How to Write a Press Release [Free Press Release Template + Examples]

What’s a press launch/information launch?

A press launch is an official assertion (written or recorded) that a corporation points to the information media and past. Whether or not we name it a “press launch,” a “press assertion,” a “information launch,” or a “media launch,” we’re at all times speaking about the identical fundamental factor.

Whereas the heading ought to comprise motion verbs, the primary paragraph ought to reply the “who,” “what,” “why,” and “the place.” The press launch must also comprise comprehensible language and a quote.

Most press releases are succinct at only a web page lengthy – two pages tops. Finally, firms wish to present sufficient data in order that information shops have ample materials for publishing their very own tales about regardless of the firm is asserting within the launch.

One factor to recollect is that press releases dwell within the public area, which suggests your stakeholders and prospects can see them.

So, as a substitute of considering of a press launch solely as a ticket to incomes information protection, contemplate it as a priceless piece of selling content material.

Whereas there isn’t any cut-and-dried method for what a press launch ought to embrace, listed below are a couple of forms of events that can assist you carve out a spotlight to your press launch and decide what content material would enable you to broadcast your information in one of the simplest ways:

Product Launches

The product launch kind of press launch is efficacious to get the phrase out in regards to the new options your group is providing to customers.

It ought to emphasize the product’s specs, pricing, availability, and every other particulars that could be priceless to customers.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Organizational change is noteworthy sufficient to warrant a press launch, particularly for informing present and future stakeholders in regards to the progress and trajectory of an organization.

To announce an acquisition or merger, embrace particulars about all organizations concerned, details about the merger or acquisition, and quotes from the management groups.

Product Updates

Just like a brand new product launch, product updates and expansions are additionally ripe for promotion. Clarify what the change is, why it was made, and the way it advantages the person.

Occasions

Press releases are an vital element of occasion advertising and marketing to draw promotion from information shops and different media sources.

You may wish to embrace:

• What the occasion is about
• Who ought to contemplate attending
• When and the place will probably be held
• Pricing

Grand Openings

Whether or not you opened up a brand new workplace, relocated, or are opening for the primary time, announce the main points with a grand opening press launch.

Announce the date and site the grand opening can be held, who’s concerned, how the grand opening is being celebrated, and the rationale for the transfer (if relevant).

New Partnerships

Just like mergers and acquisitions, a press launch asserting new partnerships is a mutually useful advertising and marketing tactic.

To successfully execute this kind of launch, make sure to write a abstract about every firm, why the partnership was created, who advantages, and any extra vital particulars for present and future stakeholders.

Rebranding

Rebranding is a troublesome factor for any enterprise to do, and it may often end in confusion and awkwardness.

One method to make the transition smoother is by asserting the rebrand with a press launch, together with particulars on what’s altering, the rationale for making the change, dates the modifications go into impact, and quotes from the management group.

Govt Group Adjustments

Executives usually function faces of the corporate, and a press launch capabilities to kick off this function.

It could embrace biographical data to ascertain their credibility together with a photograph and different pertinent particulars.

Awards

Relating to enterprise excellence, it is OK to brag. Press releases about awards and accomplishments serve to cement your group as an authority in your house.

Such a press launch contains details about the corporate and why they got the award, details about the award itself, and particulars in regards to the ceremony (if relevant).

When formatting a press launch, you wish to write it in a newsy, simple manner so a journalist who would possibly write about it may think about it as an article on their information web site.

To begin, listed below are the fundamentals each press launch ought to embrace:

• Your contact data positioned on the highest left nook
• The phrase “For instant launch” positioned on the highest proper
• A headline that shortly explains the announcement
• Your online business location within the first sentence of the press launch
• A fast bio about your organization on the finish of your press launch.

You additionally would possibly wish to embrace “###” or one other signifier to point out the journalist that the discharge has ended. Previously, this prevented busy journalists from ready or flipping the web page for extra data when there was no extra information. Nonetheless, this custom remains to be adopted and highly-respected at the moment.

Now, onto the physique of your press launch:

• Your first paragraph ought to state what the announcement whereas offering some context round your online business and what it does.
• The subsequent two to 3 paragraphs ought to embrace quotes from an organization spokesperson or enterprise govt to clarify the “why” behind this announcement.
• Your final paragraph must be an “About Us” part that explains what your organization is and what it gives.

On this instance, Catbrella Inc., a fictitious advert company that simply gained its tenth Twitter follower after two years of paid social media efforts, publicizes its achievement in a press launch.

