Press release formats for a digital age
To say journalists receive a lot of press releases is something of an understatement. In a recent conversation, one editor told me that he received around 500 a week! With so much news being distributed, how can you ensure yours makes the headlines?
Thinking outside the box
One way to differentiate your brand is to send your news out via a service such as Pressitt. This free online tool allows you to personalise your press release, adding videos and a selection of images that will help bring your news to life, and increase the chance of it being picked up by your target media. With more publications looking to enhance their digital presence, sites like Pressitt are only going to become more popular in the future.
Using social media as part of your PR strategy not only helps differentiate your message, but also helps people to find it more easily. As more and more journalists look to Twitter, LinkedIn and even YouTube for stories, the search engine benefits of rethinking how to serve content to the press have never been more relevant.
Content is still king
Even with a boost from interactive content, the written word still forms an essential component of your press release. Here at BDB, we pride ourselves on our ability to craft the perfect press release that will get your message out there Here are our top tips:
- Extra! Extra! Read all about it!: A short attention-grabbing headline that really packs a punch
- Make the first paragraph count!: The key information (the whos, whys, whats, wheres and hows) should all be included in the first paragraph (time-poor journalists often don’t have time to read any further)
- Keep it short and simple: The perfect press release should never exceed 500 words
- Face the facts: The majority of a press release should be objective! This doesn’t mean it has to be lacking in personality, as opinion is perfect material for a quotation
Have you had a particularly good response from a press release? Share your experiences by commenting below, or get in touch to see how we can make your PR work better for you.
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