Because the structure of a press release is pretty standard, numerous content writers erroneously think that creativity has nothing to do with first-class press release writing skills. While the format of a press release leaves very little room for surprise, its content should make your announcement truly stand out. After all, your main goal is to capture the attention of numerous media channels; to deliver a meaningful, compelling message; and to create buzz around your product release, upcoming event, and any other newsworthy element that you plan to put on full display. Are you worried that your press release writing skills might be a little rusty? Start implementing these 5 amazingly effective tips to craft informative, attention-grabbing press releases, enabling you to get a significant amount of media coverage.
How to write a press release is a skill that writers who want to excel need to learn. Writing a good press release takes skill, and it is important for a company’s image to write convincing and evocative ones. Press releases are the key to piquing the interest of reporters, journalists and writers to interest them in reading or writing about your company. Gone are the days when press releases only meant articles found in newspapers. Today, press releases can mean anything from telling others about your company and latest developments to showcasing important information that will interest others. In this article, we discuss how to write press releases.
It has long been understood that a well-written press release with newsworthy appeal and relevance will get attention. But many businesses continue to write releases that don’t fit the bill, often hindering their image instead.
Check out this vintage journalist… smokin’ a cigar in the office.
10 Top Tips To Guide You In Writing a Great Press Release
1. Make it relevant. A news release won’t garner attention if it’s not newsworthy. You have to craft it well. A good rule of thumb: does it read like a news story—is it factual yet engaging, and does it represent you well? If not, go back and re-sketch. Consumers can see the difference between credible news and promotional gun slinging. A sales pitch with lots of superlatives will go nowhere. So skip the hard sell. 2. Always incorporate keywords. You can’t underestimate the importance of search engine optimization. SEO is the fastest way to get your press release into the hands of your target market. You need to know which keywords best convey your service or brand and then incorporate it within the headline, summary, body, and even in the About the company section. 3. Know your audience. Keep your target audience in mind. Speak the language a consumer can understand and relate to. Is your product geared more to a particular audience than another? It’s better to pitch within your market than to be all over the board. 4. A short and sweet headline. When creating a headline, focus on two things: positioning for search (a keyword phrase) and creating a compelling-clickable title. The best headlines do both by conveying the content of the release. Though there is no standard limit on how many words to use in a headline, Google New’s guidelines suggest fewer than 23 words; and to be displayed on Google’s SERP use 67 characters (letters and spaces combined) or less. 5. Never write in the first person, or use the word “you.” Always write in the third person. Businesses who write in the “you” form potentially risk being targeted as spam. Moreover, it’s unprofessional. 6. Embed, embed, embed. Today’s press release is no longer the announcement of yesterday. Now you can include pictures, audio, video, and other multimedia components. They bring context to your content and give the consumer a chance to interact with you. So it just makes sense to become familiar with the new online template of today. 7.Use simple language. Now thateveryone has access to your news release—from the everyday layman to industry experts—skip the industry-specific language, unless it’s essential to communicate your message. You could potentially turn away readers if they can’t understand your terminology. Brevity and clear writing is key. 8.Link it. Everything is on the Web today, so make sure you provide a list of clickable links to your brand website, blog, or social media sites. If you can, try to include anchor texts in three different keywords of the body text, with one linking to an internal page other than your homepage. It goes without saying that wherever you send your reader, it needs to enhance your brand or product. 9. Include quotes. Always include one or two quotes in the body text. Quotes give you authority, making you sound credible. Give reference to the person at the end of the quote, instead of in between sentences. 10. Don’t forget contact information. It’s important that people can contact your business. Besides that, many publishers will not accept your submission without contact details. Include media contact person, address, phone, email, and website.
Hopefully, these tips can help you enhance your PR writing. But if writing a news release feels intimidating, let us take on your press writing for you.
A knowledgeable press release writer can create press that will increase your exposure, putting you in a better position to be picked up by reputable media outlets and other well-established sites—such as bloggers, industry experts, or key-note organizations—thereby directing target traffic to your business, brand, or service.
Although many things have changed in recent years as far as how people choose to communicate with their clientele, there’s one thing that has emerged into the internet age virtually unchanged – the press release. Press releases still represent the quintessential way to make announcements to news outlets, journalists, bloggers, and more in a way that generates interest while preventing misinformation. If your company isn’t leveraging the power of press release writing, then it’s high time you thought about doing so.
You might want to consider hiring today’s best press release writing services to help. Press release writing requires a specific skill set that not every web content writing provider will have as part of their arsenal. Here’s how to make sure you make the best possible choice for you:
Relevant Experience
Although there are many talented, worthwhile freelance content writers for hire out there, it’s important to recognize the fact that not all of them are created equally. Writing press releases isn’t the same animal as writing blog entries or sales articles. For that reason, make sure the press release writing services you choose come from a content provider who has extensive experience writing press releases in particular. Ask to see multiple writing samples – especially those related to products and services similar to yours. Request the writer elaborate on their writing method for creating press releases to make sure it sounds like a fit.
A Proven Track Record
Not only should press release writers be able to show you plenty of examples of previous work well written, but they should be able to point to evidence that their writing produces results. Ask for links to press releases written for other clients, as well as for testimonials from previous satisfied customers. You should request references, as well, and then actually make it a point to contact those people. The best press release writing services come from providers who jump at the chance to show you how good they are at what they do.
Included Elements of the Service
Before deciding once and for all on your choice in press release writing services, make sure you’re clear on what the provider does and doesn’t include as part of their service. Do the prices they quoted you cover any edits or revisions you might decide the content needs? Does the writer also submit the press releases to relevant outlets on your behalf or is that part of the task up to the client? Some service providers do include extras as part of the package, but others don’t. Neither way is right or wrong. However, you should make sure you know what you’re getting in advance in order to avoid disappointment.
Hire a Team of Professionals
Many entrepreneurs find they have much better working experiences hiring teams of writers, as opposed to sole providers. Writing teams are only going to consist of pre-evaluated professionals who have truly earned their positions, so you don’t have to take a gamble on a complete unknown. They’re more likely to be able to match your company with exactly the right individual for you. Best of all, teams are better able to accommodate you when it comes to rush orders, big bulk packages, and unusual subject matter. That said, ask a writing team about their options in press release writing services today! You’ll be glad that you did.
