Press releases are one of the easiest ways to secure a high-quality news placement. This blog post will cover the basic anatomy of a press release and how to write one.
I spent several years working as a journalist before creating Mañón Media and I still receive press releases every single day. In just a quick glance, I can often see what is worth pursing and what I'll probably just end up tossing.
Over the next few blog posts, we'll discuss the breakdown of a press release, including must-have components and top mistakes we see. If you'd like extra tips on writing press releases that engage and move people, subscribe here. Our exclusive newsletter will dig into 3 easy strategies to write stand-out press releases.
So, let's get into it:
First of all, what is a press release?
A press release is a short, typically one-page text document detailing your company's announcement.
If you don't think you need one, consider this: a few social media posts may get a couple likes or, if you're lucky, maybe go viral? One good press release can get you coverage in some of the top outlets in the nation, boosting your actual search engine optimization and giving you a longer, more accessible form of popularity (social media posts don't rank on Google).
Now, how do we write one?
Press releases have a few main components:
Logo: typically placed at the top, centered
Contact information: below the logo and often positioned to the right
Title: bolded and centered (always!). We recommend always using a subtitle as well to give more information quickly
Subtitle: italicized. This space gives you an opportunity to explain more.
Quote: it's own paragraph and often italicized. This allows the reporter to run as-is if necessary, which is critical for tiny newsrooms or overwhelmed staff.
Link: it's the digital age. Nobody is going to see your release printed out. Include a link for quick clicks.
Boilerplate: a short bio about you or your business at the bottom of the release.
And there you have it! Your basic press release– adaptable for events, new products or other announcements!
Feel free to share this article with other business owners in your network! :)