{"id":24787,"date":"2019-12-16T18:42:50","date_gmt":"2019-12-17T01:42:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bamf.com\/?p=24787"},"modified":"2022-01-17T09:14:33","modified_gmt":"2022-01-17T16:14:33","slug":"how-to-write-a-press-release","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bamf.com\/how-to-write-a-press-release\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write a Press Release That Kills – 10 Free Press Release Formats, and 11 Downloadable Templates"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Press releases are underrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the best ways to generate \u2013 and maintain \u2013 the buzz for your brand or company over time is to generate press releases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They are designed to be official company announcements that journalists and stakeholders rely on to get the scoop on what\u2019s new with the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this exhaustive guide, we take a look at the anatomy of a press release, different formats, and we even include a couple of templates that you can download and start using today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s time you start using press releases to start driving some solid inbound traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n
Back in the day, if a company wanted to disseminate information about critical decisions that affected their shareholders, they launched a press release for the media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But not much has changed today. It remains to be one of the most effective ways to inform people about what\u2019s going on in a company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If a company launches a new product, gets into trouble, or decides to do something \u201cmonumental\u201d that affects their stakeholders, they should give a press release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Depending on how big the news is, it can be picked up by journalists if it is deemed newsworthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The thing is, it\u2019s not just limited to large corporations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In today\u2019s internet age, press releases can be quickly disseminated to more journalists \u2013 especially those who cover your industry. They can also be broadcasted through the company\u2019s mediums, such as their website and social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In effect, they\u2019re not just built to inform people, or for journalists to write articles about, they can also boost the engagement that a company has with its customers and other stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The best thing about press releases?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They\u2019re free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Press releases don\u2019t rely on paid distribution networks; if you properly pitch an idea to a journalist, they might just pick it up and give you the exposure you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another thing to love?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If it\u2019s an article online, you might even get a free backlink from the news network or the platform the journalist is writing from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pretty sweet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s get one thing clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are different types of press release formats, and they are dependent on what kind of news you\u2019re reporting about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, there is a general way to write a press release. Here are its essential components:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imagine an upside-down pyramid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s how most news stories are written.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The inverted pyramid model or bottom line up front (BLUF) works by placing the most critical pieces of information at the very top and then placing supporting information much lower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is useful because it allows readers to quickly go through a story and still pick up the main point regardless if they finish it or not. People say it also helps editors cut out irrelevant pieces of information from the bottom up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Using this format, you put other general information and the background story much further down. This helps create the structure for the copy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How does this help a marketer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your reader does not have to finish reading your press release, but they\u2019ll still find out about your press release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The headline is the most crucial part of the press release because it is the first thing that the journalist and the reader sees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first person that you have to appeal to is the journalist. They decide if your press release is worth publishing in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember, journalists are bogged down by tons of emails every day, and by crafting an attractive title, you can stand out in their inbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You might have a great product or announcement, but if the title does not live up to the part, it won\u2019t be read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A press release still follows a formal structure, so the title has to encompass the entire news brief into one short sentence. You can get a little creative with it as long as it fulfills its purpose of appealing to the reader immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Short-to-the-point titles work best since you can read them faster. You don\u2019t want to bore a reader with the length of your title. The decision to read through a press release is dependent on the construction of the title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another important note is this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re looking to create press releases that are SEO optimized, try to incorporate your keyword into the title. However, don\u2019t get too caught up with the SEO; your priority is still attracting people to the title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The most critical paragraph in the press release is the lead paragraph because it aims to sum up essential parts of the story into one section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first part of your lead paragraph is the city, state, and date of the press release. It gives the reader the setting of the news. This is always written out in bold and followed by a dash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The paragraph then attempts to answer the following questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is room for some creativity in this part of the press release, but it is highly advised that you stick to the facts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The succeeding supporting paragraphs can give the reader more insight into why the news is so important and what the company is engaged in. Don\u2019t get caught up in the small details here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This paragraph has to be concise enough to answer all of these questions and provide a foundation to elaborate on in the next paragraphs that follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are two ways to structure the second paragraph, it\u2019s either you give the reader some more information about the event, or you provide a quote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you ask us, go with the quote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Quotes are a great way to add depth to a press release because it provides an unfiltered opinion of someone who\u2019s involved in what\u2019s being reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Press releases are written out from a single perspective, and a quote allows the reader to look at the news from the lens of someone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The quote has to serve a purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Who do you quote?