’re pitching to people who are genuinely interested in your news. It’s a more personal approach, and it’s the way the PR industry is moving. It isn’t hard to future-proof your brand’s media outreach and drive down your PR budget. It all starts with building your own media list. Here’s how. 1. Find Your Target Audience Consider who you’re trying to reach with your press release: customers, investors, or industry leaders? Ask yourself a few simple questions: How old is my audience? What background demographic do they come from? Where do they get their news? Here’s an example of how to find your target audience. Let’s say you’re writing a press release for a portable blender brand. Your goal is to increase sales for the newest model and spur brand awareness, so your audience is potential customers. Your audience includes: Health-conscious people Fitness-minded people Gym owners Eco-friendly people People who enjoy tech and gadgets Retailers who sell cooking gadgets Based on this target audience, your media list should start here: Fitness and health magazines Food and cooking magazines Home and lifestyle magazines Fitness and health influencers and blogs Eco-friendly, yoga, and vegan influencers Trade press publications targeting retailers Journalists regularly curating kitchen gadget lists and smoothie recipes Stumped on which publications to pitch to? A quick Google News search with your keyword or topic will help you brainstorm. 2. Zero In On Your Goal Publications Always read a few articles, posts, or blogs first. This will save a TON of time in the long run, and prevent you from making the reputation-damaging blunder of barking up the wrong tree. Short on time? Here’s a quick checklist. A. Check the publication’s reach. For blogs, check the Alexa ranking. A score 100,000 or below means they have a wide reach. For social influencers, look at their follower count. For news publications, check out their social media activity as well as the average comments per article. B. Watch out for low activity. Any online publication, influencer, or blog that posts less than once a month (a snail’s pace on the internet) is likely not reaching enough people to warrant sending a PR. The exception: monthly print publications like trade journals. C. Look for articles or posts in your niche. If you can’t find any, it’s probably not the right publication for you. D. Click on the byline and read the bio. Most writers include social handles in their bios. Jumpstart your online relationship by sharing one of their articles on your brand’s social media page.   E. Reach out on Twitter. Many journalists include a work email in their Twitter bio. If they don’t, try sending a professional direct message. F. No luck on Twitter? Try LinkedIn. If you’re looking to pitch to a large news outlet, you can often find their roster in the “People” section of their company LinkedIn page.   G. If you can’t find who you’re looking for, call. Dust off your landline and look for the editor’s phone number of the section you’re pitching to. 3. Create Your Media List Use a simple, easy-to-edit spreadsheet. Journalists change publications often, so the focus of the media list should be on specific publications interested in … Read more

15 Rookie Press Release Mistakes (And How Pros Avoid Them)

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15 Rookie Press Release Mistakes (And How Pros Avoid Them)

