There are several very important elements that should always be included in a standard press release, each of which we will briefly detail below.
The quality of the writing is paramount, as is punctuation. You will want to make it as easy as possible for news publications to convert your submission into a qualified news story, blog post or write-up for your company, organization or cause.
Headline
An effective press release should have a headline that catches the eye of the reader. The headline should be as short as possible – preferably less than 7 words – and condenses the main point of the entire press release to its intended audience.
Remember, the headline (along with a few words from the introduction) will be the item(s) that appear first for the viewers, as news items, articles, search engine results, and social media posts.
Dateline
Include a date and time of the completed writing of the press release, so that the recipient understands how recent this news release was generated.
Introduction
A brief introduction that – like the Headline – condenses all the main information about the press release, but slightly expands on it. The maximum size introduction should be no larger than the average original size tweet, which was 140 characters, before it was doubles to 280.
This is the part that journalists, editors and other recipients will skim through, and ultimately make the decision if they will read, understand and choose to publish your release.
Body
The body of the press release includes the full details of the subject matter at hand, and which is desired to be published. It should consist of approximately 2-7 paragraphs, each expanding on a typical aspect of the release.
Boilerplate
This area includes independent information about the company, organization or cause that is submitting the release, as well as its origin, impact and vision.
Call to Action
A clear call to action – an encouragement for the reader to do something after reading the release, is paramount to the overall success of the item you are submitting. Be very clear, provide simple instructions on how to follow up, and make sure that links are easy to use, and live.
Media Contact Info
Important follow up information should include name, contact number and email address about the individual who is sending the press release.