*Disclaimer: HubSpot is fully accountable for the silliness of this fake announcement.

Writing a press launch to interrupt vital firm information might help companies develop higher, however doing it proper is simply as vital. This is tips on how to write a press launch, just like the one above, step-by-step.

1. Write a compelling headline.

You’ve got bought your announcement in thoughts, and now it is time to get it down in phrases to share together with your group, business, and followers.

Identical to writing the right weblog publish title, establishing your press launch for achievement begins together with your headline. You solely have one line to work with, which may appear scary, however contemplate your phrases rigorously to make your headline charming.

Listed below are some tricks to make your headline stand out:

• Use motion verbs.
• Be particular.
• Preserve it brief.

Most significantly, make it attention-grabbing: Remember that reporters get dozens, if not lots of, of releases every day, so make investments the time to jot down a compelling headline.

Customers, however, see information tales throughout their timelines. As such, your headline must be attention-grabbing sufficient to reel them in.

2. Convey the information worth to the press.

In order for you your press launch to be newsworthy, it’s a must to give readers a purpose to care.

A great way to make sure that is by utilizing the reverse pyramid method when writing your press launch: Going from a very powerful data to the least vital.

Whereas the primary paragraph of your launch ought to clarify the who, what, the place, the second paragraph ought to cowl the why.

Reporters haven’t got a ton of time to sift by means of particulars and fluffy background data — they only want the info that’ll assist them inform your story to another person from a place of authority.

There should not be any new, essential data lined after these sections as a result of the readers might doubtlessly miss them.

3. Supply a tempting quote.

As soon as you have set the scene, it is time to deliver your particulars to life with a quote that reporters can use for context round your announcement and assist paint an image of how your information impacts the given business, buyer base, and panorama.

Ideally, quotes can be from key stakeholders in your organization together with your govt group, undertaking leads, or these instantly impacted by your announcement.

Quoting key figures and authorities underlines the significance of your improvement. The chosen quote ought to form your narrative and emphasize the core of the announcement.

Do not ask everybody in your workplace for a remark or really feel compelled to cite all 25 individuals included within the acquisition. Decide one or two vital spokespeople and focus the quotes round their distinctive perspective.

4. Present priceless background data on the topic.

On this final paragraph, needless to say the reader ought to have already got key particulars they want concerning your announcement.

Supply particulars right here that strengthen your narrative, like artistic or noteworthy methods your organization developed the undertaking or announcement at hand. Or, when relevant, touch upon the long run implications of your announcement.

One other great way so as to add worth to your press launch is by utilizing newsjacking. A technique of relating your press launch to one thing presently happening to make it extra priceless to the journalist and reader.

5. Summarize the “who” and the “what” in a boilerplate.

Twitter is chock-full of reporters lamenting press releases or pitches that do not clearly clarify what the corporate does or what the announcement is definitely about.

Describe what your organization does in clear, plain language and embrace a hyperlink to your organization’s web site early on.

If you happen to cite information, embrace a reference hyperlink for the information supply, and ensure each identify within the launch has an related title and firm as nicely.

To maintain your self sincere on this entrance, ask a colleague to learn the discharge with out context and ask them to relay the knowledge again to you. If they cannot recall the who, what, or why get again to the drafting board.

Press Launch Template

This template contains press launch templates based mostly on the kind of announcement your organization needs to make, whether or not it is a new product, a partnership, or a change inside your group.

Obtain This Press Launch Template for Free

This template additionally gives artistic replacements for the normal press launch and a information on tips on how to create a complete promotional plan. You may have precisely what it’s essential drive model consciousness and stand out amongst your rivals.

Press Launch Examples

Many individuals suppose press releases need to be chock stuffed with buzzwords and branded phrases.

“Massive information,” anybody? 5-syllable phrases it’s a must to search for on Thesaurus.com? Quotes from each govt on the planet that go on for pages? We have seen all of it. Sadly, so have reporters – and they’re not followers.

As a substitute of stuffing your subsequent launch with business jargon, take a web page out of our guide (OK advantageous, book), The Newsworthy Information to Inbound Public Relations, and brainstorm some artistic approaches to your subsequent announcement.

Are you able to embrace new information? A outstanding graphic or video? A shareable SlideShare? If that’s the case, a artistic angle might help carry your content material and enhance the chance of social sharing.