This post was originally published in October, 2013 and completely updated in May, 2020. Press releases have radically transformed along with technology over the past decade. In days gone by, PRs followed a traditional format, ignored social media, and left crafting a story up to the journalist who received it. These days, it’s just the opposite. If you’re a new PR writer, or if you established your career more than 10 years ago, brushing up on these common press release mistakes will help you incite more action and gain more media traction. Let’s deep-dive into how NOT to write a press release. [bctt tweet=”Press release rookie? Brushing up on these common press release mistakes will help you incite more action and gain more media traction. Read all 15 here:” username=”ExpWriters”] 1. Write a Bland Headline Journalists slog through hundreds of PRs daily. If your headline doesn’t sizzle, your press release may not be read. Here’s an example of a boring press release headline: While it’s direct and concise, the formal investor-facing tone waters down the hook. And here’s an example of a headline that pops: Adobe’s news appears as a blog. This allows for a shift toward a conversational tone, boosting the PR’s relevance. The takeaway: craft an intriguing, relevant, and to-the-point headline. Make sure it’s immediately clear how your news engages your target audience. If you’re new to writing for the web, consider using a scoring tool to measure potential engagement. My favorite headline analyzers are from AMI Institute and Co-Schedule. 2. Use the Same Headline And Lead for All Pitches, Regardless of Audience Think sending everyone the same announcement press release will lead to the best results? Think again. For the wire, a generic PR will do. For your website, a reformatted version can appear on your blog. However, don’t risk alienating your network of journalists by using the same copy for everyone. Eileen Baumann, a leading PR writer on the Forbes Agency Council, recommends boosting your coverage by “taking the time to customize a headline and/or lead when sending to individual press contacts.” 3. Forget Your Audience – It’s All About You While a PR may feel like it’s about you and your company, successful PRs focus on how their news is relevant to the target audience: journalists. It’s bad enough when news orgs just run press releases. This is a press release about a PR agency. It’s essentially an ad. [slowly bangs head against counter] https://t.co/UMJcM9MXA4 — Steve Cavendish (@scavendish) April 7, 2020 Before hitting the send button, make sure your PR is providing real value for your readers. Ask yourself: how is this news relevant to my audience? If your copy doesn’t answer that question, it’s time to edit. Remember, the goal of any marketing endeavor is to drive action – not to pat yourself on the back. Garmin demonstrates how to send a press release to announce an award and keep it relevant: 4. Rely Solely on Distribution Platforms In the past, blasting the wire was sufficient. Websites like PR Web, PR Buzz, and PR Leap allow you to jump directly into journalist’s inboxes nationwide. In 2020, the context has changed. Fewer journalists are wading through WAY more PRs. News outlets are web-focused, which means content optimized for social media, with video, images, and graphics are often published over traditional news articles. For goliath brands, crafting traditional PRs and distributing to thousands of publications makes sense. For up-and-coming brands, it’s significantly more cost-efficient to invest in relationships with a select group of journalists. Think of journalists as influencers rather than merely writers: add value by sending them a full media package, including product samples, images, videos, and pull quotes. Organize interviews, or reveal an industry viewpoint. The more you simplify covering your news, the more journalists will want to work with you. 5. Focus on Driving Traffic to Your Website The game’s changed: PRs aren’t about driving traffic or SEO anymore. Modern PRs focus on promoting transparency, growing brand awareness, and audience engagement. If the sole target of your PR is building backlinks, your announcement is likely not newsworthy enough. However, if used sparingly, dropping links in your PR can be a great way to boost your credibility and promote audience action. 6. Don’t Optimize Your Press Release Format Publish your PRs as content marketing on your company blog, or reframe them for social media. Nintendo separates their advertorial, fan-centered “news items” from their investor-facing PRs. Notice the different press release formats: the fan-facing PRs break the rules and use 2nd person. They’re sharable, and images are embedded. The investor-platform takes a traditional approach to PRs. They use concise, direct headlines and 3rd person to emphasize the business focus of these PRs. This simple separation is an effective way to target two very different audiences. 7. Don’t Cross-Pollinate on Social Media For every piece of news that goes out, at least 2-3 social media posts should follow. Here’s a fun example press release from Sesame Workshop. The 2 goals of this PR: announce their TV special and extension of the #CaringForEachOther initiative. Here’s that same release after getting picked up by The New York Times. NYT writer Melena Ryzik spins major details from the PR for a touching micro-story and adds a new link to the PBS YouTube channel, which was likely included in Sesame Workshop’s press kit. Then Sesame Workshop turned to social media to promote their special. Afterward, they followed up with fans on Twitter, fulfilling their second goal: engaging and caring for children. This strategy can work for a variety of brands. The most important takeaway: read the room. If your news is getting lots of engagement, continue the ripple-effect with more content. Write a follow-up blog post, create a video, craft an image. Most importantly, stay on-message. If your news isn’t gaining traction, don’t exhaust your audience. Instead, focus on other aspects of your brand’s social media strategy. [bctt tweet=”Press release DON’Ts ‍♀️: 1) Write a bland headline, 2) … Read more

