Achieving positive exposure via good media coverage requires a sound understanding of how to construct an effective press release. There are basic tips everyone should know, such as ensuring the content’s grammar is perfect and always including your contact details for any interested parties. There are also some more intricate ideas as described below, which will help you create great press releases that attract the attention your business needs.

Make Sure the News is ‘Newsworthy’

When creating a press release, the very first thing to consider is whether the content you intend to include in it is worth releasing in the first place. Is it interesting news, or something unusual that might be of interest to people beyond your company? It really is worthwhile being quite harsh when deciding whether or not your news is interesting news to everybody else.

Members of the press and media will not be interested in minor or uninteresting news, even if that news is important to your business. They aren’t a free advertising service, but they do need the likes of views and clicks more than most so make sure your press release has something interesting for them to work with.

Clear and Concise Headlines

Once you have newsworthy material to release to the press, it is time to make sure it catches their attention. This can be tricky as most journalists will receive a great many emails every day, many of which they’ll have no interest in.

So first of all, make sure your email is labelled as a press release as this should draw attention to it. Then you must have an eye-catching and explanatory headline to entice them to read on. It won’t take a busy journalist long to decide there is nothing of note to read so make sure the very basic idea of your press release is revealed in the headline.

Creating an eye-catching headline is not the time to try and be too clever; just make sure the headline clearly and concisely describes the content of the press release.

Get to the Point Quickly

Nobody has time to read the whimsical ramblings of stranger’s unsolicited email, so once you have eyes on the message within your press release, keeping the content clear and concise is just as important as it is with the headline. Ideally, you should explain the full purpose of the press release within the very first sentence.

If it is a complicated subject that cannot be fully described in one sentence, then get the most important part included in the opening sentence and the remainder covered in the rest of the opening paragraph. Try to keep the entire press release no longer than 300 to 400 words.

Be Careful with Quotes

Quotes from members of your company can be very useful when used correctly, or they can detract from the quality of the press release when used incorrectly. Never use quotes to provide specific information such as percentages or other relevant numbers (more on those below). Only include a quote to provide some personal insight or offer an opinion that will give the press release a human touch once all the being clear and concise has been taken care of.

Still be clear and concise though.

Use Hard Numbers and Back-Up Claims

When including numbers that highlight something important, make sure the figures are exact rather than vague estimations. Also, ensure the numbers and any other claims made in the press release can be backed-up.

This doesn’t necessarily require lengthy explanations to justify claims made in the press release but does include links or directions to sources that do backup any claims made at the end of the press release. If someone reading it has doubts about your numbers, then they can check up on them themselves without you wasting too much of the press release’s content justifying them yourself.

If you require expertise in the fields of PR and digital marketing, then contact Disruptor Media who can provide the ideal marketing solutions that your business needs.