How to Structure a Release
As a press release writer you’ll want to structure everything in a particular fashion, for maximum effectiveness. You’ll usually want to have your company name and logo at the top of the page, so readers know what company they’re dealing with. You may also want to put the contact information of a public relations representative at the top of the page (usually in the left hand corner) – this is especially important, as it allows journalists to get in touch and ask for more information.
The title of your article is the first thing that a reader sees, marking it as one of the most important features of the press release. You want to make sure that it is engaging but, more importantly, relevant and accurate. The title will deliver the main point of the release in a concise and enticing manner; you want it to convince the audience to read on and, in the end, seek out more information on the subject and your company. You can also add a subtitle if you’d like to expound slightly.
Your first paragraph is going to be the most important part of the press release; readers usually read the first sentence or two and skim the rest, to get the main idea. To combat this, you’ll want to put the main point of the release in this initial section, in order to tell the reader immediately what the release is about. Even though you’re squeezing a great deal of information into that first paragraph, try to keep it simple and concise. You’ll follow up this first detail-heavy section with additional paragraphs full of supporting information.
When writing your press release, as with anything written, it’s important to make sure that the spelling, grammar, sentence structure, and overall writing is flawless. You’re conveying a message to your readers and any obvious errors may take away from the message you’re trying to pass on.
You should also make sure that the release is optimised for search engines (SEO). In this highly digital age you want to be sure that the press release won’t be buried in a search engine list. Using SEO techniques will help your release get adequate attention across search engine rankings. Make sure that the writing is free of industry jargon, or technical terms that may confuse or put off the average reader. Overall, keep the document short and to the point, as a press release writer your job is to convey the given message without flowery language or filler content.