When to Send a Press Release: An Expert Cheat Sheet

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When to Send a Press Release: An Expert Cheat Sheet

Your mouse is hovering over “send”. Are you ready to make the final leap? The path from PR to published is crisscrossed by hurdles to overcome: crafting a story tailored to the publication, developing lasting relationships with journalists, supporting your news through social media, and more. Before you click “send”, check your watch. The time and day you send your PR is critical to its success. [bctt tweet=”When’s the best time to release a press release? Before you click ‘send’, check your watch. ⌚ The time and day you send your PR is critical to its success. @JuliaEMcCoy breaks it down here:” username=”ExpWriters”] What’s the Best Day to Send a Press Release in 2020? In a 2015 study of 100,000 press releases, Ragan suggests Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are the best days to distribute a press release. However, a 2020 analysis by Prowly found that PRs sent on Wednesdays were not opened as often, with an open rate of only 15%. According to Prowly, Thursday is the best day to send a press release, when email open rates climb up to nearly 27%. The next best day is Tuesday, which averages a 19% open rate. What average open rate should you be shooting for? Freshmail recommends an open rate benchmark of 18-30%. This number fluctuates by industry, as some niches receive more mail than others. However, if your open rate is significantly lower, it’s time to brush up on how to pitch a press release via email, check your email etiquette, and most of all, reevaluate your timing. Let’s look at press release standards of when NOT to send a press release. Don’t Send a Press Release On Monday or Friday Every morning, journalists have an average of 300 emails waiting for them. On Mondays, that number toes the line toward 1000. Short of wizardry, there’s simply no way for them to read everything. By issuing your press release on Monday, you risk it going unread. How about Friday, when most of the week’s work is complete? Prowly’s study notes one of the worst days to send a press release is Friday, especially Friday evenings. Just like you, at the end of the day on Fridays, most journalists are wrapping up and getting ready for the weekend. Don’t Send a Press Release on the Weekend Journalists don’t open their work email on the weekend. If they do, it’s likely not to read your PR. At an open rate of barely 2%, it’s not worth it to send a press release on the weekend. What’s the Best Time to Send a Press Release? Roughly 33% of all PR emails are opened between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. However, it’s not as simple as sending your email in that time frame. Many companies – especially those that use distribution services – schedule their PRs ahead of time. Whether for simplicity or due to technological limitations, the bulk of scheduled emails arrive on the hour or half-hour. This means your target journalist might be dealing with hundreds of new emails exactly at 10:00 AM or 10:30 AM. By choosing a slightly different time, such as 10:23 AM, you’ll sidestep the competition and increase the chance that your PR is read. Don’t Send Press Releases in the Early Morning Even on Thursdays, open rates plummet between 6:00 and 10:00 AM. According to Cision, a leading press release distribution service, 9:00 AM is the most popular time to send press releases. Unfortunately, that popularity means much more competition for your PR. In this case, the early bird does not catch the worm. Leave the wee hours for the rookies. Don’t Send Press Releases At Night The same logic applies to press releases sent at the end of the day, or late at night. If you’re heading home from work or sleeping, your journalist is likely doing the same. Unless it’s absolutely necessary, it’s best to avoid these low-open rate times. Example exceptions include financial releases sent after the market closes to comply with regulation, and breaking news. Be Aware of Your Target Journalist’s Time Zone With a growing remote workforce, being aware of varying time zones is more important than ever. Consider this example timing fail: it’s 11:23 AM CDT on a Thursday, so it should be an ideal time to send a press release. You proofread, add a press kit with multimedia, and hit send. As the release jets off into the ether, you realize you’ve forgotten some key details. Your contact is located in Egypt, where it’s already past the end of the workday. What’s more, the local workweek starts on Sunday and ends on Thursday. Unfortunately, your PR has a very low chance of being read. This fumble could have been avoided by doing a quick search for the time difference, holidays, and local customs using tools like Time Zone Converter or Time and Date. If you’re working across time zones and cultures, consider including this game-changing information in your media list. [bctt tweet=”For best results, DON’T send a press release out in the early morning or at night. Instead, keep tabs on your target journalist’s time zone and send during the day. ☀” username=”ExpWriters”] How Far in Advance Should You Send a Press Release? The short answer is: it depends. First, consider the nature of your news and current events in your industry. For example, political press releases will gain the most traction before or after an election. Why? An election is major news, which will create tough competition for your PR. Next, determine whether it would be more newsworthy now, or at a later date. Also, consider whether your news needs to remain confidential before a certain date. If journalists must wait before publishing your news, use an embargo. Here are a few examples of when to use an embargo: Funding announcements Mergers Acquisitions Partnership announcements New Leadership Not sure if you should release your news in advance? Let’s explore how far in advance to send a press release … Read more

