A press release is a crucial component of public relations for any company. It helps to quickly publicize news that has a huge impact or has a particular interest to a large group of people. But writing a PR release is one thing, and writing one that captures the attention of your target audience is another thing.
The reason why most organizations find press releases intimidating is that they are not certain if they will be picked by media outlets and how the public will react to the news. A good press release should be well-researched, concise, well-formatted, relevant, and tells a story that is interesting, factual, and verifiable.
So, do you want to write a captivating press release that will capture the attention of your target readers, but you don’t know what to do or where to start? If yes, then you have come to the right place. In this article, we will give you a detailed guide on how to write a captivating press release. Now, without further ado, let’s get into the article.
What is a press release?
A press release is simply an official statement issued by a company to a media outlet for the purpose of creating an official statement and providing information to the general public. As soon as the information is released, the press can pick it up and publish it immediately. That is why it is also known as immediate release.
In the past, a press release was mainly used to release official statements on things such as organizational changes, company news, and special events. However, the press release has evolved over time, especially in terms of functionality and format.
Unlike the past, today’s press release has a less formal structure. For instance, modern press releases are published in newspapers, the company’s official website, and other digital platforms. Besides conveying important information about the company, most companies today use press releases for marketing purposes.
The purpose of a press release is to share important news about the company with its target audience. This is done by capturing the attention of the media, who in turn publish the information in their newspapers.
A press release is not just limited to one topic. Instead, it covers a wide range of topics, including new products launch, major event announcements, changes in management, and more.
Press release allows the company to capture media attention and get more coverage, which in turn enables them to spread their message to a wider audience. It is indeed a great tool that companies can utilize to reach out to a wider audience quickly and effectively.
What is the purpose of a press release?
The main purpose of a press release is to help organizations communicate important information about the company to their audience. This could be a launch of a new product, rebranding, and more. Companies also use press releases to create awareness. For instance, a company can issue a press release to inform its customer how to use the new features that they have added to their products.
Another key role of press releases is to increase media coverage. Beside addressing the who, what, where, and how, companies also strategically use press releases to increase their media coverage.
They usually do their research on the media outlets that they would like to pick their story and write a release that blends with what they cover. Media outlets tend to cover companies that release press releases frequently. To them, they view such companies as reliable sources of information. As a result, they give them more coverage.
Press releases also help to enhance SEO, thus boosting the company’s website ranking on search engines. This is because the press release will contain relevant keywords that will be shared widely once the media picks the story, thus boosting the company’s visibility online.
Last but not least, a press release is used to help the company foster good relationships with its customers. They do this by writing information that promotes good relationships with their customers.
How do you write a press release that catches people’s attention?
Now that you know what a press release is and its purpose, the question that you are probably wondering is how you can write a press release that will catch the attention of both the media and your target audience. Not all press releases are usually picked by the media.
So, if you want your company’s press release to be covered by the media, then you need to make it stand out. In this section, we will give you proven tips on how to write a press release that catches the attention of your target audience.
Create a compelling headline
The first step to writing a press release that will capture the attention of your target audience is writing is creating a compelling headline. About 70% of your target audience will make a decision on whether to read the content based on the headline. If the headline does not impress them, then they will quickly ignore the press release and move to the next one.
On the other hand, if the headline catches their attention, then they will read the entire press release. People have so many things to do, and the last thing they want is to waste their time reading something that does not interest them. So, ensure that you create an attention-grabbing headline that will capture the attention of your target audience.
Include the date and location.
This is very important information that most people usually overlook when writing a press release. The date when the press release was published, and the location of the company make the news look genuine and credible. It makes the news trustworthy because the time it was released and the location of the business are all known.
Ensure the information is well-researched and relevant
A press release is a very important document that will be published by media outlets and read by thousands of your target audience. If you want your target audience to read the press release and take the information seriously, then you need to put work into it and give them quality and relevant information that provides value.
