Free Press Release Writing Guide

Press releases are a type of writing heavily used in Public Relations and Media Relations. Press releases are often referred to as news releases or media releases, and are a tool used to pitch a newsworthy story about a business, website, or person to journalists, bloggers, and other members of the media. The purpose of a press release is basically to inspire a journalist to research the story further or conduct an interview to write a unique news story, although many publications (especially online) will publish news releases as-is.What Does a Press Release Look Like?

Press releases often fall within the 300-600 word range, and rarely exceed one print page if being distributed through fax or mail. The growing popularity of online press release distribution allows for greater flexibility in press release length, as well as the addenda that can be attached to press releases for distribution (such as photos, company logos, or other supporting documents and social media options).

While sometimes confused with more general articles, press releases should be written in a more journalistic style called the reverse pyramid, where the most newsworthy information is presented first. Press releases begin with a headline, which is a catchy yet informative title designed to explain the general news angle while grabbing journalists’ attention. Press releases are dated, and also contain the hometown of the issuing person, company, or organization.

The Press Release Process

1. Do something newsworthy enough to be of interest to journalists and / or bloggers.
2. Come up with a catchy and concise headline.
3. Write a brief summary of the news, if using online press release distribution methods.
4. Write the body of the press release.
5. Write a boilerplate to close the press release (a background paragraph about the issuing person or organization).
6. Distribute the press release online or offline to journalists, newswires, or press release distribution sites.
7. Respond to any media calls or emails requesting further information.
8. Track the resulting coverage of a press release using a media clipping service, or online search engine tools, such as alerts.

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