As you have no doubt heard by now, online content marketing is the new currency of our digital age, and if done correctly, offers one of the most effective ways to communicate with your target audience.
But don’t let this shift in how we communicate and share information have you think that the old school Press Release or Media Release has had its day. Media releases should still be an essential element of your public relations strategy. They are an extremely effective way to share business achievements, product releases and event announcements with a wider audience via credible media outlets.
Here are five tips to writing an effective media release for free.
1. Get picked up
The very first thing seen of your media release — just like your brochure content, magazine advertisement or online banner — must grab attention. Your media release headline and first paragraph need to be engaging, and attract the attention of the editor or journalist. Basically, make sure you cover who, what, where, when and most importantly why your media release should make news in the first paragraph. Remember to write in an inverted pyramid style — most important to least important, just like in the newspapers.
2. Keep things simple
Write in short sentences, short paragraphs and keep the information clear and concise. As a basic rule, limit your media release to one A4 page in content. This will have you focus of producing concise, compelling content — something time-poor editors and journalists are always looking for. If your media release is picked up, you will most likely get the chance to add more detail later if required.
3. Quote an influencer
People like to hear news from credible sources or experts in a specific field, so make sure to always include quotes. Using quotes from someone in your business, an industry leader, a local celebrity or a social media influencer will help make sure that your story is "newsworthy" and newsworthiness plays a central role in whether your story makes it to the presses or online.
4. Save your story
A media release is all about building positive public relations — trust — with your audience/consumer, so focus on the news first and keep a short "about the brand" to the end. A strong, trustworthy relationship between your business and media outlets is always mutually beneficial.
5. Look the part
Make sure to have Media Release or Story Idea in the subject line of your email with an enticing headline. Editors and journalists will spend just a second or two deciding whether something looks interesting and should be opened up. Also, add an image or short video (30-60 seconds) that helps tell the story.
Finally, editors and journalists will need to have your contact details in the media release to follow-up and ask questions, or to arrange an interview if required — for convenience, use the standard media release format below.
Head your media release with the following:
Media Release
For Immediate Release – (Date)
Close your media release with the following:
Media Contact:
Email:
Phone:
Media Release Ends
Scopic connects businesses and people through creative communications, contact us to find out more.
But don’t let this shift in how we communicate and share information have you think that the old school Press Release or Media Release has had its day. Media releases should still be an essential element of your public relations strategy. They are an extremely effective way to share business achievements, product releases and event announcements with a wider audience via credible media outlets.
Here are five tips to writing an effective media release for free.
1. Get picked up
The very first thing seen of your media release — just like your brochure content, magazine advertisement or online banner — must grab attention. Your media release headline and first paragraph need to be engaging, and attract the attention of the editor or journalist. Basically, make sure you cover who, what, where, when and most importantly why your media release should make news in the first paragraph. Remember to write in an inverted pyramid style — most important to least important, just like in the newspapers.
2. Keep things simple
Write in short sentences, short paragraphs and keep the information clear and concise. As a basic rule, limit your media release to one A4 page in content. This will have you focus of producing concise, compelling content — something time-poor editors and journalists are always looking for. If your media release is picked up, you will most likely get the chance to add more detail later if required.
3. Quote an influencer
People like to hear news from credible sources or experts in a specific field, so make sure to always include quotes. Using quotes from someone in your business, an industry leader, a local celebrity or a social media influencer will help make sure that your story is "newsworthy" and newsworthiness plays a central role in whether your story makes it to the presses or online.
4. Save your story
A media release is all about building positive public relations — trust — with your audience/consumer, so focus on the news first and keep a short "about the brand" to the end. A strong, trustworthy relationship between your business and media outlets is always mutually beneficial.
5. Look the part
Make sure to have Media Release or Story Idea in the subject line of your email with an enticing headline. Editors and journalists will spend just a second or two deciding whether something looks interesting and should be opened up. Also, add an image or short video (30-60 seconds) that helps tell the story.
Finally, editors and journalists will need to have your contact details in the media release to follow-up and ask questions, or to arrange an interview if required — for convenience, use the standard media release format below.
Head your media release with the following:
Media Release
For Immediate Release – (Date)
Close your media release with the following:
Media Contact:
Email:
Phone:
Media Release Ends
Scopic connects businesses and people through creative communications, contact us to find out more.
Photo Credit : Shutterstock
