Optimise Your Press Release
and Get the Exposure
Your Business Needs

Observing the following tips when writing a press release will give you the know-how to get your release noticed by journalists. A press release is a good news story about a new product or service and is used to educate the public.

The purpose of writing a press release is twofold. First, to provide the media with useful and relevant information about your organization, product, service or event. Second, to expose your company name for branding purposes to your target market. Here are some basic rules to help you make your release newsworthy.

Begin with a strong headline

You only have a few seconds to grab your reader’s attention and convince them to publish your release, so avoid flowery, vague, or dramatic language.

Identify Yourself

Be sure to identify yourself at the outset of your press release, otherwise the reader will not know why you are qualified to bring them the news.

Make your news "newsworthy"

A good release answers the "W" questions (who, what, where, when and why), and sometimes the "how." Answering these questions will tailor your story to your primary audience – the media. Your secondary audience is your target market.

Use your own spin

When writing a press release, remember that most of the time, journalists will use your press release as the foundation for a larger feature article, especially if you can show relevance to current events. Be sure to put your own spin on the story. To make the best impression pay attention to your spelling and grammar. Even if your story is not reprinted verbatim, it will provide exposure for your business. And it will help to brand you as an expert in your field.

Not everything is news

Keep your audience in mind and ask yourself who will find your story interesting? Why would they find it interesting? How is it relevant to current events? A good tactic is to identify or solve a problem and show how you solved it, using real life examples. Or demonstrate how your business can fulfill a need.

Stick to the facts

Avoid fluff, embellishments and exaggerations. Journalists are naturally sceptical, so you need to maintain credibility. Try to establish an on-going relationship with the local media, so that you become a resource for them within your industry.

Find your “hook"

Make your release timely. Keep up to date with what is going on in your community and around the world. Find out if there is a local, regional or national news story that you can tie to your story? This is the hook that should increase your chances of having your release picked up.

Use an active voice

Use action words that jump out at you. If your story is controversial, explain it - there's an old media adage that says: “If it cries it flies, and if it bleeds, it leads.”

Get to the point

Avoid using unnecessary adjectives, or redundant expressions such as "added bonus" or "first time ever". Paint a vivid picture - make each word count.

Don't tell All

Keep the reader interested by providing a snippet of information with deep linking to the actual article on your website.

Use jargon sparingly

As a general rule, use plain language when writing your news release. The use of jargon is only acceptable when optimizing your press release for online search engines.

Avoid hype

If you must use an exclamation mark, use one. Never do this!!!!!!! It will reduce the credibility of your story.

Get Permission before including information or quotes by employees or affiliates of other organisations.

See also Formatting a Press Release and Press Release Template.

See my suggestions on how to assemble a press kit

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