5 Quick Press Release Best Practices to Get Your Content Approved

Anyone can write a press release.  When I got my first paid assignment to write a press release I had to search online to learn how to do it.  Writing a release isn’t very hard, but there are a few guidelines which you should follow if you want your content to be accepted by press release distribution services. 

There are a lot of reasons why a press release might get rejected.  Listed below are the most common reasons then we‘ll talk about the best practices which work well for everyone. 

One reason your release may get rejected is if you use all UPPER CASE LETTERS in the title.  It’s a newbie mistake, but a mistake commonly made.  In fact, it’s so common, many press release distribution websites list it as one of the first ‘don’ts’ on their submission page.

Get your press release approved

Another reason for a rejection could be you’ve embedded HTML, Java or any other markup language. There’s a right place to put it, and this is normally assigned by the press release submission staff on the site itself. 

If you violate the rules of the press release site you’re submitting to they will reject your release immediately.  In fact, make sure you read the company’s rules before you submit any content as it will save you a lot of time.  If you want to check if the service allows anchor text, just look at other releases on the site before you submit yours.

Finally, the last reason your content may get rejected is because it is full of grammatical errors, punctuation marks are incorrectly placed, incorrect use of words and spelling.  Spell-check your content before you submit it.  The editors will read your release before they make a decision as to whether or not to publish it on their site.

Okay!  Now that you’re aware of the why-nots, below are some of the best practices to implement when writing and submitting a press release.

Make it news-worthy. There are many news-worthy angles to a press release such as a product launch, relaunch of a website, new management, received awards, survey results etc. If your press release doesn’t have news worthy angle, then by all means, do not waste your time because it will only get rejected.

Work on your headline

Write an attention grabbing, head twisting, snappy headline. The wonder of press releases is this – once it gets approved, and it really is an interesting piece, you not only get approved in that site, it might also get the attention of the other sites thereby syndicating your release. The more it gets republished, the better for your brand.

Make your press release effective by including a quote. When writing your press release, make sure to include a quote from an authority figure in the company or a satisfied customer. Sprinkle a few quotes in the middle or the end, but don’t overdo it.

Pepper it with keywords. Keywords are important, especially since you’re submitting a digital press release that gets crawled by the search engines spiders. From the title to the content, ensure keywords are included. A word of warning though – don’t force it.  You’re writing for a human being, not search engine spiders. It has to make sense to them first to make a successful impact.

When formatting your press release, write in short paragraphs. Keep it simple silly, as they say. Use bulleted or numbered lists to break up chunks of information. Make it easier to read. Why? Because nowadays, people scan and skim then if it’s deemed important then that’s when we dwell on it and read it.

There you have it.  Follow the suggestions on this article and you press release will be accepted.  If you use a press release writing service, make sure they don’t violate any of the rules.  Press releases make an impact for the brand exposure wise, and SEO wise.  Neglecting to give it a try means losing potential clients.

What other best practices are you aware of?  Please leave a comment below.

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Press Release Writing Basics

The article below was written by a competitor at eReleases.  It’s very well-written and I’m sure you’re going to learn something from the content which is why I decided to republish the article on this blog.  You’ll find links to eReleases below and you’ll be able to download for free a press release check list along with PR do’s and don’ts to get you started on the right track.

I’ve always said press releases are a great way to create massive exposure with minimal investment.  They’re also perfect for website SEO, but only if your press release writing service uses anchor text links on your keywords.  A nice video or picture will also enhance the SEO value of any content that’s posted online.

What goes into a proper press release? Whether you’re sitting down to write your first one or trying to figure out what nobody has picked up your last few releases, it’s important to get the basics down before continuing. You don’t want any of these releases to go to waste, and if they’re not properly formatted they’ll get barely a glance!

For this example, let’s say your company is a something fun – a video game publisher. The company is fairly big but hasn’t had a huge release…yet! Your latest game may just be your big break, so you naturally want to get the story out to any game magazine that will listen.

After designing a nifty looking header with your company logo on it and putting your contact information so the magazines can ask follow up questions, you get started on your release.

Headline

The headline for your press release should be centered and noticeably separated from all the other parts of the release. One line or two should do it. Also, make sure to bold it and use all caps.

