Ideas for Your Next Press Release

The art of press release writing has come a long way since it was first used as a promotional tool.  Rather than depending on print media to spread our newsworthy content, we have now come to depend on the Internet to share our press releases.  This means that as we create and publish press releases we need to do so with Internet users in mind.  It also means that we need to create press releases that are attention grabbing and relevant to our target customers. 

Publishing press releases online has also opened up a new level of competition to get your press release noticed.  To keep your press releases interesting to your readers, you need to include content and news that your readers will find interesting.  This means that you will have to regularly provide your readers with fresh content.  If you do not have anything new to announce to your readers, you may be wondering how you can keep your press releases fresh.  If you find yourself in this situation, I have put together some helpful tips that can help you continue to create press releases.

• Products & Services – The primary purpose of a press release remains the same, to keep your readers up to date on your products and services.  If you do not have anything new in the works, you may be able to tie in your existing products or services with a new trend.  This will give you a fresh outlook and approach for writing and publishing new press releases.
• Research – Online shoppers rely on getting as much information about a product they are planning on purchasing as possible.  To help potential customers see the value in your products, you should include research that you have performed and that may be available regarding the importance of your product.  If you can combine the information about your product with statistics, readers will place value on your content.
• Offers – Nothing attracts the attention of online shoppers than a good deal.  If you’re planning on offering free shipping or discounts with a purchase on your site, create a press release to announce it.  Writing and publishing press releases related to the new offers you may be offering are a great way to bring in new customers and close the sale.

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What You Shouldn’t Do When Writing a Press Release

Press releases are an important part of any successful online marketing campaign.  They have the potential to reach multiple audiences who may not be aware of you and when properly optimized, they can drive traffic to your website.  But when they are done in the wrong way, all of the benefits that they have to offer are gone.  To help you harness the power that press releases have to offer, I have listed what you shouldn’t do when writing a press release.

How Press Releases Can Help Build Your Brand

Your brand is what identifies your business to your customers and competition.  It can be used to create a relationship with your customers and increase your online visibility.  When you’re trying to build your brand online, you should be taking advantage of press releases, they can be used as a highly powerful and innovative marketing tool when used in the proper manner.

Press Release Writing-Art or Science?

Press release writing has, of course, elements of both art and science.  The author of a press release generally follows a recognized format in order to differentiate it from other styles of communication.  Typically, common components include:

• a headline that needs to seize the reader’s attention creatively, while effectively transmitting the main idea briefly.  This is comparable to a comedian telling a one-liner as opposed to a storyteller holding an audience’s attention for a longer period of time,
• a dateline with the date and the name of the city from which the information is originally released,
• a introduction  that gives succinct answers to what used to be called the 5 W’s in       newspaper writing-who, what, when, where, and why,
• a body that fleshes out the press release with pertinent details.  The body usually has a word limit range of 400-500 words.
• a conclusion that restates the main idea and sums up the content, and finally, 
• the contact information for the person in charge of media relations. 

Press release writing is a science when it follows this traditional format.  The art of writing a press release is developed through clever word choice, accurate writing conventions, and skilled use of font.  A press release writer must choose words that will attract the desired readers.  For example, the writer might say that a product either “performs flawlessly” or “rocks” depending on the age range of the targeted consumers.  A question mark at the end of a sentence, instead of a period, can invite the reader to participate more fully, can’t it?  A larger font size can make a press release more inviting to a reader who has or might be in need of glasses.

Press release writing has a century-long and interesting history.  A man named Ivy Lee is credited with writing the first modern press release.  He was working with the Pennsylvania Railroad when there was a train accident in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1906.  Information was released directly to journalists before rumors could start and Lee and the railroad invited journalists and photographers to the site so they were able to offer eye-witness accounts.

By definition, a press release is information purposely released by the act of being transmitted to the media.  An artistic press release writer strives to be innovative in the content and delivery of this information.

Author:  ArticleWriteUp.com writer Sue M.

How Math Makes Better Writers

The goal of any press release is to have it published so the topic or information can be circulated.  Surprisingly enough, article writing can greatly benefit from math.

The inverted triangle, while it is a geometry figure, is also an excellent guide to writing a press release with a great chance of getting published.  In news writing, information must be conveyed as quickly and efficiently as possible.  The inverted triangle illustrates the application of this principle: at the top it is wide and narrows to a point at the bottom.  In the same way, article writing for publication is most successful when the beginning deals with a broad overview of the information that will follow, and ends with the more specific details.

The beginning of the piece can be viewed as the topic sentence, containing all the information the reader will need.  If the reader were to read no further than the first sentence or two, they would still understand the general idea of the article.

The challenge in article writing is to give the reader the most pertinent information first, while still whetting their appetite to read more—to lure the reader into reading the full press release.  This can be accomplished by making the first sentence snappy through active verbs, vibrant word pictures, or through sophisticated sentence structures.

Successful publication also entails article writing which requires as little editing as possible.  The inverted triangle accomplishes this because the editor can identify very quickly if the press release matches the needs of the media outlet, and the tapering down to details allows the editor to trim the piece to fit the allotted space without sacrificing readability. 

In addition to this, the piece must avoid first-person pronouns and maintain a neutral bias—the style must sound more like a news report and not like a promotional piece.  To make the piece lively without showing partiality, quotes from relevant sources can be included.  These quotes should be brief—no more than a sentence or two—and approved by the source prior to submission.

Following these guidelines will not guarantee publication, but they will guarantee a well-written, professional piece.  In writing, a little triangle goes a long way!

Authored by ArticleWriteUp.com Writer: Fletcher H.