Its purpose is to collect all relevant details from the story in one source. A well-written press release can garner valuable media attention, yet leave the company the option to shape the story the way they want.
Regularly optimizing press releases as part of your content marketing efforts can benefit your overall strategy. They can generate demand organically, thanks to interest from reporters.
You can announce different types of news using this medium. Below, you’ll find the six most common reasons to write a press release.
1. Product Launches and Updates
We know from studies on customer psychology that one of the most important brain triggers is the “first and last” effect. This means that a product launch press release (which would be the first message in the campaign) should be a crucial element in your strategy.
Pro tip: Is your new product something that your customers aren’t used to? Highlight a quote from your CEO to make your intentions clear through a personal voice.
2. Events
It doesn’t matter whether your event is open or closed to the public. You can utilize a press release either way.
Pro tip: If your event has a highly visual aspect, make sure to play it up in your press release.
3. Branding Changes
When there is a major change happening at your company, a press release is a good place to start informing the public. The two most notable branding updates could be a rebranding campaign or the introduction of a new partnership agreement.
Pro tip: Keep the buzz going by implementing 1–3 call-to-actions in your release. If undergoing a rebrand, include images of your new brand identity and explain why you’re changing.
4. Leadership Changes
When the head of a company changes, it can bring about new decisions in the organizational direction, too. This is an advancement that journalists and some consumers like to know about.
Pro tip: If it’s more than one change in executive-level staff, try to include all of their headshots on the same banner. This will give them all equal footing during the announcement campaign.
Make sure to also add quotes from either the new appointees themselves, another executive, or the outgoing leadership.
5. Award Announcements
When a company receives recognition for something, a new communication opportunity emerges. What’s most important in an award announcement press release is to define how it impacts the end-user.
Pro tip: Use high-impact keywords, such as “high performer”, “14th consecutive quarter”, and “best”, to add depth to the company's achievements.
6. Company Breaking News
In times like these — when COVID-19 has affected almost every business in the world — breaking-news-type press releases are coming out every other day.
Aside from the topic of the coronavirus, it’s still highly beneficial to learn how to write such a release. In case an urgent matter needs to be communicated a.s.a.p., it’s best to be prepared ahead of time.
Pro tip: The only way you can efficiently convey sad news is by stating the facts and providing a clear explanation. It’s even okay to omit any striking imagery as the focus should be on sharing all the necessary information.
Press releases generally have the same setup. By keeping the formatting consistent, reporters will always know where to look for which information.
So, here are the 8 parts you should include in your press release:
1. Create a Stunning Headline
A killer headline upholds top priority in online marketing. Without it, there is no reader. Without a reader, there is no conversion. The same idea can apply to a press release headline.
Here are a few tips for you to keep in mind.
Write 10+ Versions for Your Headline
You’ll be surprised how your best idea will not be the first one. It might sound like overkill, but coming up with a snappy press release headline can pay for itself tenfold.
Add Numbers or Other Exciting Elements
Numbers are still one of the best ways to catch the reader’s attention. Why? Quantifying a statement acts as a visualization tool. It also shows a level of authority for the topic.
Source
Include Your Keyword
“Although not as important as it once was, your title tag remains an important on-page SEO signal,” says Brian Dean from Backlinko. He also encourages bringing the keyword closer to the beginning of the title tag to further improve performance.
Copy and paste this template to craft yours:
“[WHO: COMPANY] today announced it will [WHAT] at [WHERE] on [WHEN]. The [EVENT/ANNOUNCEMENT] will provide [BENEFIT] for [AUDIENCE].”
2. Formulate a Newsworthy Angle
Every good news story has an angle, or in other words, a perspective that your story will take. By setting up a clear perspective, you can attract more journalists looking for something newsworthy.
Great angles can include:
Local impact. How is your story impacting the local community?
Conflict. Is your press release giving another side to a conflict?
Progress. Is your press release highlighting progress made towards a specific problem?
Drama. Does your press release evoke an emotional response for readers?
