Simply put, a press release is a written report for the media. It covers various news events, including upcoming events, personnel changes, award announcements, new product or service launches, sales performance, and more. A press release provides first-hand information for reporters to conduct in-depth coverage. Generally, reporters receive the company press release first before considering whether to conduct further in-depth reporting. Moreover, press releases are the most basic tools in public relations work, and once the correct format is mastered, anyone can learn to write one.
Generally, aside from large corporations, ordinary companies seldom send press releases to the media. However, sending press releases is actually a very cost-effective action. Firstly, it doesn't cost much, and secondly, it has a very good advertising effect. If we try sending press releases to the media, it can not only strengthen journalists' impressions of our brand but also create news topics, thus increasing exposure. It can be said to have many benefits! However, press releases written by companies are quite different from news articles written by journalists. Journalists must be neutral and provide detailed and fair reports. Such news is usually comprehensive and not solely focused on a particular brand or product, so we often see journalistic reports that discuss trends in general. On the other hand, press releases aim to highlight the advantages of their products while striving to maintain an objective tone. Therefore, how to write an engaging press release that reads like a news article is crucial!
Every aspect of the press release process must be taken seriously, from selecting recipients, drafting the email to reporters, the way supplementary materials are attached, determining the timing of the release, following up with phone calls, to reinforcing the information. Each detail is important and often overlooked by many companies' PR or planning teams.
When writing the title, subtitle, and body of the press release, remember to mention the company name. This way, media personnel and other readers can easily find your press release through search engines. Additionally, avoid using jargon; if industry-specific terminology is used for clarity, definitions or explanations must be provided so that the subsequent report can expand into a complete news story. Furthermore, media highly values timeliness. The news you write must be about recent events, and the time gap cannot be too long. The location of the news event should not be too far away either.
The news must include quotes, preferably from important or key figures. Quotes do not have to be exact words spoken by this person, but they must be authentic and reflect the true intent expressed by the individual. With quotes, busy reporters won't need to make special trips for follow-up interviews.
Remember that most editorial teams are facing heavy workloads and staffing shortages. If your press release can make their job easier, it is more likely to be published. If your press release is close to publication standards, editors may publish it with little modification. However, if your article is full of exaggerated promotional phrases, incorrect formats, etc., the editor will surely delete those useless parts. Editors are the ones who decide whether to accept an article, so don’t waste their time.
The content of the news should encourage positivity, avoiding negative energy or irrelevant phrases. Reporters may shift their focus to investigate these issues instead of the content you wish to emphasize through the press release. Additionally, do not disclose others' contact information in the press release without permission. Also, the contact person you provide in the press release must remain available after sending it to avoid missing opportunities for reporters to ask further questions.
First, let's discuss the structure of a press release. The common structure includes an "introduction," "body," and "conclusion." In the introduction, we describe the most important part and then chronologically describe the body. Finally, we conclude the release. This structure is based on the reader's psychology, as they are eager to know about past news. When people read the newspaper, they first look at the headline, then the introduction, which allows them to make a judgment. If they are still interested, they proceed to the main content, which is the body.
In terms of format, it is recommended to keep the word count of the press release within 800 words; the title around 16 words, and each paragraph should be limited to 200 words, with a blank line between each line for note-taking.
Based on experience, a press release must first get to the point, describing the most important part at the beginning, with the climax of the event arranged in the introduction, which should be about 100 words or no more than 10 lines. The introduction extracts the key points of the press release, while secondary parts are placed in the second, third, and fourth paragraphs, where the body usually elaborates on the detailed explanation of the first paragraph introduction. The benefit of emphasizing the main point first is that when the layout needs to be adjusted, the key points will not be accidentally deleted, making it easier for reporters to reference when creating headlines.
Since media reporters often attend numerous press conferences in a single day, the number of press releases they receive is uncountable. Reporters may not have time to read all the press releases; if you can summarize all the key points in a prioritized paragraph, this paragraph can also be directly copied by reporters to merge with other news articles. This would certainly make it a successful press release loved by reporters.