For instance, if the press release is about the launch of a new product, don’t just announce that you have launched a new product and leave it there; instead, provide more information about the product to help the public know more about it.
Provide information on what motivated the company to launch the product, how the product will benefit the customer, and things that make the product unique. Any claim that you make should be supported with facts and figures. The press release should be well-researched and relevant to your target audience.
Identify your target audience
Another tip for writing a good press release that will capture the attention of readers is to clearly identify your target audience. Knowing the audience that you are trying to reach and influence will help you craft a press release that addresses their needs.
Knowing your target audience will also help you know the tone, angle, style, and key message the press release should address.
For instance, if you are trying to attract new customers for a launch of a new product, you need to provide information such as the product benefits, its features, and the problems it addresses to help the new customer know more about the product and make an informed decision.
Knowing your audience will help you write a press release that will address their specific needs. You will also make a connection with them on a personal level.
Use the right PR release format
The format that you use for your press release also matters a lot. The most recommended format for a press release is the inverted pyramid structure, where you start with the most important and relevant information, then provide supporting details as you go along.
This format is very effective as it enables you to capture the attention of media outlets and your target audience. Most people usually scan the headline and the first paragraph before deciding on whether to read the entire press release or not.
Starting with the most information will help the reader know what the press release is all about and whether it suits them or not. This is important because it ensures that you don’t waste people’s time and that only those who are really interested in the information continue to read until the end.
Add supporting visuals and multimedia
A good storyteller always shows more than what they tell. This means that you need to add supporting visuals and multimedia to make your target audience understand what you are saying better.
Adding supporting visuals and multimedia will also make the press release more credible, memorable, and engaging. For instance, instead of just saying that our products are made of high-quality natural ingredients, go a step further and add visuals of the ingredients to help the reader understand better.
Adding visuals and multimedia will bring life to the words and help your target reader understand the message much better. It also enhances the overall reader experience by making the message more engaging and informative.
Visuals in PR releases are helpful when demonstrating a product, while images can illustrate the impact of the product. Infographics, on the other hand, can help to summarize data.
Additionally, visuals and multimedia can help to increase the online visibility of your press release by providing relevant keywords, captions, likes, and tags. They also provide advice that supports your claims, thus making your press release more credible.
Use data and evidence.
A press release is a crucial document that reveals important information about the company. It is, therefore, important to support the information provided with relevant data and evidence.
Adding data and evidence will make the press release more credible because it shows that you have done your research and understand the topic.
However, how you distribute data matters a lot. Too much data and evidence can make the press release boring and overwhelming to the reader.
So, ensure that you only use the most important and relevant data, and they should not be randomly used. Instead, they should be strategically used to make the content easy and interesting.
Incorporate quotes and testimonials
Quotes and testimonials are one of the most important parts of a press release. They add a human element that makes the content more credible and interesting to read.
A story written with plenty of adjectives is usually boring and weak. Quotes and testimonials bring life to a story and make it more interesting to read. They also offer a different point of view and tone because they have not been written by the person who wrote the press release.
Quotes bring authority to your content and will help you quickly capture the attention of media outlets. Testimonials, on the other hand, will help build trust and credibility amongst your customer base. So, ensure that you incorporate quotes to make your press release more lively and engaging.
Add a call to action and contact information
A call to action is a clear and specific invitation for your target audience to take a specific action, such as subscribing to your newsletter, buying a product, contacting you for more information, following you on social media, and more.
A good press release should end with a compelling call to action and contact information. For instance, if the product release is about the launch of a new product, you should end the article by urging your target audience to buy the product.
A good call to action should be clear, short, and precise. It should not leave your target audience wondering what you want them to do. It should be clear and specific in informing your audience what they should do next.
A well-crafted call to action will help you generate leads, interests, and conversions from your story. You can also use the call to action to measure the impact and effectiveness of your press resale story. Also, don’t forget to add the company’s contact information at the end of the press release.