How to Write an Epic Press Release: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

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How to Write an Epic Press Release: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

This post was originally published in October, 2013 and completely updated in April, 2020. Let’s face it. Some press releases are anything but epic. Flavorless headlines and dry, unemotional storytelling can fumble a potentially great PR. If you’re new to PR writing or looking to boost efficiency, templates are a dependable solution. However, relying too heavily on a standard copy will leave your PR sounding bland and cold. So what’s the secret ingredient that makes your reader’s jaw drop? How exactly do you write a good press release? Newsflash: there’s no secret. Like all great writing, it starts with hooking your audience. [bctt tweet=”Like all great writing, a press release starts with hooking your audience. Get more tips AND a fill-in-the-blank press release template right here ☑: ” username=”ExpWriters”] Who is a Press Release Written For? A PR is your direct line to journalists, influencers, and news editors. They receive a deluge of emails every day, so they only read the best PRs. Unfortunately, if yours isn’t up to snuff, it’s likely not even opened. Want to write PRs journalists can’t resist opening? Make sure your PR hits these three points: It’s relevant. Your content is newsworthy and cutting-edge timely. It’s straightforward. Your formatting is consistent, clear, and ready to print. It’s juicy. Your story is engaging and gets people talking, which results in increased ROI. Types of Press Release (And What a PR Can Do for Your Brand) In this ultra-digital era, brands can tap into countless channels to announce innovations to the public. So, are press releases outmoded? No way! PRs are still one of the most budget-friendly ways to hit diverse brand targets and gain news coverage. Check out these 5 examples of press releases from 2020 to see what your brand can do with a PR. 1. Shine a Spotlight on New Products and Services Apple is constantly innovating, so to foster serious buzz for the iPad Pro they make sure to announce cutting-edge new features. It’s a stellar example of how to write a press release for a product. Here’s why: it’s social media-ready, with plenty of images and to-the-point details. Consider using this press release as a sample for your next product launch. 2. Highlight How Business Partnerships and Developments Connect to the Public Google’s short and direct PR announcing a new business partnership is ready to be published as-is. By emphasizing fan experience, Google and MLB keep it hyper-relevant to the public. 3. Reveal Events From conferences to concerts, 2020’s events are going virtual. Social Media Week is no exception – they created #SMWONE and used this PR to announce their agenda and speaker lineup. It’s a solid example of how to write a press release for an event, even the way we host events is changing. In true SMW fashion, they keep it fun with emojis, hashtags, and plenty of ways to share. 