16 Press Release Essentials So Your Story is Found and Read
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Before Your Write
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Newsworthy Information: Have a good story to share, something your audience wants to know more about.
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Format & Style: Details Matter
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Logos and Branding: Write your press release on letterhead with your brand logo.
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Compelling, Catchy Headline: But NEVER use click bait and be accused of #FakeNews.
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Facts: Don\'t forget the 5 Ws - Who, What, When, Where and Why
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Spelling Counts: Run a grammar and spellcheck tool, then run it again!
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Skip the Jargon: Unless you\'re writing a paper targeted to a very specific, narrow audience keep your writing clean and clear: but not boring!
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Quote Your Featured Subject: Highlight key messages and quotes by using bold fonts, italics, shading and boxes so they stand out from the rest of your copy.
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Optimize Your Release: Most press releases are found and read online, so be sure to follow SEO copy best practices including keyword strategy, links, headlines, and images.
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Images and Videos: Show don\'t tell - people and search engines like images, so include relevant photos and videos. :
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Include Links and Social Share Buttons: Make it easy for your online readers to find out more information and share it - not necessary if you\'re using an online press release platform.
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Close With Background Info: End your press release with basic background on the company or subject you\'re featuring.
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Sources: If you\'re stating a fact or statistic, quote the source so you don\'t get accused of not being credible - and risk getting ignored by serious media.
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Include a CTA: What do you want the reader to do - featured links to more information or to take your desired action should be easily seen.
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Media Contacts: Include the name, email and phone contact info if the media has questions about your press release.
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After Your Write
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Make It Timely: Know when your target audience - media? the public? other businesses? are most likely to be online and not deluged by competing news.
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Follow-Up: Develop and cultivate a list of key media contacts who cover your topic, and give them a personal call after you send the press release to be sure they saw (and read) it.
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