When writing a press release, we should focus on three key points: trends, numbers, and authority. There are many products on the market, and many similar brands exist. Why should reporters cover our brand? A press release is not a product catalog; it should not simply list all products. A valuable press release must address trends, which require investigation, numbers, and expert analysis for support. If you can provide experimental data supporting your product's magical effects or endorsements from well-known experts, its credibility will be very high. Such products will definitely stand out more than others and will catch the attention of media reporters. If your product line is extensive, there is no need to introduce each item in the press release. Simply introduce one or two star products and list the rest of the full range as an attachment.
Sentences in the press release should be short, and paragraphs should also be short. It is essential to avoid lengthy explanations; it should clearly express the facts. Being concise and precise with word choice is best; vagueness should be avoided. Avoid using complex terminology or difficult sentences, as this makes it easy for readers to read and digest.
In summary, there are three essential points for a press release to be published: first, the content reported must be a current hot topic; second, it must have a unique perspective or character viewpoint; and finally, it must think from the perspective of the media and readers.
Now that you have all the materials needed to write a press release, how do you plan to write it? For beginners, a press release should not be too long—no more than one page. No one will waste time reading a lengthy 5-page report unless it’s gossip.
The following are the contents that should be included in a press release:
Timely news should be marked at the top left of the page. If you want to delay the release of the news, you should indicate the date you want to postpone it to. If the press release does not indicate a date, it will be assumed to be a timely release. Below the date, the title should be centered. Under the title, you can write the subtitle in italics, which serves to further explain the title. The first paragraph of the press release should contain the most important information; starting with the date or location will give the press release a more "newsworthy" feel. The second (or third) paragraph should follow with secondary information, including quotes and facts. Finally, include company information, providing details about your company, such as what type of company you are, what achievements you have, and what your corporate goals are. When reporters use your press release to write news stories, they will certainly mention your company, so including this information is convenient for reporters. At the bottom of the press release, remember to include contact information, providing the author's (your) contact details. If the media is interested in your submission, they will know how to reach you. In today's era, modern contact methods, such as instant messaging apps, are also important; providing a company's instant messaging account (like LINE or FB Messenger) is also necessary.
Write company information below the main text, titled "About XX Company." Use one or two paragraphs to introduce your company, with each paragraph containing 5-6 sentences. This text can outline your company's basic situation, core business, and corporate policy. Many companies have formal promotional materials, promotional videos, and corporate planning documents, which can all be referenced in this section.
Next, at the end of this section, include the company's website. The URL should be provided in full, such as: http://www.example.com; do not create hyperlinks, as this would lead to "click here" when printed. Avoid using shortened URLs, as people will not know what those links represent. If the company has a separate news site, include the news site's URL here, as news sites usually have contact information and promotional materials.
The introduction refers to the first part of the news, where there should be no redundancy, just the ability to state the main point of the event. A well-known news writing scholar tells us that an introduction that follows the 5W1H principle is a clear summary. Writing the introduction is not difficult; 5W1H stands for What, Why, Where, When, Who, and How. Try to include as much of 5W1H as possible in the introduction; the quality will naturally be good. If not all can be included, the "Why" and "What" aspects can be supplemented in the second and third paragraphs. For public relations personnel, finding the unique features of the news event and emphasizing them in the introduction is key to making the news attractive.
The body of the press release has two main focuses: first, to clarify and explain the facts mentioned in the introduction; second, to serve as a supplement to the introduction, providing additional facts that make the news more comprehensive. Sometimes, we can also use the body to lighten the burden of too many points in the introduction to avoid it becoming bloated. Whether in the introduction or the body, timely quotes from scholars or experts can increase the likelihood of the press release being included and published by media reporters.
The main purpose of the press release is to clearly inform the readers of the event you wish to elaborate on. We should avoid excessive jargon, lengthy elaboration, or excessive redundancy, striving for readability, fluency, and simple wording. The word count should ideally be between 300 and 800 words.
When writing the main text, consider what content you hope the reporters will include in their in-depth reporting. Your press release must contain corresponding content. Remember that most reporters are busy people and do not have the time to deeply understand a company's significant announcements, so your press release is the main source of information for their in-depth reporting. In other words, what you hope the reporters will cover should be included in the press release. First, you can mention the date and the city from which the news is released; if you are unsure about the city, you can omit it.
