In the past, a press release was written purely by journalists and purely for the editors of print publications. Now this type of text is much more common. Press releases are published in various online venues, and they have become necessary first and foremost for readers. Therefore, they should be written with the interests of ordinary people in mind.

Not only a professional can write a good press release. Anyone who is literate enough and understands the structure and nuances of the genre can do it. And you too can, no matter what field you work in – SMM, content marketing, management, entrepreneurship. The only thing you need is to master the basics and practice a lot.

What is a press release, what does it consist of and why do you need it?

In essence, a press release is an announcement of an event/event. It is used in many different cases. Let’s list the most typical of them.

1. The release of new products. Pay attention to what happens when the next model of “iPhone” is launched. The network is literally swarming with notifications a few weeks before the day “X”. Smaller brands announce the arrival in the same way, but it is not so noticeable.

2. Event. If you have a contest, a promotion, a buffet to celebrate a professional holiday, and other things that need to be communicated to the general public, this can be done in the form of a press release. Also note that the infopod should be really meaningful and interesting.

3. Large material. If you plan a series of articles on any important topic, or single coverage of a sensation, it will not be superfluous to make an announcement. You don’t have to go far to find examples — talk shows often do press releases before they air the next episode.

How to write a press release for the media: a ready-made structure

A press release consists of three elements: a headline, a lead, and the main body. Nothing else needs to be invented. Knowing how to formulate each of them correctly will help you make strong texts, through which you will successfully promote your products, or earn money as an independent writer.

The headline

It should be interesting, memorable and instantly catchy. The title determines whether your press release will be read at all. There are many ways to pique the audience’s curiosity from the first line. You can use numbers (“Apple releases iPhone with 5 new features”), play around with memetic phrases everyone is familiar with (“The best is the enemy of the good: Perfectionism workshops start May 23”), point out the benefits (“Buy 2 juice boxes and get the third for free!”), etc.

Lead

This is the first paragraph of the narrative. You need to put the best you can into it. The audience needs to understand that they won’t waste their time on your text, so focus on what’s interesting to them, not you.

The main part or “body” of the press release

This is where you need to get the gist of the forthcoming event. Do it as simply and understandable as possible. Do not pour water, do not use clerisms, do not abuse complex terminology. Remember that those who will read it – the simple people, even if they work as directors, editors or managers.

Although a press release is different from a sales text, the techniques in them are virtually the same. Benefits, results, facts. Give your readers the information they need, and you’ll get a hundred times more return.

Who to send press releases to and how

Press releases are needed to be placed in the media. Accordingly, to place your press release, go to the website of the desired publication and find the editorial office’s contact information.

Note that by this point you should have the material ready to post.

Do not send a blank message with the document. Be sure to compose a cover letter. In it, state your goals and describe the product you want to promote with a press release. If you do it right, there is bound to be a publication that will publish you.

Conclusion

Knowing how to properly draft and write a press release is useful not only for professional writers, but also for ordinary people. Especially those who are related to business in one way or another. Who knows the next time you will have to write news about a new product? And now imagine how much money you can save on copywriting services.

We hope our article gives you a good boost. The rest is practice, practice and practice again. Even if the first time you get a weak text, do not despair. Over time, your work will be better and more effective.