4. Build Brand Awareness and Bolster Reputation PRs help new brands cultivate a name for themselves. They’re also integral for pivoting from a social media snafu (it happens). For research-driven organizations, PRs can announce new studies to show authority on a subject. Cisco’s summary of their Digital Readiness Index works on several levels: it displays social responsibility, demonstrates industry leadership, and provides an opportunity for backlinks. 5. Beware the Bandwagon In the thick of the COVID19 crisis, this is one aspect of PRs we can’t ignore. Journalists’ inboxes are stuffed daily with brands eager to weigh in. Whether well-intentioned or opportunistic, this type of behavior isn’t new. However, it’s more concentrated than ever before, causing facepalms and frustration across Twitter. It’s enough to make any company wary of sounding tone-deaf, but KFC gets it just right. Partnered with non-profit Blessings in a Backpack, KFC’s PR focuses entirely on supporting food-insecure children. Here’s why it works: it’s 0% focused on selling. Getting It Right the First Time: A Checklist for Beginners Wondering what to include in your first press release? Use our sample press release template below to check you’ve covered all the key elements. It’s especially well-suited for traditional press release distribution services, such as PR Web. Building your own media list? Check out our distribution guide for new press release formats for 2020. Fill-in-the-Blank Press Release Template [PRESS RELEASE] [SUMMARIZE THE TOPIC OF THE PRESS RELEASE IN AN EYE-CATCHING HEADLINE] [Provide Key Additional Details in the Subheader. If the Headline Reframes News to Amp Up Excitement, Here’s Where You Can Be More Direct] [DATE AND LOCATION] [This first introductory paragraph contains the most important information in the PR. It answers who, what, where, when, and why.] [Give secondary details in the next paragraph, if necessary.] [In the body copy, include authority quotes and stats. “If your organization has a chief spokesperson, remember to name them in full and give their job title,” said Jane Doe, CMO of XYZ Company.] [Next is the boilerplate. It’s a precise about section that gives insight into your organization.] [Include your press contact details last.] ### = Bold and centered, these three pound signs signify the end of your PR. How to Format Your Press Release Should you use Word or submit a PDF? A quick perusal of 3 press releases from major companies reveals that in 2020 PR writers: 1. Provide Several Formats Chipotle’s PR keeps it professional by offering PDF and print format. For larger publications, RSS and email buttons make sharing easy. 2. Don’t Embed Images in the Document Providing downloadable images makes your PR easier to copy-paste. By making them available in several formats, you’ll reach a wider array of journalists. 3. Write With Copy-Paste In Mind Disney’s recent news is a great example of a good press release headline. Here’s why: it’s direct, relevant to the reader, and primed for Twitter. Looking For More Examples?     For more killer PR samples, check out this Google Docs press release template. If you’re writing a more traditional PR, the American Library Association provides a useful sample press release pdf. … Read more