The lead (or first sentence) of the press release should briefly describe the news event and intrigue the reader. The body should be concise, avoiding lengthy sentences and paragraphs, with minimal repetition and flowery language or jargon, striving for simplicity without unnecessary words. The first paragraph (2-3 sentences) should summarize the entire text, followed by adding appropriate details. In today’s fast-paced society, whether it is reporters or readers, if they find the news uninteresting at first glance, they are unlikely to read through the entire article. The press release should focus on discussing the facts, such as events, products, services, people, goals, plans, projects, etc. The goal is to provide as many facts as possible; this is what writing a press release is about. To write a good press release, a simple approach is to cover the following six news elements: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How.
Once you clarify the basic elements, you can write coherent text that integrates the main characters, products, events, dates, and other information relevant to the news. If your company is not the subject of the news event but is indeed the provider of the news, you should also state this in the body. The press release must be short and focused on the topic. If sending a physical copy to the media, the body must use double spacing. The most basic principle of a press release is to faithfully state the facts, prohibiting fabrication or direct copying of original texts, and avoiding personal emotions and subjective language. Before submission, ensure to check for typos, correct punctuation, and accuracy of place names, personal names, English spellings, time, and locations; avoid using confusing or phonetic scripts. If you want the content to have knowledge and credibility, you can cite relevant government statistics, refer to Wikipedia for terminology or historical explanations, balance reporting of similar types of matters and opinions, and add diverse thoughts and opinions from different individuals.
A concise and eye-catching title is the most crucial catalyst for attracting readers to continue reading the news. The title of a press release not only grabs the attention of reporters or editors but also serves as a slide for them to keep reading.
To write an attention-grabbing title, keep it concise, clear, and directly related to the subject. The title serves as a further condensation of the news topic. We suggest thinking about the title after writing the press release. Don’t focus on the title at the beginning; consider it after completing the introduction and body. Additionally, a succinct title can also be a tool to attract readers’ attention and holds a critical position in the entire press release.
A good title will spark curiosity and a desire for deeper understanding, just like how newspaper headlines must attract readers' eyes. The title of the press release must also grab the attention of reporters. The title can describe a company’s recent achievements, a newsworthy event, a new product, or a new service. Besides being bold, the font size of the title is often larger than that of the body. The simplest way to write a title is to extract keywords from the press release and reorganize them. With the keywords in hand, consider how to connect them into a logically smooth and eye-catching sentence. If you need to write a summary after the title, you can also use the same method. Using keywords for the title can make your press release easier to find and index by search engines, as well as facilitate reporters and readers to grasp the gist of the press release.
Set the most eye-catching news title. Convey the most important meaning in a concise and powerful manner to arouse readers' curiosity about this news article, avoiding hollow or overly verbose expressions.
A good news angle is a new perspective or conclusion derived from observing, analyzing, and judging news facts through logical thinking during the writing process. It is a rational understanding and the starting point before writing.
As the saying goes, “Different views from different angles.” Choosing a novel news angle not only attracts readers but also achieves the best promotional effect by enhancing guidance and revealing the essence through phenomena. News facts are objective; however, viewing them from different angles will yield different impressions and conclusions, resulting in different news articles. This is because news itself has many facets and angles, and we must be adept at finding the latest, most unique, charming, and valuable angles to make our press releases stand out. The news we talk about corresponds to your products or topics, and we can describe it from various angles.
- Side Angle
Refers to seeking new materials, reporting angles, and reporting ideas from the side, bypassing the direct reporting object. This type of news is more interesting.- Seeing Big Through Small Angle
A significant publicity theme or valuable event may not easily grasp its essence if reported directly. However, choosing persuasive specific facts to reflect significant events or issues through small yet typical facts can make news reports vivid, profound, and persuasive.- Seeing Small Through Big Angle
In reality, some specific events may not easily reveal their news value when viewed in isolation; however, when examined against a macro background, their news value becomes more apparent.- Contrast Angle
As the saying goes, “Not afraid of not recognizing valuable things, just afraid of comparing them.” Placing two comparable items together makes their strengths and weaknesses clear.- Focus Angle
Every matter has its uniqueness, and the aspect that best reflects this uniqueness is often the most interesting and valuable information. We need to focus on this point.- Reverse Angle
To determine whether a matter has news value, breaking conventional thinking patterns and thinking from the opposite angle often yields better results.- Bird’s Eye View Angle
Like an eagle soaring in the sky, expanding from a point in the sky helps broaden your perspective and uncover more and newer valuable news clues.
