Writing a Press Release? Here’s What You Need to Know

A press release can be an effective way to spread awareness of your brand. You can use it for any number of reasons, including to promote scheduled events, announce a new products or service, or generate a feature story. Sounds great, right? Before you get started, there are a few key things you need to remember when writing a press release:

• Headline—The headline should be larger than the rest of your content so that it pops. Make sure that it describes what your content is about by using keywords that are relevant to your copy. A sub header can be used to provide additional information.
• Release date—Always include a release date so that the media knows that your press release is new and not dated. Remember to include an embargo (a request that the information or news provided not be published until a certain date) if necessary.
• Contact information for the media—Don’t forget to include contact information. The media may want to follow up on your press release in order to obtain more information from you.
• Content of the release— Think about the inverted pyramid – it’s a good reminder for how information should be prioritized. Start with the key information, then use the following paragraphs to provide information that supports your point. Reporters don’t want to read fluff.
• A newsworthy story—Speaking of fluff, if your press releases don’t contain newsworthy stories, then eventually they (and you) are going to be ignored by the media. Only send out press releases if you have something noteworthy to say or share.
• Quotes—Provide a human element and a source for your information by including quotes from someone relevant to the news you are sharing. Quotes also give you the chance to add some subjectivity, opinions or even emotion to the facts of the story.

Once you have written your press release, always make sure to proofread it. A press release full of grammar and spelling errors isn’t going to get you the kind of attention you want, so have a second set of eyes look over it as well!

Once your press release is ready to go, there are still a few things that you will have to do before you can hit send. Keep an eye out for our next post to learn more about that, and contact us at Hodges Partnership for additional marketing advice.