Honestly, there is no rocket science behind writing a press release. However, this relatively easy task can be daunting to many writers when they are not aware of the basic principles. As the document is considered one of the most authentic and official pieces of information, it should be written by abiding by the basic rules that make it effective and attractive at the same time. So, if you want to write a good press release, here are some important aspects to keep in mind.
1. Press Release is for the Press
While this is very obvious, the content is produced to gain coverage from the media and therefore, it may look like an advertisement or news at times based on the purpose. As the content is directed at the consumers as well as journalists and reporters; a newsworthy compelling angle is supposed to be there that makes the readers more engaged with the brand. Nowadays, social media influencers and bloggers can also be a part of the target audiences as they help to gain more attention. Therefore, the approach should have a straightforward and simple tone that helps to channel the information quickly. But first, you have to make them read the content.
2. A Compelling Headline and Subject Line
In order to grab the attention of most online readers and make them read the press release, you need to craft a creative headline that attracts everyone. The key lies in making a brief yet informative something that offers a solution to a problem or some announcement that can bring a change. For example, if you have a financial organization and want to make a press release for it; the PR should be offering something that consumers want to know. Like, ‘Get Instant Loans at the moment of urgency with XYZ Group’ is a better header line than ‘XYZ group offers instant loans’. While the body of the document remains the same, it is your responsibility to put a creative angle to it.
Keep the headline less than 70 characters which makes it easy to read and catchy. Also, incorporate relevant keywords in the headline that makes your PR more discoverable for all.
More than 300 press releases are issued over the USA every day, and journalists are very busy. As a result, gaining their attention is very difficult even if you have a sent proper email. Most emails are opened based on their subject lines and so, you also need to put a creative yet informative subject line in the mail that offers an idea of the story. The subject line matters a lot when it comes to PR distribution.
3. The 6Ws, Inverted Pyramid, and Other
If you are not sure how to offer the most important elements of your story, you can always follow the rule of 6Ws that offers greater insight. 6Ws stands for, Who, What, When, Where, Why, and hoW. Answering these questions will help you offer all the necessary details of the story in the first paragraph. Online readers are impatient and if you are unable to grab their attention in the first bit; they are not going to read the whole content. 6Ws can help you guide readers to the body of the content. But do not make it too much cluttered with information which only makes it appear worse. Instead, follow an inverted pyramid structure that helps to absorb the information better.
Do not forget to write a press release summary at the end that offers a proper conclusion to the story. After that comes the boilerplate that shares a short description of the company which is further followed by media contacts, website, email, and other information.
Concluding Thoughts
Keeping an eye on the aforementioned aspects can help you craft a press release without finding it too difficult. However, if you are unable to create the content on your own; you can always take help from professional writers and agencies that offer such services. Press release writing packages are fairly reasonable and purchasing it is completely worth it.
