How to put together a press release

Writing a press release is easy — if you know how. Charles Rapson explains.

The example below gives you an outline of what your press release should look like. It makes the job of a journalist easier if the information they receive is in a standard format as it is quicker to process. Using this format will give your article a better chance of being noticed and used.

Style

The piece is written in a style that is straightforward, easy to read and to-the-point. You will also need an angle that will make your story stand out — usually the main benefit or point of interest. If the angle is people-related it is likely to be even more successful.

In the example below, the purpose of the story is get potential volunteers to attend recruitment events (see the last paragraph) but the angle is about the lives of volunteers being made better thanks to people working together (see first two paragraphs).

Popular content on writing a press release:

• Why it pays to seek publicity

• A complete guide to writing an effective press release

• Press release template

Find more articles, videos and tools on PR in the Resources box.