The Wicked Witch of Online Syndication is Dead: Why We’re No Longer Offering Syndicated Press Release Distribution

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The Wicked Witch of Online Syndication is Dead: Why We're No Longer Offering Syndicated Press Release Distribution

$6,100.00. That’s what one big brand was spending per month on press release distribution, according to a study by marketing agency owner Tim Grice, posted on Moz in 2012. That’s a huge number. For the past year now, at Express Writers, we’ve offered syndicated online press release distribution to all of our customers, at rates well below what our former news partner charged on their own site. Our clients got a good deal—and we felt happy to offer it to them. That is, until this October—when we stood back and looked at the actual benefit of online, syndicated news. I even got two experts on the line to help me dig up solid truths about this industry. (I’m indebted to Steve Rayson at BuzzSumo for pulling metrics and data for me, and Tim Grice at Branded3 for an updated quote.) Our findings weren’t good, by any means. That’s why we’re calling our findings the wicked witch of online press syndication and turning it into a Halloween post. Here’s the (in the spirit of Halloween—cold, dead) truth: if you’re paying for syndicated news, you might just be wasting every single dollar you sink into that channel. Don’t just be frightened by the witch: know the facts and make an informed decision the next time you choose to put your money into syndicated news (or not). The Story Behind the Study: What Inspired Me to Take a Deeper Look at Press Release Distribution I’d noticed a pattern: in 2012, when we started offering distribution, I saw amazing, fast results in Google. For instance, one press release we did back then was about a stuffed toy. Their keyword, a solid, low competition long-tail, ranked #3 in Google in just days—the #3 result was their actual PRWeb release. Now that was value! But I haven’t seen this happen since that day. And we’re talking out of dozens to hundreds of press releases that our team has written and distributed by now. On average, we distribute 6-10 press releases for clients in a month. We have so many clients that complain about the reports we send them. “This is all the data and results we get?” And the truth is: we didn’t really have an answer for them. The quality of the news results online was finicky. I’d see an online Fox station pick it up—and then it would be gone the next day, when I was ready to send the link to the client. Results weren’t permanent. And nothing showed in the first page of Google for their (great) long-tail news keywords. The more I saw this happening, the more I realized I needed to research syndicated distribution. A bad feeling in my gut drove me to do it before we renewed our contract this year. And sure enough, what I found was pretty dire. To make my research and findings official, I got in touch with my friend Steve Rayson, Director at BuzzSumo, for an exclusive study: and even got in touch personally with Tim Grice from Branded3.com, the author of the Moz piece, for some updated findings. Let’s dive in to the findings. Interview with Tim Grice: The Cold, Hard, Dead Truth of Syndicated Online Press Release Distribution Here’s what Tim Grice had to say, when I sat down with him to discuss his Moz post and what he’d say about online press syndication currently as it stands in 2016. Julia: You shared your findings on how budgets are being wasted with online press release syndication, back in 2012. Would you say it’s become an even bigger waste of budget in 2016? Or have you seen brands adapting, and investing less in online PR? Tim: The Moz post is specifically referring to online PR syndication (PR Newswire, etc). SEO agencies and in-house teams were using them as a primary link building channel, firing out boring stories that got absolutely no pick up and the online links created were from low value directories. In 2008, it worked really well to game Google’s rankings: but by 2012, it should have been on its way out. Not so much. Link building was becoming difficult and it was the easy go-to option for many agencies. Here’s the thing: if anyone is using syndication for links today, they should be fired. [clickToTweet tweet=”There is no value in press release syndication for SEO purposes. – @Tim_Grice” quote=”There is no value in press release syndication for SEO purposes. – @Tim_Grice”] Journalists are already inundated with companies offering up information for free, and there is no need to check a press wire. Julia: Why is online PR a bad idea for a link building investment? Tim: Online PR done right is not a bad idea, syndicating crap stories around the web for a handful of links on press wires is a terrible SEO strategy; no relevance, no authority, no trust. Creating genuinely insightful content or offering up unique data and selling it indirectly to journalists and bloggers is the right approach to online PR (done right, you can generate hundreds of high authority links from a single campaign). Julia: Is there any good form of online syndication? Tim: Not that I am aware of. [clickToTweet tweet=”Anything designed to create quick, easy links is almost always a waste of time and money. -@Tim_Grice” quote=”Anything designed to create quick, easy links is almost always a waste of time and money. -@Tim_Grice”] Julia: What is a much better way to invest revenue to boost your online marketing, instead of online PR? Tim: Done right, online PR can return good ROI as well as high authority links, however the fact is that where you invest will depend purely on the gaps in your strategy. From an SEO stand point, if you rank in the top five you’ve probably got enough links to be position one, and you should work on the technical side of it, CTR’s, mobile and great content. Final word… [clickToTweet tweet=”Syndication is never a good investment, and I would opt for any other tactic. – … Read more

How To Write A Press Release For A Book

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How To Write A Press Release For A Book

