Friday Feature: Well Written Press Releases Remain Vital Tools

Friday Feature – Well Written Press Releases Remain Vital Tools 

News just-in – the press release isn’t dead. Despite previous reports of its demise due to the rise of social media and blogging, it remains a vital tool to impart company news, accurate information and quotes to the media. An online content hub is the best place to host and distribute press releases and rights-free media assets. 

In celebration of its long and prosperous life (according to some reports, the first press release was issued in 1906 by a U.S. railroad company following a train crash in New Jersey), we are publishing a list of five tips on how to create a great press release that will gain maximum media attention. 

1 – Answer the questions.  When researching stories, journalists are taught to ask the questions – who, what, where, why, when and how. Make their lives easier by answering these questions in the first three paragraphs of your press release. 

2 – Catch the attention with a great headline. Make sure it’s not too long and not too short. You can always include a sub-headline if there is extra detail that you want to include. A strong headline tends to be between 10 and 15 words in length.  

3 – Language matters. Leave the business jargon behind. Unless you just want your story to be covered by Widget Weekly, explain your story in layman’s terms. Try and avoid cliches, such as ground-breaking, game-changer, and synergy. Do use ‘action’ words, such as announce, confirm, and reveal.  

4 – Always include a quote (or two) from senior management in the press release. A quote from your CEO will always gain more traction than one from your CMO. 

5 – Seeing as well as reading. Every online story needs a strong and relevant thumbnail image, the more striking the better. So, include a range of images that are easy to download. A link to a press kit is helpful. This can include product shots, team images and C-Suite headshots.

If you would like more suggestions on how to construct or revamp your online content hub, please get in touch on our contact page or follow us on LinkedIn.