Now, to get you considering heading in the right direction, check out some artistic press launch examples beneath, the kind of information each is reporting on, and what makes the discharge distinctive:

1. Microsoft

Sort of press launch: Acquisition

Picture Supply

The very first thing that stands out on this press launch is the headline. It tells a full story with out being too lengthy: It covers who’s concerned (Microsoft and Activision), what’s occurring (an acquisition), and why it issues (to deliver the enjoyment and group of gaming to everybody).

All through the press launch, you get quotes from leaders in each organizations, serving to clarify the good thing about this acquisition and the way it will transfer the business ahead.

Towards the underside of the press launch, you get extra context surrounding every firm’s market share and the way this acquisition will impression the business.

2. Flourish

Sort of press launch: Group and workplace enlargement

Picture Supply

Organizational modifications can appear comparatively boring. One method to generate some curiosity is to incorporate visible components so as to add extra dimension to the story.

On this press launch asserting a group and workplace enlargement, enterprise capital agency Flourish shares pictures of some new hires proper on the prime, instantly drawing readers in.

The discharge dives into the rationale behind the enlargement and the important thing areas of focus transferring ahead. Then, we get a fast bio for every rent featured within the picture, which might help construct pleasure surrounding the model’s future.

The important thing takeaway right here is: Do not be afraid to make use of visible components in your press launch, as they might help draw readers in.

3. SuperCom

Sort of press launch: Occasion

Picture Supply

Because the shortest press launch within the bunch, SuperCom exhibits that much less is usually extra.

On this launch, safety options firm SuperCom introduced its participation in an upcoming convention.

Relating to occasions, a very powerful particulars are date and site. So long as you’ve gotten these key items, all the pieces else is a bonus.

One factor that may’ve elevated this launch is a quote on who can profit from attending this occasion and why, as a method to reel in potential attendees.

4. HubSpot

Sort of press launch: Program launch

Picture Supply

We have additionally crafted this complete, easy-to-follow press launch template full with a promotional plan and issues to your subsequent announcement. We use these similar pointers when writing and formatting our releases right here at HubSpot, and created a fake, pattern launch for instance what content material goes the place and why.

Suggestions for Publishing Press Releases

Writing a press launch is admittedly solely half the battle. When you’re completed with manufacturing, it will be time to deal with distribution.

In fact, we’re all acquainted with the normal distribution levers we are able to pull, which embrace publishing the press launch on our web site/weblog in addition to sharing the press launch with our followers/subscribers through social media and e-mail.

To get the utmost quantity of distribution attainable, listed below are some suggestions you possibly can comply with.

1. Attain out to particular journalists.

As a substitute of blasting a press launch out to each journalist you’ll find an e-mail deal with for, deal with a couple of journalists who’ve expertise masking your business (and firm, hopefully) and ship them customized messages.

Join the dots. Present why what you wrote connects to what they write.

2. Ship the discharge to prime journalists the day earlier than.

Give journalists a while to craft a narrative round your press launch by sending it to them — below embargo — the day earlier than it formally goes dwell.

“Underneath embargo” simply means they don’t seem to be allowed to share the knowledge within the press launch till the time you specify.

3. To keep away from competitors, do not publish your launch on the hour.

If you happen to’re publishing your press launch on a distribution service like PR Newswire or Enterprise Wire, keep away from publishing it on the hour (e.g., 1 p.m., or 3 p.m., or 5 p.m.).

The explanation? Most firms schedule their releases to exit on the hour, which suggests in case your launch goes out on the hour too, it is extra prone to get misplaced within the shuffle.

As a substitute, attempt going with a extra distinct time (e.g., 1:12 p.m., or 3:18 p.m., or 5:22 p.m.).

4. Share your media protection.

If all goes based on plan, and your press launch will get picked up by the media, your job nonetheless is not completed.

To maintain the thrill going, you possibly can launch a “second wave” of distribution by sharing the precise tales that information shops write based mostly in your press launch.

You may as well share the information in your digital channels, like social media and e-mail, to deliver consciousness to your announcement.

How To Stand Out In The Information

The important thing to maintaining your PR technique new college is forgetting preconceived notions of what public relations is and as a substitute specializing in creating extremely outstanding content material. Conventional press releases can nonetheless be actually priceless when executed nicely.

As a substitute of ditching releases as a tactic, give them a contemporary makeover to make them extra helpful to your advertising and marketing.

Take into consideration how you have used inbound strategies to rework your advertising and marketing methods to be extra customized, approachable, and construct relationships. Those self same rules apply to your PR technique: Create content material to craft your personal story and use tactful outreach to get the media acquainted with (and enthusiastic about) your model.

Editor’s word: This publish was initially printed in November 2019 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.