Writing an effective press release
04/04/11 | Kentucky Business Network
Press releases can be fantastic ways to build visibility for your business or organization. For one, press releases can earn you mentions in media or blogs and such exposure can help both search ranking and to build credibility. You may want to consider writing a press release for noteworthy events or changes in your business, including changes in management, the launch of a new product or service, upon winning awards or at the completion of a big project–to name a few.
Guidelines for writing a press release
Here are a few points to consider to keep the quality of your press releases high:
- Cover the who, what, where and why of the story–basics of journalism. Try to make the job of journalists easier and they may reward you with a story
- Make sure you use spell check. Yes, this may seem obvious, but many businesses forget the basics when trying to turn out a media or ad piece.
- Test all links that are included in your press release
- Make sure that your lead sentence has a captivating hook–remember many readers scan content before committing to a full read
- Write a concise but interesting headline. Ten words should do fine.
- Make sure to include the date of your press release. News has an expiration date. Don’t let your readers guess or mistake your press release for old news.
- Provide contact information
