Ten Tips To Write A Press Release
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- Make sure the information is newsworthy. No one wants to have to read a cleverly disguised advertisement for a business. It's unfair to the readers, and it makes a business look unprofessional.
- Let the readers know that the information is important. The very first paragraph should set the tone for the press release. Within the first couple of sentences, readers should know quite a bit about the company and the new news.
- Make things easy for the media. The whole purpose of creating a press release is to get news out for a business and drive traffic to a website. The easier a press release reads and can be used by companies, the easier it will be to get passed around and viewed by a potential audience.
- Use facts, not opinions. A press release is all about news, so no opinions should be included in it. If opinions are covered in the press release, people will quickly realize that this is not a press release that should be taken seriously.
- Keep the language simple. This is intended for news sources to pick up the information. Don't try to show off with fancy language that might be hard for people to read. Write at about a middle school grade level for the best type of success.
- Include contact information. One of the main purposes of a press release is to link people reading the piece to the main website of the business. Along with the proper URL, companies should also provide contact information and an address if the company has as shop to visit. A phone number, fax machine number and an email address is also important to list if that is the way your business wants to be contacted.
- Don't release too many press releases. Everyone knows the story of the little girl who cried wolf. The same type of thinking can be applied to press releases. Do not release something for every little moment. Too many press releases can water down the effect, and overshadow your business when actual big news is announced.
- Focus on the first paragraph. With a lot of information out there, press releases are skimmed a lot of times. People do not waste time reading the entire press release if the first paragraph is boring. Make the press release stand out by delivering the news in a concise manner right from the beginning.
- Timing is everything. If you plan on writing a press release, do so as quickly as possible to help spread the word. A press release on "news" that happened months ago does not hold a lot of weight.
- Trust your business. A lot of people think that press releases can only be used if you have a big business to support it. That is not the case any longer. Any online business can use a press release for their advantage, you just have to be a bit smart about things.