When you hear the words “press release,” you might imagine an outdated marketing strategy that relies on newspapers or magazines to spread the word about your creation.
However, press releases aren’t restricted to print media anymore. Now, you can submit a press release to almost any relevant website or blog on the internet today.
But you have to know how to write them.
Like any form of marketing, there’s an art to writing a press release that’s interesting, informative, and memorable. It may sound intimidating, but you only need three things to make your press release shine. They are:
Knowledge of your Audience
Remember, this is a press release- it’s not a feature story, a product pitch, or an informal “hey, this is happening” type of ad.
Instead, a press release is a formal, professional announcement written with your audience in mind- whoever that may be.
To find your audience, ask yourself these questions:
- Who benefits most from my product or service?
- What are their demographics (age, location, ethnicity, etc.)?
- How do I reach them?
You can also check your analytics to find audience information or look at the clients that similar businesses bring in, but these three questions will give you an idea of how to word your press release.
Knowledge of your Product
It goes without saying that you should know the ins-and-outs of your product, service, event, or whatever it is you’re announcing.
Knowing your product inside and out will give your press release a confidence that will appeal to your audience and leave them wanting more. It will also make your press release sound more informed, factual, and honest.
That’s why it never hurts to take some time to research the topic of your press release. Then, when you know everything there is to know about it, watch as the words flow from your fingers with ease!
The Press Release Format
As mentioned earlier, there’s an art to writing a press release. However, you still have to stay within the confines of the format, which is:
- Headline
- Subheading
- Body text
- Boiler plate
- Contact info
Sounds easy enough, right? Well, if you want your press release to get noticed, you’ll want to make each element shine. Here’s how:
Headline:
- Make it short and catchy- around 65 to 80 characters.
- Tie it to something relevant (like trending news or fads)
- Include accolades or awards
- Add sensational language (true, untold, thrilling, heartwrenching, etc.)
- Make it a story
- Add expertiese when needed (to build trust)
- Outline how your topic will benefit your audience
You don’t have to use all these tips in your headline- even one or two would make it stand out from the rest- but it’s nice to have options.
So, based on these tips, a good headline could be:
“Experienced Copywriter adds Search Engine Optimization to her Available Services.”
It’s short (80 characters), has sensational language (experienced), expertise (experienced copywriter), and an outline of the benefits (search engine optimization, available services).
Subheading
- Keep it 120 characters or less
- Catch your reader’s attention
- Summarize the body text
- Support your headline (without repeating it)
For example, a good subheading may look like:
(Title) Experienced Copywriter adds Search Engine Optimization to her Available Services.
(Subheading) Erynn Crittenden says this addition will “help small businesses enhance their online presence along with their sales.”
It supports the headline, summarizes the body text, and gives the reader a clear idea of the underlying topic.
Body Text
- Start with the date and location
- Keep your first paragraph to 60 words or less
- Use it to answer the Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why of the release
- The rest of the paragraphs should contain supporting information
- Use simple language
- Keep the whole thing under 500 words
- Include relevant quotes, images, and links
- Build on the overview provided in the subheading
The body of your text is CRUCIAL, so make sure you use it to your advantage. However, most readers don’t make it past the first paragraph when skimming the news, so that’s where all the relevant info should be.
Here’s an example:
(Title) Experienced Copywriter adds Search Engine Optimization to her Available Services.
(Subheading) Erynn Crittenden says this addition will “help small businesses enhance their online presence along with their sales.”
(Body Text)
(Paragraph 1) Oklahoma, July 23, 2022- Erynn Crittenden, experienced copywriter and owner of The Writings of Erynn Crittenden, announced yesterday that she now offers Search Engine Optimization services to her clients, in addition to her other writing services, in order to help small businesses enhance their online presence and reach more customers.
(Paragraph 2) Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is a process that improves online websites and makes them more visible to search engines like Google, Bing, or Firefox. After optimization, businesses can expect an influx of views, link interaction, and even sales.
(Paragraph 3) By offering SEO services, Erynn hopes to take the burden away from small businesses that may not have time to optimize their websites.
(Paragraph 4) “It’s not difficult to optimize a website or blog, but it is time-consuming, and small business owners may not have that time to spare. So, I want to do it for them.”
All the relevant information is up front, followed by supporting evidence and a reiteration of the benefits- wich is everything your body text needs.
Boiler Plate
- 100 words or less
- Full Name
- Background and experience
- Awards or honors
- Links to reviews or examples
- Website link
- Other Contact Info (Email, Address, etc.)
The final paragraph of the press release is the boiler plate, and it includes all the information about who you are, why the audience should care, and how they can contact you to learn more. It should stay around 100 words, but that’s more than enough to get the point across.
(Title) Experienced Copywriter adds Search Engine Optimization to her Available Services.
(Subheading) Erynn Crittenden says this addition will “help small businesses enhance their online presence along with their sales.”
(Body Text)
(Paragraph 1) Oklahoma, July 23, 2022- Erynn Crittenden, experienced copywriter and owner of The Writings of Erynn Crittenden, announced yesterday that she now offers Search Engine Optimization services to her clients, in addition to her other writing services, in order to help small businesses enhance their online presence and reach more customers.
(Paragraph 2) Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is a process that improves online websites and makes them more visible to search engines like Google, Bing, or Firefox. After optimization, businesses can expect an influx of views, link interaction, and even sales.
(Paragraph 3) By offering SEO services, Erynn hopes to take the burden away from small businesses that may not have time to optimize their websites.
(Paragraph 4) “It’s not difficult to optimize a website or blog, but it is time-consuming, and small business owners may not have that time to spare. So, I want to do it for them.”
(Boiler Plate) Erynn Crittenden has a degree in Creative Writing and has been a content creator and copywriter for over 15 years. Search Engine Optimization is one of the many writing-related services she offers through her business, the Writings of Erynn Crittenden. To learn more, visit LadyErynn.com or contact her through Twitter or Facebook.
Congratulations! You now have a press release.
One last note- never send out your first draft. Take some time to polish it up and strip it to the bare essentials- that way, whoever you send it to won’t find walls of rambling text waiting for them.
Press releases may seem like an outdated marketing strategy, but they’re still very useful in spreading the word about what you have to offer. Just stick to the format, use simple language, and write like you’re offering your readers the world!
Need some more inspiration? Check out this Downloadable Press Release Template!
