“How to write a press release” When you type it into Google, it spits out hundreds of results. And no wonder. If you’re trying to get media coverage for your business, knowing a way to write a press release is an essential skill. But what must a press release include? How to end a press release? And what about the press release format? Luckily, we’ve got all of the answers on how to write a press release. There are precise guidelines for writing a press release—covering the whole thing from news angles to press release structure.
All of them you will find in our complete manual on how to write press releases that get attention (and results!), alongside expert comments. Every organization desires to maintain its image and reputation through a constant series of public relations efforts. One of the primary tools of public relations is a press release — an official, written announcement from an organization to the public. PR experts will publish releases on their company websites and ship them out to journalists in order to land earned media coverage.
It’s critical to note that journalists hugely prefer releases that are relevant to their audiences. Business journalists, for example, might search for company merger announcements while consumer-centric media prioritize stories about modern product launches.
What Is A Press Release/News Release?
Want to know what is a press release? A press release is an authentic statement (written or recorded) that a company issues to the news media and beyond. Whether we name it a “press release,” a “press statement,” a “news release,” or a “media release,” we are always speaking about the same fundamental thing. While the heading must include action verbs, the primary paragraph must answer the “who,” “what,” “why,” and “where.” The press release must additionally include understandable language and a quote.
Most press releases are succinct at only a page long – pages tops. Ultimately, businesses need to offer sufficient information in order that news retailers have enough material for publishing their personal stories regardless of what the company is announcing in the release. One aspect to keep in mind when wondering how to write a press release is that press releases stay in the public domain. This means that your stakeholders and clients can see them. So, rather than considering a press release completely as a ticket to earning news coverage, remember it as a precious piece of marketing content material.
While there may be no cut-and-dried method for what a press release must include, here are some forms of activities that will help you carve out a focus for your press release and decide what content might help you broadcast your information in the best manner.
Types of Press Releases
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Product Launches
The product release kind of press release is precious to get the word out about the brand new solutions your company is offering to consumers. It must emphasize the product’s specs, pricing, availability, and additional info that can be valuable to consumers.
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Mergers and Acquisitions
Organizational change is noteworthy and sufficient to warrant how to write a press release. Particularly for informing contemporary and future stakeholders about the growth and trajectory of an organization. To announce an acquisition or merger consists of information about all companies involved, data about the merger or acquisition, and charges from the leadership teams.
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Product Updates
Similar to a new product launch, product updates and expansions also are ripe for promotion. Explain what the change is, why it was made, and the way it benefits the user.
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Events
If you are skeptical about how to write a press release. Press releases are a critical element of event marketing to attract promotion from news outlets and different media sources. It is another press release example.
You’ll need to include:
- What the event is about
- Who must remember attending
- When and wherein it’ll be held
- Pricing
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Grand Openings
Whether you spread out a new office, relocated, or are establishing for the first time, announce the details with a grand opening press release. Announce the date and location the grand opening could be held, who’s involved, how the grand opening is being celebrated, and the reason for the move (if applicable).
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New Partnerships
Similar to mergers and acquisitions, a press release saying new partnerships is a collectively useful advertising tactic. To successfully execute this type of launch, make sure to write down a summary about each organization, why the partnership was created, who benefits, and any additional critical info for current and future stakeholders.
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Rebranding
Rebranding is a tough thing for any business to do, and it may from time to time bring about confusion and awkwardness. One way to make the transition smoother is via way of means of announcing the rebrand with a press release, along with info on what’s changing, the purpose for making the change, dates the changes move into effect, and quotes from the management team.
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Executive Team Changes
Executives regularly serve as faces of the organization, and a press release functions to kick off this role. It may also include biographical information to set up their credibility alongside a photo and other pertinent info. So in order to knowing how to write a press release, it is also important.
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Awards
When it involves business excellence, it is OK to brag. Press releases about awards and accomplishments serve to cement your company as an expert for your space. Such a press release consists of statistics about the organization and why they had been given the award, statistics about the award itself, and information about the ceremony (if applicable).
