Are your press releases missing the mark? | The Giles Agency

For businesses large or small, b2b or b2c, a press release is still one of the quickest routes to publicity – if it’s any good, that is.

To be effective, a press release must make your company look professional and interesting. Journalists receive hundreds of pitches per day, so you only get seconds of their attention before your story is set aside.

Before you fire off your release, ask yourself the following questions.

Is your story actually newsworthy?

Be brutally honest: advertising copy often masquerades as news. Journalists seek human interest pieces that communicate something important, worthwhile or beneficial to their readership.

Do you have a killer headline?

The essence of a story needs to be captured in a way that is assertive, informative and memorable. Headlines can be difficult to craft for even the most experienced of writers, which is why some find it helpful to leave them until the end.

Does the first line contain all the facts?

As a general rule, the first line or two of the story should clearly and succinctly touch on the Five Ws: who, what, why, where and when. Subsequent information should be laid out in order of decreasing importance, as you never know where the piece will get cut.

Are your claims supported by solid proof?

Avoid the temptation to aggrandise your story with hyperbole or jargon, as this will only muddy the story and cause readers to lose interest. Facts speak for themselves.

Will it fit in with the target publication?

Make sure you’re pitching to the right publication. A press release that matches the target publication’s style and tone is more likely to get picked up and printed as-is, as this means less work for the harried journalist.

Do you have compelling quotes?

Quotes should communicate unique insights that are integral to the story, and bring a memorable human element. It is a waste to use them as a vehicle for facts about an organisation.

Does it help the reporter find out more?

Press releases should be short and snappy: background information that isn’t essential can be inserted as a ‘Note to the Editor’ following the press release. Contact information, useful links, and your company boilerplate are also essential elements – don’t make a journalist hunt for them.

Finally, a good rule of thumb is to place yourself in the reader’s shoes. What makes you click a link? What makes you search for the rest of a story? Write the piece that the man on the bus wants to read, and you can’t go wrong.