Below is a headline example for the “local impact” angle:
Source
3. Put Your Most Important Information First
An effective press release format follows the “inverted pyramid”:
The most critical information (i.e. the 5 Ws)
Secondary details
Additional info
If you want to create a succinct press release, following the 5 Ws in the first half of your structure is especially powerful.
Secondary Details
If you include a quote from the company, writers will be able to use it in their own stories. Keep in mind that reporters and writers are already super busy; the more work you create for them, the less chance they will cover your story.
Eliminate Fluff
A press release is the type of content where you need to put on your best copywriting hat. Keep it short and to the point — ideally, no longer than 500 words. It’s also important not to bury the lead for your reader.
In short, write a press release that’s upfront about its purpose.
Follow AP Style
Journalists follow AP style, and you should, too. This will make your information easier for them to use.
Visit APStyleBook.com to buy a physical copy or digital subscription, and make sure your writing conforms to this common standard.
4. Summarize the Key Elements Succinctly
Press releases sometimes employ bullet points at the start of the release to summarize the essential details. This is to make it easy for the journalist to grasp the story and the angle.
Here’s a Business Wire press release example that only uses a one-sentence summary under the title.
Source
On the other hand, NIVEA’s news release uses all three spots to lead up to its story.
Source
The summary occupies the beginning of a press release, so it’s the one that gets pulled into the search results the most. Therefore, writing it well is doubly important.
Here are the best practices, for a summary:
Keep bullet points to 1–3 medium-length concise sentences.
Incorporate the 5 Ws.
Add keywords and supporting keywords.
Help the reader understand the story.
Make the angle clear.
Get the reader excited to learn more (e.g. state a question).
Ideally, you should write the body of the press release first and leave the summary last. That way, you can summarize the main points with more insight.
5. Add Media Contact Details
The reporters at news outlets, who are reading your press release, will need to know who to contact for more details. This section is provided at the end of a news release.
Make sure to include the following details:
Point of contact: This should be a name and job title for who to reach.
Email address: Give them the best one to reach the preferred point of contact. You could also include a mailing address.
Phone number: In case they'd like to call, rather than email.
Here’s the contact info section from the previously shown NIVEA press release. Some companies also include a link or two to downloadable media assets.
Source
Modern press releases are carrying a lot of formatting preferences from the olden days, out of tradition. Here are some additional elements to watch out for when writing a press release.
1. Date
One of the first things that stand out in a press release is the location and the date noted at the beginning of the lede. This is how it should look:
New York, April 6, 2021 — Beiersdorf’s iconic skincare brand, NIVEA, has a new strategy lead design partner. Peter Schmidt Group was selected as the new global lead agency for the brand identity.
Simply copy and paste the above template and switch the information to yours.
2. Spacing
The most accepted formatting calls for two lines of space between each paragraph.
3. Grammar and Spelling
A press release is the type of announcement that will get many eyes during the media distribution phase. Speed up your review by finding a grammar checker that suits your needs.
4. Boilerplate
A boilerplate is the short bio of your company. It should appear on every release you publish.
Include the following information:
The name of your organization
Your mission statement
Founding dates
Company size
An update on the mission statement
Ready For Your First Press Release?
This just in: You reached the end of this blog post! Just like that, you know how to write a press release.
Whether it’s your first story or the hundredth, use this article to reference how to do it right.
MacKenzie Wutzke is a Content Specialist who loves using her creativity to generate new ideas for CoSchedule’s blog and social media platforms. She believes in the power of words, and the impact they can have on people. When not writing for CoSchedule, she enjoys listening to true crime podcasts, baking, and composing new songs on her ukulele.
![How To Write a Great Press Release [7 Free Templates and 21 Examples]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.coschedule.com%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F02%2Fhow-to-write-press-release-header.png&w=3840&q=75)
![Cover Image for [Best of Season] AMP075: Getting 10x Results From Your Content With Garrett Moon Of CoSchedule](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.coschedule.com%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F04%2F282_Garrett-Moon-Podcast-Graphics_header-1.png&w=2048&q=75)