There is no fixed format for a press release; just ensure the layout is clean, with clear paragraphs for easy recognition.
Leaving the contact person’s details makes it easier for reporters to find supplemental materials when they want to further understand event-related information. You can reiterate the introduction or provide detailed product information in a bullet-point format, followed by your personal contact details. If your press release indeed holds news value, reporters will naturally want to learn more and may wish to interview relevant individuals. If you believe it is acceptable for the media to contact key figures in the news, you may also include their contact information in the press release. For instance, if your company has made an invention, you can provide the contact details for the R&D team. If an individual is not available for interviews, provide the contact details for the company’s media or public relations department. If your company does not have a specific department to handle media relations, designate someone to be responsible for bridging the gap between the media and the company.
The contact person must be directly related to the specific news. The contact information must include: the official name of the company, the official name and contact person of the media department, company address, telephone and fax numbers (with correct country/city codes and extension numbers), mobile phone number, email address, company website, and LINE ID.
If possible, include a link to the online version of the press release. Uploading the press release to your company’s website after writing it is a good habit; this way, it’s convenient for you to provide a link and serves the purpose of data preservation.
Finally, you can denote the end of the press release with three "#" signs, centered and displayed on the last line of the body. This is a common standard in the news media industry. Of course, if you do not include "###", it doesn't mean that reporters won’t look at your press release; it's just that having "###" makes it look more professional.
To facilitate the explanation of events, products, or people, you will provide some numbers, tables, explanations, images, or samples as supplementary materials to media reporters. If you provide photos, supporting descriptions will increase the persuasiveness of the information in the press release.
- Too Many Technical Terms
Technical language can create comprehension difficulties for most readers or even reporters, making the press release too complicated.- Unclear Key Points
Before writing a press release, clarify what the communication goal is to avoid having the entire release lack focus or be unclear.- Too Much Redundancy
Press releases must be revised multiple times to remove redundancy, keeping the principle of brevity to avoid creating reading difficulties and adding inconvenience to editors.- No News Value
A press release without news value cannot be considered a real press release; such releases only increase the media's burden in filtering news!- Excessive Self-Promotion
If a press release contains too much promotional intent or excessive focus on its own products, it will be difficult for media reporters to accept and will have lower news value.- Old News or Cliché
Press releases should avoid recycling old news. Nowadays, news media have digitized, and simply searching will reveal whether the highlights in your press release have been reported before. Cliché press releases not only fail to impress but also reduce the company's image in the eyes of reporters.
Here are the writing tips we compiled for your attention:
- Be Concise: Use short sentences and clear paragraphs, ensuring each paragraph has a focus.
- Use Simple Language: Write in a conversational tone, using common words; simpler is better.
- Aim for Objectivity: A press release primarily describes facts; try to avoid the subjective opinions of the writer, and it is advisable to write in the third person.
- Use Action Verbs: The words used should enable readers to visualize the text.
- Engaging Content: Ensure the content is fresh and interesting to trigger universal curiosity.
- Connect with Readers' Experiences: Trigger memories and emotions.
- Flexibly Use Language: Show your personal style.
- If space allows, consider adding captions or videos as supplements.
Typically, an event that can be called "news" must possess at least one of the following five elements:
- A recently occurred event or the latest development of an event.
- Directly related to or significantly impacting the public.
- Human interest, interesting in nature.
- Novelty, uniqueness, or highlighting conflict.
- Unexpected developments, surprising results.
A successful electronic press release should include newsworthy selling points. Since media organizations differ in their judgments of news value, the types of news chosen will not be entirely uniform. However, there are common points in their selection of news; here are six conditions—meeting more of these conditions increases the news value of the topic:
- Abnormality - The more unusual, the more news value.
- Impact - The more people affected, the higher the news value.
- Timeliness - The more recent the event, the higher the news value.
- Geographic Relevance - The closer to the audience's living area, the higher the news value.
- Notability - The more famous the person or event, the higher the news value.
- Conflict - The more elements of conflict, the higher the news value.
The principles listed above are basic. Whether an event holds news value often depends on whether there are other more significant events that day.
