The anatomy of a good press release
Apr 18, 2016
A painful lesson in why managing your own website backups is vital
Apr 25, 2016
To be truly effective, a press release has to be tight, have a great hook and contain all the pertinent information needed to get the outcome you?re looking for. While the structure is the same for any press release, there is skill involved in making it interesting to both the media and the audience.
That means you are likely to spend more time and effort planning what to say rather than actually saying it.
Here?s how to write an attention grabbing press release.
The headline
As with any marketing copy, writing a catchy headline that gets attention for all the right reasons is key to a good press release. It should be clear, concise and compelling enough for a reader to read on.
If you?re writing a release for online outlets, you should also have an eye on SEO and encapsulate your primary keyword within the title.
Subheading
Subheadings aren?t mandatory for a press release but I think they are a useful explanatory expression that can support the title. A maximum of two lines, the sub header should bait the hook created by the headline.
They are also useful to get another keyword term highlighted but only if it fits comfortably.
First paragraph
The first paragraph needs to cut right to the chase and outline the who, what, when, where, how and why of the release. It needs to be positive, energetic and readable. It should also intrigue or entertain enough to make the reader continue into the body copy.
Online releases should also have a keyword terms somewhere in the first paragraph as long as it fits.
Body copy
The body copy of a press release fleshes out the first paragraph and adds all those essential details to call the reader to action. It should be concise but still provide the detail necessary to complete the story.
If you?re writing for an online release, include links on keyword terms and publish it on your site once complete. Some press release outlets will only publish if the release is original to them so be careful who you choose and self-publish, or not, accordingly.
Quotes
Quotes are optional in a press release but can be useful if it adds authority to the piece. If an influencer has said something good about what you?re promoting and have agreed to be quoted, by all means include it.
Boilerplate
The boilerplate is the company blurb at the end of a press release. It should be short and to the point like the rest of the release and should include branding wherever possible.
