Free Website Content
Writing PR
Distributing a press release to editors
and news organizations is only half the battle. Writing
a press release that will be published by the media
is equally important. Press releases are public relations
opportunities. A well written press release,
can generate exposure in publications that could be
worth thousands in advertising dollars, for a fraction
of the cost.
Newsworthy News
Press releases should contain a newsworthy item
and be written as an announcement--not advertisement.
Releases can cover a wide variety of topics.
Ideas for Press Releases - http://www.small-business-software.net/kinds-of-pr.htm
Plain English
Press releases should be written in plain language
so that the general population will understand. Keep
explanations simple. Press releases should be in laymen
terms, avoiding overly technical language .
Focus on Facts
Press releases should not contain superlatives. Avoid
"fluff" and focus on facts. Editors will often use copy
from a press release, and if extensive editing is required
they will opt not to use the release at all. The press
release should articulate the news item, in a factual
way avoiding qualifiers like "best".
Illustrate Benefits Not Features
Too often press release writers will use fancy terms
to describe feature sets, all the while never conveying
how a specific feature will benefit an individual using
the product or service. It is important that the press
release explain the benefit of the product or service.
This is best done by providing concrete explanations
and articulating time saved, money saved etc...
Headlines That Grab
Press releases only have a few moments to attract
the interest of readers. The headline should be relevant,
but should attract the interest of readers. Many websites
use RSS feeds to distribute news headlines, often only
the press release headline will appear, therefore it
is critical that the press release headline be an attention
"getter" while still remaining relevant to the release.
Hook
The first paragraph should contain a hook, to secure
the interest of readers. You only have the first few
sentences to keep the interest of the editors and readers.
Inverted Pyramid
The contents of a press release should be in an
inverted pyramid with the most important item appearing
first. Each succeeding paragraph should contain supporting
information with the least important information on
the bottom.
Contact Details
In the event that the media decides to print the
press release, they may often wish to contact the company
to obtain additional details or graphics for print publications.
Be sure to include appropriate contact details in the
release.
Press Release Analysis:
Example Well Written Press Release: http://www.feedforall.com/press-release-rss2html-cache.htm
This release announcing a new application contains specific
benefits in non-technical terms that the reader will
understand.
Example Poorly Written Press Release: http://www.valentine-shop.com/press-release.htm
This release announcing a new web site contains no contact
information and the most important information appears
last rather than first.
Press releases can be an excellent tool
for increasing product exposure without incurring a
significant expense. Consider how press releases can
become part of your business marketing plan.
About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com
software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds
and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for
NotePage http://www.notepage.net
a wireless text messaging software company.
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This article may be used freely in opt-in
publications and websites, provided that the resource
box is included and the links are active. A courtesy
copy of the issue or a link to any online posting would
be greatly appreciated send an email to sharon@notepage.net
.
Additional articles available for publication available
at http://www.small-business-software.net/free-website-content.htm
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