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People who are going to be affected by the announcement should be quoted, but one can also harness quotes to emphasize other parts of the press release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, if you\u2019ve launched a groundbreaking event, then it makes sense to quote the head honcho so that people realize how important it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If it\u2019s a new product, then quoting a satisfied customer will make sense to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If there is the absolute need to get valuable information through before the quote, then you can place the quote in the next paragraph. However, a citation is seen as a breather from the long-form text. So use it as a standard separator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, remember.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is no requirement for a press release to have a quote, but imagine how bland that would be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the reason why most releases opt to have them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following the inverted pyramid model, we talked about earlier, you can now add various types of supporting information into the next paragraphs. Ideally, this should be anywhere between three to five paragraphs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For instance, say you\u2019ve launched a new product. Your third paragraph could talk more about the features of the product and how it\u2019s better than the old one, and the succeeding sections could be about your company\u2019s research and development division or previous line-ups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some press releases opt to use bullet points towards the end to emphasize company facts and make them memorable for people. These company facts can be statistics and other useful tidbits of information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s what.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The information still has to be pertinent to the announcement, but you can also promote your brand subtly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, avoid turning it into an advertorial. That\u2019s not what press releases are for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The boilerplate is what journalists look at to find about your company, but it is powerful because of one fundamental reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can use it to talk about your company creatively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s what you need to make an excellent boilerplate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The boilerplate is where you can focus on telling your reader about the company. This means you can include an entire paragraph about its achievements or talk about its vision for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It serves as a good avenue for you to start getting creative about the way that you describe your company to the rest of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keep the boilerplate as straightforward as possible. You want to be able to summarize everything that has been said with your boilerplate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These three hashtags indicate that there is nothing to print after the notation. Some people end their press release with -end- and that is also acceptable. Whatever comes after the notation does not have to be printed, so this is where notes could come in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A standard press release is anywhere between 400 to 600 words long. However, this is not always the case, especially for detailed company announcements or new product launches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The rule is: shorter is better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keeping your press release short and sticking only to pertinent details is a good idea because it allows a reader to fully digest the information quickly. Longer pieces can make people hesitant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Traditionally, press releases didn\u2019t really contain pictures or other media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, it has always been dependent on several factors. If the news story has to be supported by the media, then photos are an excellent way to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you ask us, just include photos at any time that you can. There is no guarantee that the journalist will publish the press release with the photographs, but in the off chance that they decide to, you\u2019ll get an opportunity to liven up your press release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nobody likes plain text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It always helps to liven up a piece of writing with a couple of photographs to add more value to the writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the adage goes, \u201ca picture is worth a thousand words.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some companies have tried video press releases, and these are common for larger organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, there are plenty of ways that a small startup can launch a press release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The same formula applies here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It has to be short, with the information concise and straightforward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Skip out on the unnecessary marketing and make sure that there\u2019s a quick interview from a key person \u2013 this is your alternative to the quote of a standard press release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Try to get a couple of journalists to circulate the video, but a good way to disseminate the information would be to run it through social media channels and the company website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another thing that you could do is to make an accompanying text press release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make sure that you send both to the journalist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A lot of press release services that syndicate these releases will allow you to enter a quick video about your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take advantage of this option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People like videos because they are engaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the best uses of press releases?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
New products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The product press release stands in as a pseudo-advertorial for your new product or service. However, since it\u2019s a professional document, you have to stick to the rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A product press release is a reflection of the intrinsic value of the product. Can it be attractive to your prospective buyers, even without the fancy packaging and marketing copy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your answer is yes, it\u2019s time to focus on the value of the product in providing solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These types of press releases can be loaded with a lot of things. You can talk about the product, then end with either the vision, the company story, or even promote other products that they also produce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s a lot of leeways for you to put out a feature-packed press release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Headline<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The headline should contain the company name and the product name or utility. You can even include how the organization is helping solve a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a quick example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n XYZ Growth Hacker, Inc. Launches Tool to Give You 100 Million Views on YouTube<\/p>\n\n\n\n