By Adam Lovinus

One of the most common pitfalls in drafting a press release is injecting it full of copy that belongs in an advertisement.  Think of advertisements and press releases as being cousins:  they are of the same family, share a few common characteristics, have the same broad goals — but too much intermingling is taboo. So how can we avoid it?

Center your release around something newsworthy. Before you write a single word, take time to pinpoint the element that will make your press release appealing to the news media, your target audience. Tradeshows, conferences, grand openings, product launches, new hires, mergers & acquisitions, notable stock activities – these are the bread-and-butter reasons for writing a news release.  Without a solid news peg, a press release naturally has to resort to the storytelling methods more akin to advertising. A good news peg makes writing a press release simple: just answer the what, who, when, why and how of what your company has going on.

Use headlines, not taglines. The overarching aesthetic of a press release should resemble a news story. So, just like a story you’d find in a newspaper, a press release should contain a well-crafted headline that is fact-based and summarizes the story your press release tells. This is the opposite of a tagline, which might use wordplay and abstractions to implore the reader. Instead, tell the reader in about 70 words why you are writing a press release; use a subject-verb-object sentence structure for optimal clarity.

Implement an inverted pyramid structure. This refers to how a journalist orients the hierarchy of a news story: the most important facts up top in the beginning paragraphs, the lesser facts and supporting details toward the middle and bottom of a press release. This helps a press release flow, keeps it concise, and most important, makes it stay factual. Your “facts” are the answers to the who, what, where, when and why questions; it might help to make a list of these facts before drafting the release so you can orient them accordingly.   

Attribute all opinion statements. The narrative of a press release must never be confused for opinion. That mars the tone of your news release, and under some circumstances, news outlets may be unable to use your information.  But don’t let that stop you from adding opinions in a release altogether; just remember, anything that seems like an opinion needs to appear as a quote or a paraphrase. Let the company CEO espouse the opinions. You, the writer, stick to the facts.

Avoid exclamation marks and flowery adjectives.  These types of elements distract from the factual tone that a press release should have. Plain and simple. There’s rarely any reason to use an exclamation mark in news reporting; the same goes for a press release.

Implement these five tips in each stage of drafting your press materials and you will be in good shape. For other points of advice on how to make an impactful, resonant news release, here are a few more articles to reference:

• Beyond Buzzwords: Rising Above the Garble Online
• Think Local: Tips for a Community-Focused Press Release
• How to Make Your News Release Stand Out
• Writing Your Technical Press Release for Every Reader
• Press Release Structure: Making Your Content Stand Out on the Screen

By Courtney McManus, Associate Editor

Journalists today get hundreds of press releases per day, spanning all topics and industries. Because of this, they scan releases quickly in their rush for news and may overlook a release that isn’t spam, but has tell-tale spam indicators. Don’t want your release to get thrown out with the rest? Here are 8 quick ways to make sure your release stays out of the trash can.

1. Headline! This is the first thing most journalists will see, so it’s important that your headline is relevant and informative. Your company name should be included, as well as what the release is about (e.g., launching a product, appearing in a trade show). Punctuation plays a big role in your headline too — adding a swarm of exclamation points can look shout-y and unprofessional, and flag your release as spam before anyone gets a chance to read it. For example, very few people would read my release if my headline was [Marketwire Is Super Awesome!! Press Releases Are Great!!!!] because it looks sensational, and not like valid news.

2. First paragraph. It’s crucial that your first paragraph really explains your release. It should include the who/what/why of your release, including tickers, special people, product names, etc. This is essentially the summary of your release — make it a snapshot that keeps your readers interested and well informed of what they will be reading.

3. Voice. Your release should be written in third person. This reads more factually and less emotionally, giving journalists something to really work with. The exception is, of course, a direct quote in the text, which should be attributed to a person, with a first and last full name, job title and the name of the company for which they work.

4. Grammar and Punctuation. Correctly punctuating your release shows that you took the time to make it accurate and well written, which will automatically elevate the quality of your release.

5. Sensationalism — the big no no! WRITING IN ALL CAPS or extensively using exclamation points makes the quality of your news plummet. It’s the written equivalent of a terrible infomercial (complete with shouting!), where you are definitely not going to buy the product but are fascinated by the enthusiasm. While funny, that doesn’t bode well for your announcement.