How To Write A Press Release Step-By-Step
Step 1: Target audience
Before you get to the actual press release writing—the most critical thing to start with is choosing the angle that matters for your target audience. Remember that the perspective (an angle that story will take, in different words) so that it will interest the readers of a specialist magazine could be very different from the nearby newspaper. In fact, you must write distinctive variations of how to write a press release for the different audiences you’re focused on.
Keep in thoughts that you’re not best focused on potential readers, however additionally journalists. If you don’t do your research and target the wrong journalists, writing appropriate press releases won’t get you anywhere.
Step 2: Press release structure
Want to know how to write a press release and write a triumphing press release. It’s additionally vital to understand the press release structure.
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Headline: with the purpose to have a fish you need to seize it first
First things first, your press release desires to have a catchy headline with the purpose to be successful. It’s the primary thing people will read and based on how to write a press release. They’ll make their selection whether they need to read everything or not. Try to keep it quick when you already know how to write a press release. This way, it’s simpler to read, it appears extra attractive and so long as it’s no more than 110 characters—people would possibly even tweet about it. Make it fresh, newsworthy, and exciting, because the whole decision-making technique takes about three seconds.
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Lead: answer the 5 W’s briefly, however, hold to your readers’ attention
The 2d most critical part of writing a press release is to craft the lead. That’s exactly wherein the impatient ones will find the answers to the most essential questions, which include the 5 W’s: what the news is about, who’s involved, whilst and wherein it happened, and why it is essential. When scripting this part ensure you follow the “miniskirt rule”, which means your lead must be long enough to cover the essentials, but short enough to keep it exciting. Don’t waste the journalist’s time telling how to write a press release. You need to pique their curiosity, not deliver them all of the info at once.
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Source: show your trustworthiness
If you’re basing your press release on outside sources, ensure to quote them. That way you turn into more credible in the eyes of your audience. It’s crucial to ensure how to write a press release, something you’re linking to is legitimate, and now no longer fake information. We don’t suggest showing the complete URL except you’re bringing up your sources at the bottom of your press releases. Use anchor textual content to make your hyperlinks look more natural.
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Essentials: the beauty is in the information
Give your readers crucial information on how to write a press release. And by information, we imply the fundamental statistics this is vital to determine why this press release is newsworthy. You don’t need to write down a novel on how to write a press release. Simply give a quick explanation and get the journalists enthusiastic about something they’ll write about.
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Quotes: show the angle of others
The press release quotes are usually welcome. Why? They carry another angle to the textual content and make it extra diverse. Quotes can effortlessly make your textual content extra exciting and extra readable if they are curious about how to write a press release. Which must be good enough reasons to include them in your press release.
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Additional info: is there anything else you have to add?
If so, that is the time to do it—without surely overdoing it. Remember, occasionally less is extra when you know how to write a press release. And that’s certainly the case in terms of writing an amazing press release.
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Contact information: introduce yourself
Don’t overlook to add contact info so journalists will know the way to reach you, or everyone else worth contacting. It’s essential because they may need to ask a few additional questions about the story. If you overlook this part, the possibilities of having your release published are essentially narrow to none.
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Boilerplate: the appropriate manner to cease a press launch
In case you’re asking yourself the way to cease a press launch, right here’s your solution: have a boilerplate. If you stuck the reporters’ interest and that they stored on studying till this location, maximum in all likelihood they need to recognize extra approximately you. The boilerplate is precisely the place in which they’ll discover any additional information about your organization or you. Make it fun and exciting about how to write a press release. It really works as your business card, and also you need to present yourself well.
Now, it’s time to double-check the whole thing
- Is it newsworthy?
- Is it among 200-400 words?
- Does it include all the above-cited elements?
- Is the heading catchy?
- Is it objective and not promotional?
If the answer to all of these questions is YES, you’ve got got a great chance that your release will become viral. Just keep in mind to send it to the right reporters and preferably – at the right time.
