Over 80% of consumers feel more positive about a brand after reading customized content. Developing your content marketing strategy can help you boost brand visibility. It can also help you communicate your company values.
In fact, 94% of consumers show loyalty to brands that over complete transparency. Nearly 90% of shoppers stay loyal to brands that share their values, too.
Learning how to write press releases can help you reach and appeal to your target audience. You can demonstrate your values and build a loyal following. Meanwhile, consumers can learn more about your brand before purchasing your product or service.
Not sure where to start?
Here are the nine tips you need when learning how to write a press release. With these tips, you can gain the media attention your brand deserves.
Get started with these nine easy tips today.
1. Consider the Angle
Before you learn how to write press releases, it’s important to consider what you want to write about. If you don’t choose a newsworthy angle, people won’t care about your press release.
Journalists won’t publish it, which means your content would appear in front of your target audience.
What you decide to write about can impact which publications will want your story, too.
Start by creating a list of events and accomplishments that have occurred in the past six months. Consider the next six months, too. For example, you might want to announce an upcoming trade show or conference.
Maybe you want to announce a business merger or acquisition instead.
You can also write a press release about rebranding, new products/services, or onboarding a new employee.
Once you determine what topic you want to cover, take a moment to consider your audience. You need to learn how to write press releases for two main audiences: journalists and consumers.
Journalists will look at your press release to determine if it’s suitable for their readers. If it’s not, they’ll toss your press release out.
Instead, make sure your press release is newsworthy to both audiences. Think about your customers first. What announcement will get them excited?
Once you’ve determined the angle for your press release, stick to it. Don’t try to cover too many topics at once. Instead, give your press release a singular focus.
Otherwise, you might struggle to maintain the reader’s attention.
2. Grab the Reader’s Attention
About 80% of people read a headline. Only 20% of people will read the rest of your content, though. If you want journalists to pick up your press release, you need to grab their attention from the start.
One of the most important steps in learning how to write press releases is developing the headline.
Your headline should grab their attention and encourage readers to continue skimming down the page. If your headline is unappealing, people won’t continue reading.
A journalist might toss your press release out before they even reach the opening paragraph.
Think about the angle. Remember, you want to focus on the announcement you’re making. Why should people keep reading?
Then, use vivid adjectives and strong verbs for a more impactful headline. Try a few different options. Then, ask a coworker to read over the practice headlines you’ve created.
Which one packs the biggest punch?
Once you’ve chosen your favorite headline, try to trim it down. Keep it short and sweet.
Otherwise, a long-winding headline could cause the reader to trail off. They’ll lose their focus and stop reading.
Try to add a little urgency to your press release, too.
If you need more space, use your subheading. An engaging subheading can give your press release a little more detail. Then, you can encourage readers to continue down the page.
3. Follow the Press Release Template
When learning how to write press releases, take the time to consider which publications you want to send them to. Focus on publications that already read your target audience.
Then, start developing a media list. Your list can include journalists and press contacts that are relevant to your industry. Consider:
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Bloggers
- Social media influencers
- Radio shows
Once you determine where you want to send your press releases, make sure to read the guidelines. Each publication will have its own submission guidelines. Don’t start writing until you read over their requirements.
If your press release fails to meet their requirements, they’ll toss it out.
Start writing press releases by following the basic press release template. Your press release should include:
- The proposed release date
- Your company’s logo
- Your contact information
- A strong headline
- The subheading
- A dateline
- The lede paragraph
- Body text
- The boilerplate
- The end notation
Before writing press releases, organize your information by creating a bullet point outline. Focus on information that’s absolutely essential.
Keep fluff out of your press release. Otherwise, you could risk losing the reader’s attention. Most press releases are only a page long.
4. Boost Credibility
Once you’ve outlined the essential information you want to include within your press release, look for ways to attract media attention. For example, you can add credibility to your press release by speaking with an authority figure. Find someone at your company that can give your press release additional credibility.
For example, you might want to interview a CEO, stakeholder, or project leader. Focus your attention on people who hold leadership positions.
Don’t add a random quote to your press release, though. Instead, make sure the quote adds something. If the quote doesn’t provide attention value to the press release, cut it out.
5. Engage Your Readers
When learning how to write a press release to attract media attention, don’t neglect your readers. Look for ways to keep your readers interested and engaged. Otherwise, they won’t continue reading.
You can keep the reader’s attention by using the inverted pyramid writing style. Put the most important information at the start of your press release.
As you continue writing press releases, organize the least important information at the bottom of the page.
You can also use your press releases to encourage consumers to take action. What do you want them to do after reading your press release? For example, you might want consumers to pre-order your new product.
Maybe you want them to contact you instead.
Add a compelling call to action to the end of the press release. Make sure it’s urgent, clear, and concise. Add any permanent links within the press release to help people take immediate action.
6. Add Eye-Catching Visuals
Before sending press releases to your media list, consider adding visuals to the document. An eye-catching visual can keep readers engaged. It can also add more depth to the written content.
For example, you might consider adding a graph or chart. Maybe you want to add a product demo video or trailer for an upcoming event. Make sure the visual you choose is relevant to the press release’s main topic.
When creating your visuals, maintain brand consistency, too. Brand consistency can boost awareness and recognition.
7. Develop Your Pitch
Learning how to write press releases is only step one. You’ll also need to learn how to write a strong, compelling pitch. Your pitch can encourage journalists to continue reading your press release.
If you don’t create a strong pitch email, journalists might toss your press release out without a glance.
Keep your pitch email short and sweet. Focus on the benefit you’re offering the journalist. For example, maybe you’re offering them an exclusive first-look.
Focus on the interesting, compelling angle your press release covers. Try to remain specific, too.
Writing press release pitch emails can take practice. Instead of wasting valuable time, consider working with a press release distribution company. They already have press contacts you can utilize.
They’ll make sure your press releases reach the right distribution channels. Then, you can expand your reach and boost brand awareness.
8. Distribute and Syndicate
Once you distribute your press release, wait about a week. Don’t feel too discouraged if journalists don’t respond right away. After all, they receive hundreds of press releases every day.
Instead, follow up.
If you decide to work with a press release distribution service, you can submit your press release to hundreds of contacts at once. You can syndicate your press release to maximize your reach.
9. Share on Social
Once a publication picks up your press release, make sure to share it with the world. Use social media to expand your reach.
About 4.2 billion people use social media around the world. That’s over 50% of the planet’s total population. Your customers are out there, waiting to hear about your business.
Share the link to the press release online. Make sure you link readers to your website within the press release boilerplate.
Then, you can attract more traffic, boost your search engine ranking, and start reaching more customers.
How to Write Press Releases: 9 Tips for Gaining Media Attention
Learning how to write press releases doesn’t have to feel stressful. It can take practice, though. Use these nine tips to get a jump on it!
With these tips, you can gain media attention and generate more business.
Remember, you don’t have to start writing or sending press releases alone. Instead of learning how to write a press release, work with a professional team.
Explore our pricing today to get started.