Today, when you sit down to write a press release — as well as being informative — it should be interactive and useful. Because everything is currently digital, enticing your contacts to read your press release is perhaps harder than ever, and your PR team needs a way to stand out, without going off-brand. Press releases should contain added value so that they get noticed, are appreciated, and published by journalists, influencers, bloggers, and the media. It's important to note and understand that the industry is changing, and so should the way that you write your press releases, in order to measure up.
As professionals move towards a format that favors quick information and visual cues, we have adapted our list of tips for writing the perfect press release, to not only improve your click-through rate but also entice your contacts.
Tips for Writing Your Press Release
Make sure it's truly interactive
As well as answering the classic questions (what? who? where? how? and why?), press releases should also include: links to provide greater information, your social media profiles, buttons to share content, and the possibility to download and embed. If you're announcing an event, don't forget to place a button to enable people to register or confirm attendance. And, of course, if you're using email or a website to distribute it, make it responsive so it can be viewed on all kinds of devices. Here's a good example:
Align it with current trends and news in your industry
By making your press release newsworthy and aligning your angle with current industry trends, it is more likely for journalists to react and respond. Because their career revolves greatly around newsworthy, breaking, impactful information, it is important you give an element of this in your press release. Think not only about what you are announcing but how your announcement could potentially tie in with current hot topics, or the wider industry in general.
In addition to this, if you have any eyecatching data or exclusive quotes and research, make sure to include these in the headline or within the first few lines of your press release, in order to drum up as much attention and excitement as possible.
Make your press release visually appealing
Graphics, animations, infographics, and videos are more effective than text and a couple of images for generating interest. In fact, visuals increase press release reads by 77%. Nowadays, more than simple information, we consume dynamic content, that speaks for itself and tells a story. Images and infographics are more likely to catch the eyes of your contacts, so make sure to try and include an even amount of written information, as well as aesthetically pleasing and relevant graphics in your press release.
Optimize your press releases
There are a number of ways that you can optimize your press releases in order to gain more traction. One of these is by integrating SEO. By identifying keywords that are relevant to your article and will help your web positioning, you can integrate these in the title, headings, and body text. You can also insert SEO keywords in the alt-text of an image, should you include them.
Another way to optimize your press releases is by adapting them to different platforms. Start by ensuring your press release is viewable on both mobile and desktop, as your contacts could be viewing on either. You can also make it social-media friendly, by writing "headlines and blurbs short enough to tweet, incorporating motion graphics and GIFs." This not only makes your press release stand out but also shows your contacts you are considered when putting together the information and resources they may need in order to publicize your information.
Personalize your press releases
Keep it simple
Whilst it's important to stand out, you want to make sure you are getting the information to your contacts as concisely as possible. “Shorter headlines, bullets, and bolding are all tried and true practices for making your story easy to discover and digest on any device,” according to PR Newswire.
Not only should your formatting be kept simple, but you should also simplify your boilerplate, so that your brand messaging and values are clearly communicated. Avoid advertising, and take a transparent and natural tone of voice, in order to reach your contacts in a more relatable and authentic way - this also assists in communicating your brand values and beliefs without the need for added advertising.
Stay online
Once you have sent out your press release, don't just leave it at that. Much like social media, you should anticipate the possibility of interactions, questions, and more, and you want to make sure that you are available to respond to your contacts as soon as possible. This will help communicate your professionalism, but also ensure that your information or data is featured as an immediate response to any questions or queries is essential.
If you have all of the above under control and want to be innovative you'll get great results in your communications campaigns since it's not just about putting together good press releases but about building an up-to-date, solid and good image for your brand or business. To understand more about how you can personalize and tailor your press releases to different groups of contacts, explore our software.
