How to write a press release

A press release is the most common and easiest way to achieve media coverage. A press release is an informative content piece, which should concisely inform an audience about something new and newsworthy, i.e., an investment, product launch, acquisition, etc.

In this blog, we look at how to ensure your press release is top-notch

Make it newsworthy

If it isn't newsworthy, you will not get coverage, despite how long you've spent crafting your perfect press release, and despite how well you know a journalist.

Think about the following questions:

• Is the information we're sharing new?
• Will people care or do we simply want them to?
• Is it unique? Has this topic been covered before recently?

It's important to ask yourself these questions because if the answer to even one of them is 'no', then you're wasting your time. A good press release should be:

• Topical and 'hot off the press'
• Interesting to the audience
• Unique & not previously covered

If you can't guarantee your press release is all three, then maybe hold off until you've got something a bit more exciting and engaging to share with the world.

Craft an exceptional headline

The PR world loves the phrase 'killer headline', but for a reason. A good quality press release will have a killer headline - something that stands out. 

You need to remember that journalists get dozens if not hundreds of pitches a day. Why should they cover yours? A killer headline will help. Provoking a reaction is generally good - even if that reason is simply just intrigue.

Similarly, make sure you get to the point. Give journalists the information they need to make a decision upfront. Don't make them read it all to understand the angle. Simply, they won't. 

Your first line should be short and sweet; a maximum of 15-20 words.

Concise is best

The quicker you can get a journalist to react to your release the better. And similarly, the quicker the point comes across, the quicker your audience(s) will engage with it too.

Stick to one side of A4 paper all-in. Anything more than that can come across as ill-considered or too complex to be covered without explanation.

Top tips

• Think about how your press release title would be ready out on air - either TV or radio. Think about headlines you've seen or heard recently; how does yours compare?
• Write your press release in full with all of the details and then be strict and cut it back. Keep cutting until you're confident that it's short and sweet, but still makes sense. Don't forget, you don't have an opportunity to speak to the journalist much these days, they need everything they need in the one place.
• Add useful (but not necessary) information to the appendices, i.e., about the company, or about the people quoted.
• Make it easy to digest; ensuring there are suitable subheadings and line spacing is a good approach.
• Quotes should be used as insight, giving context to any data or angles, as opposed to being informative. Use quotes to give opinion and bring across expertise.
• Tweak your press release for multiple publications. A one-size-fits-all approach simply will not work across the board. For example, an industry angle may be completely different to a regional one. Think about your audience at every point. Is the information relevant to them? A retail and regional audience will be different. Treat them that way.

Don't give up

Journalists are bsuy and even the best press releases get missed sometimes. If you believe you've got a great story, don't be afraid to chase up your prospective journalists.