When done right, a press release can pack a punch (pardon the pun). You might have some news you want to shout about or you might simply want to get your name in the headlines to raise brand awareness. Maybe your aim is more strategic, such as link building for SEO. Whatever your objective may be, the humble press release will play a pivotal role.
Our Leeds marketing agency certainly knows a thing or two about PR, including how to ensure your story gets covered by the right publications and is seen by the right people. In this blog, we share a few of our top tips for writing the perfect press release. Read on to uncover our secrets!
Every good news story has an angle
As eager as you might be to announce a new product line or the appointment of a new director, it’s important to stop and ask yourself, “What is my angle?”. Getting to the core of your story is difficult and we could go on and on about finding your PR hook but it boils down to this: what makes your story newsworthy? Think about what will entice people to read your story and take some time to brainstorm different ways you can write your release.
An impactful headline works wonders
Journalists receive hundreds of emails every day, many of which they won’t even bother opening. Therefore, a killer headline is an absolute must. Striking the balance between something which is simple yet will grab the attention of the reader is the tricky part. Your headline must convey exactly what your story is about and be strong and exciting. Research by Buzzsumo suggests that headlines with twelve to eighteen words are the most engaging.
Harness the power of stats
Everyone loves a good stat, and the same goes for journalists. A release that leads with figures or stats is almost always bound to catch their eye. If you are going to publish or use stats with your release, it’s important that they are reliable, relevant and significant. It has also been suggested that headlines that contain the words ‘new’ and ‘data’ in them on average achieve more coverage than those that don’t. However, don’t just cram in stats for the sake of it. If they add something valuable to your story then go ahead.
Keep it short and sweet
Though you might be tempted to embellish your release with finer details, the truth is that journalists just want the facts. Newsworthy information is important, which can come from answering the following questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? In terms of length, a good rule of thumb is to write no more than one side of A4, which is around 300 – 400 words. If you have more to add, you can always put it in the notes to the editor at the very end.
Need help mastering your PR strategy? Get in touch and arrange a virtual cuppa with our Leeds agency and let’s talk about what we can do for you.