You’ve just written a book, how exciting! Now that you’ve finished it, you’re probably wondering how exactly to go about promoting it. You’ve heard about press releases, but are they a thing of the past? Great news, they aren’t! Since the SEO landscape has changed, quality is the name of the game for worthwhile press releases. You should have a solid journalist expert writing it, and a top notch news network. As long as you’re not distributing a PR for links only, you’re going to get a lot out of it. Press releases are perfect for books whether they are paper copies or in ebook format, and they are perfect for spreading the word about your new release. Let’s talk more. How to Write a Press Release for a Book: The Basics Here’s a brief overview of how to write a press release for a book. 1. Always Use Captivating Headlines Press releases are similar to other content in that it needs a captivating headline. Without a great headline, people are likely to pass your press release off as a boring, typical PR with nothing interesting. Most press releases aren’t boring, especially yours, but if the headline is boring everyone will assume the PR is, as well. 2. This Is A Chance to Provide Information Press releases do help you promote you and your book, but you shouldn’t make it super promotional. Leave that to your promotional campaigns. Instead, make sure your press release provides people with information regarding you, your book, why you wrote it, and what you hope readers gain from it. This will help people know if it is something they will be interested in reading or not. We are all so busy with different life things that we need to know if a book is worthwhile to read. When writing your press release, make sure to write it in the third person because it is much more professional for readers and it helps you provide all necessary information that first or second person writing may forget. 3. Make Sure It Goes To The Right Places Before sending out your press release, make sure you are sending it to the right places. First, you should publish it online. This is the new wave of the press release, making it more available for people to read and learn about your book or company. You can post a link to it on any social site, giving people directions on where to look. Second, you need to consider sending your press release to your local bookstore, local magazines and papers, and other companies that will benefit from your book. Research these particular companies and make sure you know the different places that would like to sell your book. You may even consider sending your press release to your local library. When you send out your press release, consider sending your book or at least a snippet from your book to make the local entities feel secure with publishing your press release. 4. Press Releases Can Be Optimized For Google The neat thing about the new press release is that you can optimize it for Google by utilizing keywords. You can put the keywords throughout your press release and in your headline to gain Google’s eye, but always remember to follow SEO (search engine optimization) rules when writing anything for the web. Google is known for slapping bans on anyone participating in negative SEO. A great way to avoid falling into this common pitfall is to use your keywords sparingly. If you stuff your press release, or any content, with keywords, Google will ban your site, as well as keep people from reading, and will just look sloppy overall. 5. Make it Fun, Make It Shareable You can still make writing a press release fun while still having enough information available in the PR. One of the best ways to craft content these days is to add sub-headers throughout to give people the ability to skim over your writing. This works perfectly for PRs and you can also add funny little quips or one-liners. This makes people decide you are a fun author and they would love to give your book a shot. You can even put in a few quotes regarding your book, but only quotes that are important. Just don’t fill your PR with tons of quotes and sayings. 6. Aim For Top Quality The chances of your press release being read before going in a newspaper is pretty slim. Usually, editors will get a press release and do a quick glance over it before putting it in the next paper or magazine release. This makes it crucial for your PR to be full of quality information. Avoid typos and grammatical errors, fact check yourself constantly, and make it sound incredibly professional. This will be perfect if a publisher reads it or if an interested party gets ahold of the paper. You want to impress them as soon as they read that press release. Now That You Know How to Write a Press Release for a Book… Press releases are crucial to publishing anything whether it is an app, a change in your company, event, or book. These give people necessary information about your product while piquing their interest in your item. This is particularly handy for books, and you will find more people asking to purchase a copy once you have published an incredibly crafted press release! Need a great team that writes and distributes, with a 100% success rate? Order today with us!

