Welcome to my top Tips for Writing a Press Release. Writing a press release can help further your company’s public relations objectives. It can help get your brand out there and help you obtain visibility within the media.
In my experience when writing press releases for companies, the one thing I’ve noticed is that companies tend to stick to old ways of doing things. What I mean is that the form of the press release has become outdated – and unnecessarily so! Additionally, press officers find themselves stuck in a rut. They write the same kinds of releases day-after-day, using the exact same phrases and often the same style and tone. Of course, it’s crucial to uphold your brand’s style and tone across all press releases. But variation is the key in today’s content-driven world!
As such, I’ve compiled 10 top tips for writing a press release – there are many others of course but for those beginning a role in public relations, this list can help guide you:
1.Know and Implement the Standard Formatting
Each and every company uses a different type of formatting when writing a press release. This is a standard adhered to by the company. For instance, your company may require a boilerplate (standardized text about the company) at the bottom of each and every release whereas other companies may not require this (as it might very well be a standard already implemented in the footer of the website and they might not want to repeat it within the text again). But this, of course, depends on where you’re publishing your releases and if you’re in fact publishing these on your website within a ‘press’ section. You can Google image search the term ‘press release templates’ – for examples of what press releases should look like. You can also download my basic press release template to help you here:
2. Have a Single Aim
Some press releases comprise more than one topic. This is problematic and confusing for the reader. Stick to one main news update or subject. This should form the premise of the entire piece. For instance, if you’re launching an event in September, write exclusively about the launch event and provide all logistical details i.e. registrations, time, location, date, programme etc. etc. You could create additional press releases focusing on the same topic but with a different angle i.e. one could be exclusively about the speakers presenting at the event. Another press release could be about the line-up or programme. You could even write press releases after the event has taken place as a way to announce the date of your next event. You can be creative and generate various releases for a single event or topic instead of squeezing all information into a single release.
3. Use a 3 or 5-Paragraph Structure
Most press releases adhere to the 3-paragraph structure – an introduction, body, and conclusion. Of course, the overarching structure of your press release depends on the actual content being conveyed. Some press releases may in fact conform to a 5-paragraph structure whereby there are 3 body paragraphs, an introduction and conclusion (see my downloaded template for this example). This is great for press releases with various sub-components and where there are quotations from stakeholders available. However, keep in mind that press releases are generally supposed to be short and sweet!
4. Use Transitional Words
If you’re just starting to write press releases, I suggest you initially rely on using transitional words in your writing. Transitional words are connectors – they help create flow in your writing and shift from idea to idea. Examples of transitional words are: and, but, or, so, in contract, because, however, moreover, furthermore, nevertheless, consequently etc. etc. There is quite a long list of transitional words that you can draw upon in your writing. But a word of caution – understand the implications of using certain transitional words. Some are more negative sounding and can have consequences for the tone of your overall piece. And once you become an advanced press release writer, you won’t necessarily need to draw upon transitional words as much.
5. Avoid Clichés
Clichés are often used by press officers when writing press releases. This is seriously problematic as they are overused and cheesy phrases which can lower the quality of your writing. They can also be off-putting to journalists and media outlets. Personally, I suggest avoiding them. You can indeed use some basic ones that are universally understandable (especially if your readership has English as a second language). In fact, I’ve used a couple of universally-accepted ones within this blog post already!
6. Reduce Adjective and Adverb Usage
Adjectives and adverbs are generally used to add descriptions when writing a press release. It is a standard practice in the world of public relations to reduce the usage of adjectives and adverbs. This was done because the purpose of press releases was to convey direct and factual information to the press and from there, journalists would use releases to write stories. As such, I suggest equally reducing the use of adjectives and adverbs. But of course, there are exceptions to this, for instance, when your company wants to announce something for which they are proud. As such, you may very well need to use adverbs to convey a sense of pride within your writing and get the right tone. So, use descriptive words when necessary but only if they truly (adverb!) add meaning to the text.
7. Adhere to the Organization’s Style and Tone
Tip number 7 out of my 10 Tips for Writing a Press Release is focused on style and tone — two fundamental elements that most companies overlook. Your organization should have a style guide or house style guide whereby you can get a sense of the overarching style and tone for all documents. This guide usually has details about the values of the brand, the emotions, and tone which should be conveyed in writing and speaking as well as the level of formality for documents. It can also comprise of design details, for instance, where and how to use the company’s logo etc. etc.
Considering style and tone in your press releases is crucial. Generally, press releases should be more neutrally, formally and professionally written with few colloquialisms and slang words. But this, of course, depends on what has been decided upon by your organization.
8. Experiment with Media
As mentioned in the introduction, the written form of press releases is being seen by many as becoming outdated. Hence, experimenting with a combination of video releases and text releases is important (also for SEO reasons!). You can even have a different strategy for different channels i.e. using video statements on Facebook and a combination of video and text releases on your website. This will ensure a greater reach for your press releases.
9. Include SEO Keywords
Many press officers forget to include the use of SEO keywords when writing a press release. These are not just keywords that we think should be included. Your marketing team needs to furnish you with a proper list of possible keywords that you can incorporate in your press releases, blogs and any other online content. Moreover, such keywords need to be naturally utilized and shouldn’t be shoved into the text so that the sentences become meaningless.
Moreover, you need to understand much more than keywords if you’re using press releases on your website. For instance, you’d need to use links between press releases especially if they are on the same topic or theme. You also need to create links from press releases to main pages within your site
10. Consider a Cross-Platform Strategy
When publishing your press release on your website, consider the various channels you want to utilize to spread the message. Then write around 5 – 10 different sentences which can be used across these channels. Do not use the same sentence as an update on Facebook and then again on Twitter. This can irritate the readers especially if they follow your brand on multiple channels. Writing the press release is one thing but having a strong cross-platform strategy is another. Who is the target audience of your release and where do they ‘hang out’? Consider this carefully together with your marketing team.
I hope you enjoyed my 10 Tips for Writing an Effective Press Release! Can you think of any other useful tips when writing a press release? Feel free to add to this list below! You can also take a look at my 1-day public relations training for companies.