GMG Monday Expresso: Top 10 Tips for Writing a Great PRess Release

We say here at the Garden Media Group that anyone can write a press release. The difference is writing a great press release . . . and getting it placed.

There are some tricks I learned while teaching public relations 101 at the University of South Carolina. Here they are:

1. KISS: Keep it simple stupid. That's your rule for the title of a news release. State quite simply what the release is about. Try and use a catchy headline to grab the reader’s attention, it should make the journalist want to read on.

2. Focus: Keep the release focused on a single topic. If it's too general or tries to cover too many topics, it won't get used.

3. Clueless: Write your release assuming the reader has no prior knowledge of the topic. Make it easy to read and informative.

4. 5W’s and the H: In any release you write you need to cover the:

• Who
• Where
• What
• When
• Why
• How

The “What” you’re announcing and the “Why” is a big deal and should be the first questions you answer. These may have been touched on in the headline, but they obviously need to be fleshed out. The “Who”, “Where”, “When” and “How” need to be addressed also, but are deeper in the press release for a reason:

It’s less important information that takes a back seat to the main point of the press release.

5. Say something: Include quotes that are conversational and pertinent without repeating information.

6. Short & Sweet: Your press release should be no more than two pages long.

7. