What is a Press Release?

Before you learn how to write a press release, let’s first understand what it is.

A press release (also known as a news release) is a brief document that shares something newsworthy you have done with the press and other media outlets.

It is usually sent to journalists and editors who may use the information to write a news article^[1].

Note: A press release is a piece of content which is accompanied by a press release email^[2] pitching the story to the journalist – a sort of cover letter which summarizes the content in the release.

Why Would You Still Send A Press Release in 2020?

Here are the top reasons why you need to write a press release:

1. Garners attention and awareness

Journalists and media outlets have far more reach than your business alone, so it makes sense to use press releases to garner more attention and awareness.

2. Helps build relationships

Sending press releases is a mutually beneficial exercise. Journalists need stories – if you can help them with this,  it could be the start of a relationship with someone in the media industry.

3. Improves your search engine optimization

If you can incorporate keywords efficiently, your rank for those keywords on search engines can shoot up. [Hint: I use SEOJet^[3] to always know what anchor text to use for each backlink.]

Also, if a journalist uses your contributions^[4] for an article or blog post, it could get you backlinks from their company’s website (backlinks are one of the best ways to get your content to the top of a search engine).

4. You can manage your image

An effective press release is also a good way to control how your business is viewed. You can build your brand image and shape public perception through an informative official statement with facts to counter any negative publicity. 

One major question you may have is:

When do you Need a Press Release?

Ideally, a press release is a viable outlet whenever you want to share content that’s newsworthy.

But how do you decide if your content is newsworthy?

For content to be considered newsworthy, there are a few factors that you need to take into consideration:

• Impact – is someone going to be affected by this information?
• Immediacy – is this urgent news?
• Recognition – is this about something well-known?

Most successful press releases satisfy at least two of those three criteria.

Press Release Format and Template

The next step in learning how to write a press release is understanding the press release format.

If your press release conforms to a format that a journalist is familiar with, your odds of getting published are higher.

IMPORTANT: Before you write a press release you MUST do something newsworthy, in other words have news which journalists actually want to cover!

Your hook for the story/finding you’re pitching must be based on a trending topic journalists are covering right now.

Here’s a typical press release format:

• Headline Which Grabs People’s Attention: A title which grabs people’s attention and clearly explains what the release is about – Is it a newsworthy study? A product launch^[5]?
• Location: Where you are and where the news is taking place
• Strong Lead: This is where you explain your newsworthy study/content in one sentence
• Body: This should be easily skimmable information provided in decreasing levels of importance. It’s a very good idea to add in quotes throughout the body to back up your arguments.
• Boilerplate: A few words describing your company to the audience
• Press Contact: Name and contact details of your media coordinator or communications executive. Typically, anyone who the reporter can get in touch with to get more information.

Note: While there’s no preferred font for your press release, sticking to a common font like Arial or Times New Roman is a good idea.

As you work through this post you’ll write your first press release.

Please copy and paste this press release template outline below into your text editor to start writing the release:

[INSERT ATTENTION GRABBING HEADLINE]
Strong Lead Sentence

Summary Bullet Point One (if makes sense)
Summary Bullet Point Two (if makes sense)
Summary Bullet Point Three (if makes sense)

[DATE],[CITY], [STATE]

Introductory Paragraph

[QUOTE]

[Second Paragraph]

[Third Paragraph]

[QUOTE]

Closing Paragraph

[BOILERPLATE]

Name of Press Contact:
Phone:
Email:

How To Write a Press Release: 7 Steps

Here’s your step-by-step guide on how to craft a well-written press release:

1. Find Ways To Be Newsworthy

As you’ll be pitching to journalists, create a news release with that in mind.

Here’s how to give journalists what they want:

Exclusive Data or Research

Journalists love anything exclusive. They also happen to love data. Giving them exclusive data in a media release is a good way of offering both.

Newsjacking

While you may not be able to provide journalists with your own breaking news event every time, you can use a content marketing process called newsjacking.

Simply put, newsjacking is the process of injecting your brand into a current news story to make it more relevant and eye-catching. For example, if something is viral on social media platforms like Twitter, tying your news release to it is a smart way to get traction.

Emotional Connection

Stories with an emotional connection resonate better with a target audience and lead to more social traction.

If you can get people emotionally invested in your brand, chances are your audience might be willing to give it a shot.

2. Write Your Press Release Headline

Your press release headline is the first thing anyone’s going to see, so you have to make sure it’s perfect.

The goal of your press release headline should be to get in, impress the journalist, and get out.

The three core tenets of writing a press release headline are:

• Use action verbs
• Be direct
• Be comprehensive

If you’re still struggling with your headline, you could always try a headline analyzer^[8] to give you an idea of where you stand.

3. Craft Your Lede

Your lead is the first paragraph in your press release.

Usually consisting of 35 to 45 words, it summarizes the most critical parts of your press release.

This first paragraph has to answer the “5 Ws” as concisely as possible.

• Who: Who’s involved in the news story? Which person or company is involved?
• What: What’s happening? What’s it about?
• When: When did this story or event happen? When is it going to happen?
• Where: Where did this story or event take place?
• Why: Why is this information relevant to a reader of these media outlets?

4. Write Your Body Paragraphs

The goal of the body is to describe all the relevant details of the story and your brand’s involvement in it. The key word here is relevant. 

Every great press release uses the inverted pyramid formula to do this:

You include the most pertinent details right at the top and then get into the less vital aspects as you go on.

5. Include Supporting Quotes

Including quotes is a good way to boost the credibility and personality of your press release to a reader. However, always ensure that your quote is relevant in the context of the article.

6. Write Your Boilerplate Text

Your boilerplate is a standardized copy of what your organization is and stands for. When you write a boilerplate, you are essentially condensing facts, business aspirations and marketing goals – all into one short paragraph. 

You can even include your company logo here if you want to.

For a more in-depth look at how to write the perfect boilerplate, click here^[9].

7. Add Media Contact Details

You need to include your media contact information for reporters to get in touch with you. Include your email id and phone number to give them a point of contact when they want to reach out to you.

5 Types of Press Releases (And Why They Work)

Here are 5 types of press release examples and why they have nailed it.

1. Product Launch Press Release

Take a look at this product launch PR Release from Apple^[10]. It has all the elements of a good press release in the perfect order.

Let’s analyze them one-by-one.

The Headline

It’s clear, concise and simple. It’s also attention grabbing – something that’s bound to attract reporters and customers.

The Location

Before the intro para or lead, it mentions where the news is taking place. In this example, the location is New York. 

The Lead

The lead gets right to the point. The journalist knows that this is a new product release. They’re also made aware of the various features that make this laptop so impressive to customers.

The Body 

The body copy follows the inverted pyramid format to a tee. 

It starts off by including a quote from a senior ranking official describing why this new release is a huge achievement for Apple.  This establishes a human element that helps them reach their audience better.

The Boilerplate

There’s a reason why the Apple boilerplate is a frequently used example for what a boilerplate should look like in marketing circles. It’s clear, avoids jargon, lists out all their offerings, includes data and notes down what they strive to do.

The Media Contact

Not only does it mention the contact details of the PR agents, but also of the company’s media helpline.

2. New Research Findings Press Release

There are a lot of things this press release example does well like the title, lead and quotes.