Step 3: Press release format
Now that we’ve included the press release structure after getting how to write a press release, let’s focus on the press release format. When it involves press releases, it’s truly similar to great food or an outstanding gift—even though it’s outstanding, but given in awful packaging, it loses its value. In the end, most folks are inspired visually, and that’s why the first impact definitely counts.
Step 4: Common errors while understanding how to write a press release
1. The story isn’t really a newsworthy one
First things first how to write a press release. Is your story truly a story? Is it new or exciting? Will people outside your organization actually care about it? If the answer to those questions is yes, you then definitely might be onto something. If it’s not new, not exciting, and also you’re not sure if everybody will actually care, it is probably a terrific idea to come up with something else.
2. You’re just beating across the bush
Nail the story in the first few sentences: get the information out quickly and succinctly and the possibilities of a press release making it from an inbox to an article meeting will increase dramatically. Journalists are driven for a time more than ever earlier in how to write a press release. So the significance of communicating the bones of the story in the first few lines of a press release is critical. Chances are, they’re not going to have time to read everything, so the faster you get to the point, the better.
3. Press release quotes don’t come off as actual
Whether it’s a young individual speaking about how satisfied they’re to have secured an apprenticeship or a CEO reading the latest economic results. It’s a smart idea to make the people quoted in a press release sound real about how to write a press release. For example, the stated younger individual is not likely to apply words you’d want a dictionary to understand, so keep in mind to have your story feel real. Just try and make certain they’re not ‘delighted’, even if they’re.
Step 5: Press release templates
Congratulations! By now, you need to recognize how to write a powerful press release. But, as Gene Fowler once said, writing is easy. All you do is stare at a plain sheet of paper till drops of blood form on your forehead while knowing how to write a press release. You might be capable of writing with flair but additionally suffer from the blank-page syndrome sometimes. It may be painful, mainly while your press releases begin to pile up. Luckily, there’s a way to interrupt that mold. With Semrush Marketplace, you may without difficulty order your press releases from writers who know the way to craft a message to get the “A-HA moment” at the journalist’s end.
Tips for Publishing Press Releases
Writing a press launch is definitely only 1/2 of the battle. Once you are completed with production, it will likely be time to focus on distribution. Of course, we are all familiar with the conventional distribution levers we will pull, which consist of publishing the press release on our website/weblog in addition to sharing the press release with our subscribers or followers via social media and email.
To get the most amount of distribution possible, here are a few suggestions you can follow if you still don’t know how to write a press release.
1. Reach out to particular journalists.
Instead of blasting a press release out to each journalist you may find an e-mail address for, focus on some reporters who’ve experience covering your industry (and organization, hopefully) and send them customized messages. Connect the dots of how to write a press release. To what they write, show why what you wrote connects.
2. Send the release to top reporters a day earlier.
Give reporters a while to craft a story around your press release by sending it to them — under embargo — the day before it formally is going live. “Under embargo” simply means they are not allowed to share the facts in the press release till the time you specify.
3. Don’t publish your release on the hour, to avoid competition.
If you are publishing your press release on a distribution service like PR Newswire or Business Wire, keep away from publishing it during the hour (e.g., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., or five p.m.). The purpose? Most organizations schedule their releases to exit at the hour, this means that in case your release is going out at the hour too, it is much more likely to wander away in the shuffle. Instead, attempt going with a more distinct time (e.g., 1:12 p.m., 3:18 p.m., or 5:22 p.m.).
If all is going consistent with the plan, and your press release receives picked up by the media, your process nonetheless isn’t always finished. To maintain the excitement going, you may launch a “second wave” of distribution. Do it by sharing the particular stories that news stores write based on your press release. You also can share the information for your virtual channels. Like social media and e-mail, to deliver awareness for your announcement.
Ready For Your First Press Release?
This is simply how to write a press release. You reached the end of this weblog post! Just like that, you recognize the way to write a press release. Whether it’s your first tale or the hundredth, use this article to reference the way to do it right. You can even take our press release writing services assistance if you want to take it a notch up. Happy writing!