6. Quantity. Sending the same release with one word different in the headline (say, announcing a seminar series in multiple cities and ONLY changing the city name throughout) can be considered spam. Even if each release is sent to a different distribution circuit (one to Los Angeles, another to Detroit, etc.), there will always be overlap. The journalists receiving the news at online points — or, for example, the Associated Press — will see each of those releases, and it can have a negative impact on your pick up. And, let’s be honest here, it’s probably not financially smart either.

7. Quality. Your release will have better pick up if there is more information in it. The more facts you include, the better. If your company recently did a study about job growth, include your most poignant statistics — something relevant to what’s going on in the economy as a whole that journalists can use easily. The more information you provide, the bigger the chance you have for pick up, because the information is already easy and accessible.

8. Relativity. Your release should remain current with what is happening on some scale — maybe it reflects on a big-picture issue, like a national election, or on something more focused in the industry you work in, like a new battery type for cell phones. The more current your release, the more attention it will receive simply because journalists are always looking for new information. If the release is about the results of something like how different demographics tweeted about the Grammy awards, it should be distributed as close as possible to the end of that event to capitalize on the hype the event already commands.

While there is no guaranteed, tried-and-true way to always have your release picked up (there are too many contributing factors), following the above 8 guidelines will, at a minimum, increase your release’s chances of making it in front of the right journalists.

By Adam Lovinus, Associate Editor

What is a journalist looking for on Twitter?

News, of course!

A better question is, How is a journalist looking for news on Twitter? A savvy journalist uses Twitter to excavate story angles in a variety of ways. PR pros with a handle on how journalists are looking for news are in a better position to offer valuable, timely expertise and generate media exposure for their clients.

Here are five great ways to leverage your company’s Twitter profile.

FIND YOUR WRITERS: The number-one reason journalists use Twitter is that it is probably the fastest, easiest way to keep up with what news sources (you!) are up to. The first step is getting in touch with them. Acquaint yourself with the search tool in the Twitter platform, peruse contact pages of news organizations, and see who your industry peers are following to bolster your feed.

• PR Tip: There are online services offering journalist directories searchable by news organization, beat, and region. PressPass (www.presspass.me) and Seek or Shout (http://seekorshout.com) are two FREE online programs that can help get you in touch with relevant media entities.

LISTEN TO YOUR WRITERS: Journalists frequently pose questions to their followers to aid in the newsgathering process. Make sure to monitor this, and deliver exactly what they’re asking for whenever possible.

• PR Tip: Journalists looking for sources will post their requests @JournoRequest or #journorequest. Search those handles for potential media opportunities.

ENGAGE YOUR WRITERS: Relevance is the key to good sharing; every tweet should tie in to something else happening on Twitter. This is what is meant by “engaging” with social media. Random posting directed at no one in particular tends to be ineffective. Imagine Twitter as a giant conversation; when it’s your turn to speak, make sure to offer something that fits in with what others are saying.

• PR Tip: Use #hashtags to start conversations. For example, when tweeting at a trade show, always add in the tradeshow hashtag. That way, journalists covering the show will see your input.

PITCH YOUR WRITERS: Every journalist has a preferred method of getting pitches. Some use Twitter, some don’t. Check their profile; it’s often a good indicator. Journalists that prefer Twitter pitches do so because the 140-character limit ensures a quick, to-the-point pitch. Ultimately, it is up to the PR pro to feel out an editor’s preference. When in doubt, simply ask — “Hello @editor, I represent @company; I have #something you might dig; what’s the best way to reach out?”

• PR Tip: A good way to warm up to an editor is to retweet stories he or she posts.

GET IN FRONT OF BREAKING NEWS: Nothing is faster and more useful than a Twitter feed for a developing story. By searching tweets with #hashtags that denote a specific topic, a journalist is able to cultivate leads in real time. 99% of breaking news stories will not have any meaningful connection with your PR, but you never know when you can get in front of a breaking story and turn it into a nice chunk of earned media.

• PR Tip: Use Advanced Search to search by topic and location for happenings that present an opportunity for getting in on news coverage. For example, a tech manufacturer that supplies electrical components for a weather-tracking device could find itself in a position to provide timely information for news media covering a storm system. Refine your search to find news opportunities specific to your client.