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| What is a press release? A press release is a written or recorded communication directed at members of the news media for the purpose of announcing something claimed as having news value. Examples include new product announcements, company awards, earnings reports, new sales, hiring of executive officers, scheduled events, product enhancements, legal updates, government legislation, political campaigns, and much more. Press Releases are typically sent by mail, fax, or email to the editors at newspapers, magazines, radio stations, television stations, and/or television networks. Commercial press release distribution services, such as FV Newswire, PressReleaseOnly, and FreePressRelease365, are also used to distribute them. Why distribute press releases? The use of a press release is common in the field of public relations, the aim of which is to attract favorable media attention to public relations professional's client and/or provide publicity for products, services, or events marketed by those clients. A press release provides reporters with the basics they need to develop a news story. Press releases can announce a range of news items such as: scheduled events, personal promotions, awards, news products and services, sales and other financial data, accomplishments, etc. They are often used in generating a feature story or are sent for the purpose of announcing news conferences, upcoming events or change in corporation. With the rise in popularity of online media outlets, getting your press release distributed on the Internet is more important than ever. Many researchers have documented the uncertain future of newspapers. Major newspapers across the United States and Europe are struggling to survive as electronic media continues to see tremendous growth. Newspapers continue losing customers to online providers as distribution costs increase and print-advertising revenue drops. The need to submit your press release online is greater than ever. As we transition to a paperless society, and the world evolves away from print-based media, sending out a press release no longer take weeks. Press releases can be distributed across global newswires in mere minutes. The story will appear across major news search engines like Google News, a website that receives approximately 120 million unique visitors per week. The ability to write a press release that targets the appropriate readers is vital to the success of a media campaign. In the following section, we will explain how to write optimized press releases for the Information Age. The information contained below is beginner-level, focusing mainly on how to write a press release, with some basic information regarding online journalism ethics. How to write a press release I. Write the body of the article: the press release body should be written in a manner that informs people and does not try to sell them something. A story written like an advertisement is usually ineffective. A very easy way to start off is by summarizing the entire release in an opening 3-4 sentence paragraph. Once you have an opening paragraph, create a separate paragraph for the following questions, "who?", "what?", "when", "where", "why", and "how". Be sure to include quotes from people involved in the story. Quoting a person by name helps readers understand and remember the information more clearly. Always take advantage of the ability to add hyperlinks in your story. When adding links, be sure to select important keywords for optimal search engine optimization (SEO). Keep the total length of the body under 500 words, but at least 100. II. About the company: after the body of the release, include a one paragraph statement containing information about the company. This paragraph is typically taken from marketing materials within your organization. The information should include company history, background, industry, and location. A short discussion of your products and services is allowed. If your company is not a household name, providing company background information helps journalists remember who you are. III. Provide media contact information: In order for members of the media to contact you for an interview, or to quote your story, you must provide contact information such as company name, phone, and email address (at the minimum). Most people are reluctant to give out their email addresses. IV. Optimize the title/headline: the title (sometimes called the headline) of the press release grabs the reader's attention and is the most important search engine optimization factor. Place the most important keywords toward the beginning. Important keywords include company name, city of release, type of product, industry name, person's name, or some sought-after keyword. The title should not contain more than 75 characters. The title should not be written in all-caps either, but rather capitalize the first letter of each word. Despite the effort to grab attention, be sure to only include facts. A professional release will never place a rumor or outlandish statement in the title. Such releases are easy to spot and the company usually placed on a blacklist by journalists and news editors. Press Release Template Title (Example: US Federal Judge Eases Restrictions on Florida Sugarcane Farmers) City, State (Example: Miami, FL) - This is the introductory paragraph, and it should briefly summarize the entire press release. The paragraph should be approximately 3 to 5 sentences. Be sure to mention whats happening or what happened, the date, time, where it happened, and the important people involved. The 1st paragraph will make or break the story. If it's not clear and concise, most people will not read the rest of the article. The middle paragraphs go into more detail. For example, explain the importance of the event and why it's taking place. This is a good place to provide detail about the the participants, who stands to benefit, who stands to lose, etc. In general, remember that most important information should be placed at the beginning of the article - information at the end is less likely to be read. Be sure to answer who, what, when, where, why, and how. Another section could discuss the history of the particular event, program, or news event. This is where you'll go in detail about how it got started and what services have been offered in the past. Discuss how things are changing for the better (or worse). Once again, you should keep paragraphs at about 3 to 5 sentences in length. The very last paragraph is called the "boilerplate." It is usually no more than 3-4 sentences. Example: The Florida Sugarcane Alliance, established in 1958, strives to meet the world's demands for sugar by creating technological breakthroughs that allow for cleaner and more efficient production of sugarcane. The Alliance employs over 40,000 individuals and farm-workers across the state. ### Media Contact: Person Name Phone Number Website Press Release Tips
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