As for the content of the headline, you want it to be as succinct yet informative as possible. Sound contradictory? Maybe it is, and that’s the issue. You “simply” have to choose the most important words to describe your entire press release in its entirety. If you don’t have a great headline, you risk getting totally looked over.

For our example, something like “Megagame Corp. Releases Groundbreaking Shooter” would work. Since you’re sending this to video game publications you don’t have to actually say “video game” in there since it’s implied.

Sub-Headline

Just below the headline you have a chance to further grab your audience with a sub-headline. It should still be centered but this time with italics and in mixed case.

Now, you don’t HAVE to use a sub-headline. Only use one if you feel you didn’t have enough info in the headline.

Perhaps your big video game release is the first of its kind, something truly unique. You don’t want your readers to miss this, so the sub-headline would be a great place to insert it. “First Shooting Game to Combine Vocal Commands and Dance Moves” could do the trick.

Body

The first paragraph of your press release is also extremely crucial. Editors will often scan the first paragraph before deciding if the rest of the release is any good. This is your last “gate post” so to speak to cross, so if you have a great first paragraph you have a solid chance of getting published.

The rest of the written portion of the release is aligned left. First put the city (in all caps), month, date, and year, then a dash. Now you start writing.

I’m a big fan of keeping the first paragraph as simple as possible. Try to keep it to one or two sentences if you can help it. Also, the first paragraph should be straight facts – who, what, where, etc.

“FUNTOWN, NY, September 5, 2012 – Off the heels of their indie hit “Explosion Brothers,” Megagame Corp. announced the follow-up shooter/dance/singing hybrid “The Dancing Gun” yesterday. The X-Box exclusive will be the first of its kind and will be packaged with all copies of Halo 5.”

The rest of the body is devoted to fleshing out everything you mentioned in the first paragraph and any relevant quotes from authority figures. For instance, the CEO of your company and/or the project lead of Halo 5 would make for great quotes!

After you’ve perfected the rest of your press release, don’t forget to put “###” sans quotes centered at the very bottom so they know when to stop reading. Now you’re done, so start sending them out!

Need help with that? Check out eReleases for managing your press releases and getting them to the journalists most likely to get excited about your news.

This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases Press Release Distribution, celebrating 14 years as a leader in affordable press release services. Download a free copy of the PR Checklist – a 24 point list of Press Release Dos and Don’ts.

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Video - Press Release Tips for Success

The humble press release is the cornerstone of any public relations campaign and it is an extremely cost effective way to increase your brand exposure.  A well written release doesn't cost as much as in the past since a good press release writing service will charge a nominal fee.

A press release communicates exactly what you are trying to get across simply, quickly and effectively.  And is your news story gets picked up by a reporter, you will see an increase in website traffic and leads.

The video below offers several tips for success.

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How to Find the Best Angle to Maximize Your Press Release Coverage

When you write a press release or hire a press release writing service, your biggest goal should be to grab the attention of the reader.  Whether it’s a consumer looking to buy something online or a reporter that’s searching for content to include in a story, your release has to grab their attention fast.

You want your release to stand out from the crowd of the thousands of releases that are published every day and a good headline will help you accomplish that easily.  Another successful method to attract attention is to find an interesting angle for your news. 

When trying to figure out the best angle for delivering your news, here are some questions you can ask yourself:

• Is there a popular story on the web that I can tie my release to?
• Can I add a different spin on an old story that was popular a few months ago?
• Do I have a client that’s willing to provide a quote or a recommendation for my products or services?
• Does my story have ties to seasonal changes or activities?
• Has someone at our company recently received an industry award that was published elsewhere online?
• What new technology can I use to make me standout such as social media press releases?

What are the most common problems my company helps consumer solve?

There are literally hundreds of ways in which you can find a unique angle that will make your press release interesting not only to consumers, but to reporters and websites that syndicate content.

Before you write your content or hire someone, take about 10 to 15 minutes to answer the above questions.  You’ll be surprised at the results!  If you need someone to writeyour press release please uses the link in this sentence.  Click here to learn how to write a press release.

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