Without topics or news points (uninteresting), it will not attract the general public's attention, and naturally, it will not attract reporters to cover it. Thus, finding topics is crucial. Topics can be combined with current events; if there are no current events, you may rely on celebrities (endorsers). However, sometimes the chosen endorser may obscure the focus, as they might be popular but not beneficial to the product. If the topic remains too monotonous, consider finding more angles that could attract different lines of news reporters. Without an endorser, you could tell a story, but for certain products, like alcohol, it may not be possible to bring the product directly, so pairing it with an event to initially draw attention to the event can enhance the impression of the product. For instance, liquor companies often hold golf tournaments or fashionable parties.
You can look for journalists' emails on media websites, or send press releases to tip boxes, read magazines, buy newspapers, etc., or find reporters covering related news. You can even call the media directly to reach out to reporters.
The more news value your press release has, the more likely it will be selected by reporters for in-depth coverage. Please understand what constitutes "newsworthy" news for a specific market and write your press release based on that information to attract reporters’ attention.
Press releases must be clean and straightforward, and both the title and the article must be attractive. After sending the press release, it is highly likely to be discarded along with other similar submissions, so if you want your piece to be selected, it must stand out. It not only needs to stand out but also must meet the requirement of being publishable without needing modifications from the reporters or editors.
When journalists or editors read your piece, they consider how long it will take to turn your press release into a publishable article. Therefore, if your article is full of errors, missing information, or needs rewriting, they will find it too time-consuming and will likely discard it. Therefore, you must ensure that your grammar is correct, grasp basic writing knowledge, and be substantive.
Based on our observations, press releases sent in the morning are more likely to catch the attention of reporters or editors. In the morning, media personnel have time to integrate your news into the stories they are already writing; this is something to be particularly mindful of.
Please include additional information in the press release that provides some materials to validate your news. Is there useful, relevant information about your company available online? If so, include it. If you are unsure about the content you've written, check online for existing related information; someone might have already written about the same content.
Your press release must frequently include call-to-action phrases, which encourage people to act according to your instructions after reading your news. For example, if the purpose of your press release is to encourage readers to purchase a certain product, you need to specify where the product can be bought. If your press release aims to drive readers to visit the company website for more information, then you need to include the company's URL.
Make sure to send the press release to specific journalists responsible for your category within the media (reporters typically cover news by classification). Contact details for various news leaders can usually be found on each media website, or you can call to inquire; it’s easy to find responsible reporters. However, if you send your press release simultaneously to many media outlets and reporters, it suggests that you may be trying to take shortcuts rather than target a specific market for promotion, reducing the chances of your news release being accepted. Consider whether the media receiving your submission would find your content interesting. If you send it to the right people, they will surely appreciate it; but if sent to the wrong people, you are merely wasting time. Sending high-quality press releases to the right people is the correct approach.
When sending a press release via email, avoid using flashy or informal fonts. Oversized fonts and flashy colors will not enhance your press release but will divert attention from the news value. The press release should be placed directly in the email body, avoiding attachments whenever possible. If you must send it as an attachment, use plain text format. Word documents are generally acceptable to most media, but if your version is high, save the docx file in doc format. Many media, especially print media, often have outdated word processing software, and if you send a document in too new a format, they may not be able to open it smoothly. Only use PDF format if your material contains many charts. Additionally, do not print the press release and scan it into a JPEG file to send; this wastes both the editor's and your time. Instead, type the content of the press release directly into the email body.
When sending a press release via email, try not to use "Press Release" as the email subject. Such emails are likely to get lost among other bland emails. To attract the attention of the editor, use the title of the press release as the email subject, such as "Company Raises Market Share by 70% in Just Six Months Following New CEO Appointment." If your title is exceptionally eye-catching, it will help your email stand out and attract the editor's attention.
It is generally recommended to refrain from drafting a title before completing the press release, as you may not know what your interviewee will say and what specific content you will include. Only after you have written the draft and begun revising the introduction should you start thinking about the title. Also, consider looking at how official press releases are written online, learning from the writing styles, wording, structures, and formats that you find good, and then analyze your main text to find a suitable title. Press releases edited by newspaper and magazine editors will be retitled again, but if you come up with an especially good title, it will enhance the likelihood of your submission being accepted. Remember! The title must be concise and clear.
蘊藏許多助人的知識與智慧。