Edit and proofread your press release
Once you are done writing your press release, ensure that you edit and proofread it before you send it to media outlets. Editing and proofreading will help to improve the quality of your press release by ensuring there are no writing inconsistencies that could compromise its credibility.
Editing and proofreading will improve the quality of your press release, making it smooth and easy to read.
Distribute and promote your PR release
Once you are done editing and proofreading your press release, the next crucial step is distributing and promoting the press release to ensure that it reaches out to as many of your target audience as possible.
Now, there are many different ways of promoting and distributing your press release, including sending it directly to media outlets, posting the press release directly on the company’s official website, sharing it on social media platforms, and using a press release distribution service.
All these distribution channels have their pros and cons. We recommend that you choose a PR release distribution channel that best suits your needs and budget.
Analyse and measure the impact
The final step to writing a PR release is analyzing and measuring its impact. This is a very crucial step that you should take seriously because it will impact future press releases. Analyzing and measuring the impact of your press release will help you determine its effectiveness.
The information obtained will also help you craft better strategies. Track to know the media outlet that picked the story, how your target audience received the story, and whether it achieved its intended purposes. Using the data obtained will help you make informed decisions for future strategies.
What are the challenges of writing a press release?
Like other types of content, writing a press release has its own fair share of challenges. In fact, the reason why most people find it difficult to write a press release is because there are many hurdles that the writer needs to overcome. In this section, we will discuss the major challenges of writing a press release.
Making it newsworthiness
One of the greatest challenges of writing a press release is writing something that will capture the attention of journalists.
Remember that if your press release does not impress media outlets, then they will not publish it, meaning it will not reach your target audience as you wanted. Writers often face the challenge of writing quality content that will capture the attention of media outlets.
Preciseness
Another challenge of writing a press release is incorporating all important information in a limited space. A good press release needs to be short and straight to the point. Including all key points in a limited space can be quite challenging.
Sticking to a specific tone and style
A press release needs to conform to a certain tone and style. The tone needs to be professional. Writing engaging and informative content while sticking to the right tone and style can be quite challenging.
Releasing the press release on time
This is a major challenge that most writers face when writing a press release. Press releases have tight deadlines that need to be met.
For example, if the company is planning to launch a new product, it needs to ensure that the press release reaches media outlets on time so that the planned product launch is not affected. Meeting tight deadlines is always a big challenge.
Creating a good relationship with media outlets
Press releases are written for media outlets. This makes it crucial for companies to create good relationships with media outlets.
As a writer, you need to understand the requirements of media outlets on things such as formatting, tone, and style and ensure that you comfort with them.
You also need to identify media outlets that are in line with the type of content you are releasing, which is quite challenging.
How to identify your target audience
One of the secrets to writing a successful press release is by identifying and understanding the needs of your target audience. Remember that regardless of how good your press release is, it will be of no use if it does not reach your intended users.
That is why it is important to first identify your target audience before you start writing a press release. In this section, we will give you proven tips on how to identify your target audience.
Research! Research! Research
One of the best ways to identify your target audience is by conducting extensive market research.
The research will not only help you identify your target market but will also provide other crucial information such as their age group, geographical location, and, most importantly, why they are interested in your products or services.
The research will provide valuable insights about your target audience and help you write a press release that suits their needs.
Analyze your analytics
Another great way to identify your target audience is by analyzing your analytics. Dig into your website and social media platforms and analyze the metrics.
From your analysis, you will discover the age and geographic location of most of your clients, what they buy the most, and more. Your analytics will provide valuable information that will help you to clearly define your target audience.
Final thoughts
A press release is a crucial document that plays a crucial role in promoting the company’s public relations. That is why it is important to know how to write a good press release that will grab the attention of media outlets and your target audience.
Writing a PR release may seem tough at first, but once you master the tips that we have listed above, then the entire process with be smooth and easy.
Just don’t give up, keep practicing by following the tips given above, and you will eventually become a pro.