7 Important Parts of an Effective Press Release
Reading Time: ~5 Mins | Written By: Sydney Vardja
If you work in public relations, you are definitely familiar with the timely, trusty press release. However, if you’re new to the industry, this might be a new term for you. If this is the case, you’ve come to the right place!
Understanding the intricacies of a press release is essential to effectively promoting your company and any newsworthy content.
What Is A Press Release?
A Press Release is a document that announces news. It could be an upcoming event, a product launch, a merger, or anything else new and significant about your business. They’re sent out to reporters and journalists who work for media outlets, with the goal of them writing and publishing a corresponding story.
So what are the steps to crafting the perfect press release? Wonder no more! We’ve put together a list of 7 important parts of any effective press release.
1. Find a Newsworthy Angle
It’s important that your press release is timely. A key trick is to ask yourself: “why do people want to know about this right now?” If the information isn’t relevant to recent news, or an upcoming date to keep an eye out for, it might be best to postpone the announcement to a more relevant time. Newsjacking, which is the process of adding your thoughts and opinions into breaking news stories, is a great way to capitalize off news that’s already circulating.
2. Craft A Compelling Headline
Once you’ve found your newsworthy angle, it’s important you craft a compelling headline. Your headline is what will ultimately grab readers attention. Keep it short, snappy, and telling. Don’t confuse readers with ambiguous riddles or jokes. That said, make it interesting to convince journalists to read your press release over the hundreds of others you’re competing with.
Example: “Jelly Academy Partners with Black Business Association of B.C. to Provide Skills Training”
This headline shares the organization (Jelly Academy), the news (partnership), and the why (to provide skills training). Short, sweet, and simple, yet intriguing!
3. Summarize the Story in the Subtitle
Press releases contain lots of information. Some of this information is essential like the big what, and its corresponding details. What is happening? Why is this newsworthy? When is this taking place? Other information is merely supplemental to provide journalists with enough substance to write a story.
Your subtitle is like a hack where you can tell journalists what information they should be taking away from the release. Keep this to one sentence. Journalists are no strangers to a cluttered inbox — let’s make their lives easier with subtitles!
4. Provide Essential Information in the First Paragraph
The first paragraph of a press release must include all essential information. After crafting your first paragraph, read it from an outsider's perspective. Are you confused? Is key information missing? Maybe you were explaining that an organization is hosting a public event. You excited readers with the news that there will be games, prizes, and a photobooth. But you forgot the location!
This will be a pretty lonely event if no one knows where it's taking place. Who, what, where, when, why, and how should always be prioritized here. It’s also important to remind journalists why they should care. Is a company participating in a Terry Fox Run, or are they orchestrating a company-wide initiative in commemoration of the marathon’s 40th anniversary?
5. Supporting Information
Think about your press release as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. You’ve already provided the integral stuff: the jelly. But now you need more substance: the peanut butter. It’s time to add in some quotes, statistics, and background information. Ask yourself: what else is interesting? What else might journalists be curious about? A quote from a company spokesperson is always top of list, as journalists can re-use it for credibility purposes. Don’t forget to hyperlink companies and other important links where applicable.
But don’t get too carried away here! Press releases shouldn’t be too long. A good rule of thumb is keep it to 400 words or less. When a journalist is deciding between your press release and another, they’ll likely pick the shorter, more concise one.
6. Include A Call To Action (CTA)
Your CTA will vary by press release. It could be prompting hashtag use, directing readers to a sign-up page, or just telling people to stay tuned for more information. Whatever it is, make it obvious. Link where appropriate. Keep verbiage concise. And make it its own paragraph. Don’t mix in your CTA with a paragraph quoting the company’s president.
7. Boilerplate
Complete your release with a strong boilerplate. Explain what the company does, and why they’re industry experts. And be sure to include a point of contact! Reporters need to be able to easily contact a company source if faced with any questions. Without this information, your release will likely end up in the trash. One last fun fact: it’s common to include three ### symbols or “--30--” to signify the end of a press release.
Example:
“More about Jelly Academy
Jelly Academy was created by marketing industry expert and Indigenous business owner, Darian Kovacs, in order to have a course that provided the foundation in digital marketing. The course is taught by other industry professionals who provide clear understanding in online marketing topics such as social media, PR, SEO, Google Ads, Google Analytics, and Facebook Ads. Learn more about Jelly Academy here.
Media Contact
Anabel Blesch
[name]@jellymarketing.com
Phone Number
--30--”
