In general terms, a press release is a document designed to distribute news to various outlets. There are multiple functions that press releases carry out. These include improving SEO, boosting one’s online reputation management, and providing unique content directly linked to a company, just to name a few. Many Internet marketing agencies specialize in not only creating press releases but ensuring that they’re circulated throughout various media sites. As one may imagine, writing the perfect press release requires time and effort.
To this end, it’s important to know how to write press releases, especially heading into the New Year. It’s safe to say that 2021 is going to be more competitive than the years that preceded it, especially as more companies embrace digital media during COVID-19. High-quality press releases have the ability to give companies the edge when reaching out to their audiences, offering content that they would be interested to read. When it comes to press release writing, here are the top 5 tips to know.
Create Headlines That Grab One’s Attention – Just as important as the content that follows it will be the headline. This goes for virtually any piece of written media, including press releases, so it’s important for headlines to be attention-grabbing. One of the ways that this can be done is by making them as succinct as possible. Don’t write lengthy headlines, as this will increase the risk of potential readers deviating their attention. Stellar headlines are also accurate in terms of the content that follows; avoid clickbait at all costs. These are just a few ways to develop headlines that ensure that press releases attract strong readership.
Offer Interesting, Accurate Insight – Ask yourself this question: why should one read your press release? What can you offer them that will entice them to click on your content? This is where the quality of insight you provide will come into play. A press release is designed to distribute news, which can be done in a few ways. One such method is by providing hard numbers; statistics go a long way in boosting the reputation of a piece of content and its writer. Also, use language that’s appropriate for your industry without alienating general readers. Case and point, an email marketing company may write about analytics and how they contribute to improved open rates; this can be done while limiting vernacular that isn’t universally known. Keep tips such as these in mind when developing the content itself.
Include a Call to Action – Every press release should have a purpose, even beyond the standard goal of distributing news. A call to action is a prompt that encourages the reader to take an additional step. Common CTAs include, but aren’t limited to, visiting a company website, signing up for a newsletter, and following said company on social media. To develop a solid CTA, much like a press release headline, keep it short and sweet. Additionally, ensure that it stands out, either through bold text or any other visual differentiator from the rest of the content. The value of a CTA to any piece of content, including a press release, can’t be understated.
Check for Spelling and Grammatical Errors – Following the creation of the content itself, it’s not enough to simply submit it for publishing. A strong writer understands the importance of proofreading, especially for any spelling or grammatical errors. Even with spellcheck, Grammarly, and other such tools, inaccuracies can slip through the cracks. Therefore, it’s in a writer’s best interest to check their work multiple times, ensuring that words are spelled correctly, and sentences possess solid grammatical structure. Work that is rife with such errors will come across as unprofessional, which will make it difficult to build trust with one’s audience. When writing any type of content, especially work meant to be distributed over different newswires, proofreading is essential.
Provide Boilerplates – Once a press release wraps up, from a content standpoint, it must be capped off by a boilerplate. This is a standardized write-up about the company being represented. It’s important to note that a boilerplate doesn’t have to be wordy; it should be as short as one paragraph in length. Additionally, it must include vital information about the company in question, from the services that they offer to how they differ from the competition to contact information that inquiring minds can use to reach out. A boilerplate is standard in any press release, digital or otherwise, so include it with each piece of content to be distributed over wires.
About fishbat: fishbat is a full-service social media marketing company located in New York. Utilizing the latest technologies and forward-thinking strategies, fishbat is able to create marketing plans that are tailor-made for specific needs and goals. The services that fishbat provides include, but aren’t limited to, social media management, search engine optimization, content marketing, email marketing, and branding. With these, businesses will be able to market directly to their audiences, increasing traffic, engagement, and ultimately, revenue.
