The Components of a Press Release
Press releases traditionally stick to the same format so that they can be shared internationally and understood by the media and average readers alike. When you set out to write your press release, be sure to incorporate each of the components below so your finished copy meets top notch standards.
Title / Headline
The title of your press release should be informative, intriguing and optimized for search engines. Your goal is to get the point of the story across in a manner that attracts readers and adequately conveys keywords to search engines.
For online press releases, the headline is not only the title of the text, it's the title tag of the web page. That means it will be crawled by search engines and used to index it in search engine result pages. Take time to craft a clever yet factual press release title that also incorporates significant keywords browsers can use to locate it.
Sub-Title / Sub-Header
Subtitles aren't always required, but take advantage of the opportunity to incorporate more relevant keywords in an emphasized area of your press release.
Introduction / Lead
In the introductory paragraph, quickly but effectively incorporate the who, what, when, where, why, how content you outlined in the previous writing step. This paragraph is, in many ways, the most important but also must be the most succinct. Its purpose is to give readers the essential information while encouraging them to continue reading.
Body / Content
Once you've explained the bare bones of the press release, you can use the body of the press release as a place to elaborate on the who, what, when, where, why and how of the story. Keep paragraphs short without being too vague. If possible, integrate quotations from persons involved in the story, such as a client or company executive. These help add authenticity to the press release and spice up the flow of the content.
Company Bio
Ideally, your press release should not exceed ¾ of a page in single-spaced font. This leaves enough room for a brief company bio to conclude the copy. If you're writing the press release about your company, you may use this space to write a short paragraph about who you are and what your company does.
Ending
The traditional mark used to indicate a press release is finished is a series of three pound signs, or, ###.
Contact Information
Include your contact information at the end of your press release so that members of the media or potential customers know how to get in touch with you. Traditionally, you're encouraged to include your name, company name, address, email address, phone number, fax number, toll free number, and things of this nature.
