How to write a press release FAQs

Reviewed by Ben Caine of Journolink

Contributor - Ben Caine

Writing a compelling press release

12 questions people frequently ask about how to write a press release

  1. How do I put a press release together?
  2. What are the objectives of my press release?
  3. What should I look out for when proofing my press release?
  4. Should I send a picture with a press release?
  5. What sort of picture should I send with my press release?
  6. How do I write a quote in a press release?
  7. Can I get someone to write a press release for me?
  8. How do I write a press release headline that stands out?
  9. What does a journalist want to see in the headline of my press release?
  10. Why do I need quotes in my press release?
  11. How do I make my press release stand out?
  12. Can I send a blog to the print media?

1. How do I put a press release together?

When writing a press release, this approach often works well:

  • Before you begin, be clear on the objectives of your press release.
  • Use your opening line to tell the reader why your story is newsworthy. What makes it interesting?
  • Then give some more information about the news.
  • Then use a quote to emphasise something important or interesting.
  • Always proofread your copy before sending it.
  • Include a relevant image.
  • Write your headline last.

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2. What do I need to think about before I start?

You need to start by thinking about what publications your customers are reading and what media they read and trust the most.

Next, you need to identify the journalist who is likely to cover the story at each publication.

You can then plan your approach.

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3. What should I look out for when proofing my press release?

Read your copy at least twice yourself, with an interval in between. Then ask an independent person to look at it as well.

If you have written something and then read it through a couple of times already, you can become 'blind' to the errors in it.

As well as simple spelling and grammar errors in the main text, people often overlook obvious things like the wrong title or the wrong date, or out-of-date notes at the end. You can eliminate spelling and grammar errors using a free tool such as Grammarly.  

It is common to go through several drafts of a press release before settling on a final version. File the old versions in an 'archive' folder as you go along, to avoid sending out the wrong version.

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4. Should I send a picture with a press release?

Many websites and publications like to put a picture beside a news story, as it draws the reader's eye to the item.

Only use an image that adds something to the story. For example, a picture of the person giving the quote, or of the new product being launched.

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5. What sort of picture should I send with my press release?

Use a high-resolution image - usually specified as 300 dpi. It may be worth hiring a professional photographer to get the best quality photo.

Journalists like photographs of the relevant people or products, especially if the pictures are interesting. A good picture might be the number one reason that your press release gets picked.

Give the picture a suitable filename, such as your company name and the name of the person in the picture. Otherwise the wrong picture might get used by mistake.

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6. How do I write a quote in a press release?

Be natural and conversational, but create interest. For example, "This innovative technology will revolutionise the way people make payments" is an exciting statement if it is believable.

Expressing an opinion rather than just stating facts can usually make a press release more enticing.

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7. Can I get someone to write a press release for me?

To increase the chances of success, it usually makes sense to involve someone who already has a track record with press releases.

This might be a freelance professional writer, or someone working for a PR or marketing agency.

There are numerous websites that can put you in touch with freelance creatives such as Fiverr. A star rating systems allows you to see how good each person is based on feedback from previous customers.

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8. How do I write a press release headline that stands out?

Make the headline true and relevant to the content of your press release. Keep the length down to around 70 characters, otherwise it will be shortened in search lists.

Use words that create emotional engagement with the reader. 'Power words' such as You, Free, New, Because, and Instantly tend to attract readers because they trigger an emotional engagement.

Test your headlines using tools such as the AMI headline analyzer, which rates them for emotional content for different categories of products.

Finally, ask for feedback from others on the emotional impact and relevance for the headline.

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9. What does a journalist want to see in the headline of my press release?

The headline is the 'two second hook'. So it has to be captivating while also indicating what the news story is about.

For example, 'Marketing industry revolutionised by new automated software' and 'Seven in ten lives could be saved by new innovation in cancer treatment'.

Some journalists will be drawn to content and headlines that are a bit provocative.

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10. Why do I need quotes in my press release?

Journalists use quotes to spice up an article, so a good quote greatly increases the chance of a journalist writing about your story.

In newspaper and magazine articles you will often see a quote repeated in an eye-catching large font and surrounded by white space. This is what journalists call a 'pull quote' - a technique to attract readers to the item in the first place.

A good quote is like a good image - it adds colour to the article.

A quote from someone credible can also lend weight to the news item. If James Dyson is quoted saying that a new gizmo is a brilliant piece of engineering, that statement alone makes it newsworthy - whereas the inventor of the same gizmo saying the same thing carries little weight in comparison.

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11. How do I make my press release stand out?

There are four components of a press release that will help it stand out.

  • The headline, which is the initial hook - the first thing the journalist will focus on. Many press releases are discarded at this stage.
  • The first paragraph is important because it should succinctly convey what the news story is about, and why a journalist should use it.
  • Then the body of the press release will confirm whether the whole story is strong enough, and has sufficient quotes and supporting information.
  • Finally, including a good image will increase the likelihood of a press release being used.

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12. Can I send a blog to the print media?

Yes, you can. But you still need to make it immediately clear why the journalist should be interested. Is the content sufficiently newsworthy?

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contributor

Ben Caine

Ben trained as a journalist and worked at a series of local newspapers before starting his own content marketing business. He now also heads up JournoLink’s engagement, working with all their clients and partners to help them maximise the platform.

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