10 Benefits of Press Release Writing For Your Business & Brand

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10 Benefits of Press Release Writing For Your Business & Brand

Picture this: You have tons of amazingly creative ideas and are starting (for real, finally) your new business. Or, you’re launching a book, or even a new service inside your existing company. You might be able to pull a few strings to get an event going to celebrate your achievement, put out a blog or video about it. Then, you start listing all the things you need, and press coverage comes up as your biggest challenge. It’s easy to imagine the next part. You have (almost) no money left and absolutely zero ties with bloggers and journalists. So now what? 10 Advantages That Press Release Writing Will Help You Unlock You might be asking yourself: How am I going to get press coverage? How could I share my news with the whole world without depleting what’s left of my marketing budget? All the best answers point in the same direction: press release writing services represent the key to efficient and affordable self-promotion. Press releases deliver exceptional results for virtually any business, regardless of its size, profit margins, profile and industry; which means that this type of content could also work like magic for you. This brings us to the next question: what exactly should you expect from world-class press release writing services? Here are the 10 main benefits of press releases that are constantly witnessed (and appreciated) by our clients. 1. Instant Exposure As a small or medium business owner with limited resources, how could you spread the word about your company and products in the most effective manner, without breaking the bank to reach your target? Because you know that content is king and distribution is queen, you want to bet everything on stellar copy that will sweep your potential buyers off their feet and make them daydream about your merchandise and talk about it in their sleep. In this moment, the question that you should ask yourself is this: how do you choose the right type of content and distribution services to achieve this specific goal? On second through, why choose when you can benefit from a complex content strategy based on an ideal combination of expert articles, blog posts, killer landing pages and press releases? Each type of content plays an important part that you simply can’t afford to ignore. For instance, while landing pages help you introduce your brands and goods to the world and convert leads into customers, blog posts allow you to establish a more personal connection with your readers, by answering some of their most burning questions, offering advice, expressing your expert opinion and sharing your insight with your audience. On the other hand, press releases let you build trust and authority on different fronts, by stimulating journalists and media outlets to cover your story, and also by giving your prospects a new reason to visit your store, land on your website, find out more about your most recent accomplishments and try, buy and spread the word about your new product or service. 2. Increased Sales Potential Aside from bringing credibility and allowing you to stay in the public eye, press releases can also boost your profit margins, by highlighting the most remarkable key benefits and features of your products that position your merchandise on top of any other alternatives currently available on the market. You may feel the need to write and distribute press releases on different occasions, to announce a series of achievements, such as new technological developments, a product or service launch, a new partnership with a prominent company, a milestone that you have just reached or new acquisitions. Each event that we’ve mentioned is newsworthy enough to command attention and put you and your business into the spotlight for a certain period of time. While the effectiveness of press releases can be difficult to measure, given that you can’t know for sure how many journalists have actually picked up your story and how many people have purchased your products as a result of this increased exposure, it’s safe to say that this type of content can be used to refine your message, get ample press coverage and explore an easier path to convince your potential buyers that what you’re selling it worthy of their attention, time and money. 3. The Chance to Boost the Effectiveness of Your Marketing Plan Recent statistics unveiled by MarketingProfs indicate that 71% of all B2B marketers count on content marketing to generate new sales leads. This sounds amazing, but what if we told you that you could actually up this percentage by using every single tool in your content marketing toolbox to enhance your online visibility, become more popular and make more money? Press releases represent an exceptional, incredibly affordable marketing addition that you should add to your campaign. You simply cannot go wrong with these tools because they are designed to be controlled by their creators in terms of targeted audience and message. 4. The Opportunity to Brand Yourself as an Industry Expert Press releases are a great way to build trust and credibility in your field of activity. An excellent PR campaign will offer you the chance to brand yourself as a high-authority artist/business owner and underline the unique attributes of your products.  5. Increased Traffic to Your Website According to the data shared by ereleases.com, 80 million people worldwide go online daily, looking for unique insight and exclusive stories. This impressive number reveals just how important it really is to use every trick in the book to push your feature to the top of your prospects’ newsfeed and boost your exposure. Using press releases, you can do that, while also including one or two links to your blog or website, to guide your reader towards other platforms where you promote and sell your goods. As Lisa Buyer from Search Engine Watch points out, while Google has stopped companies from squeezing valuable link juice from press releases by implementing penalties for shady, manipulative link building strategies, a more traditional kind of PR … Read more

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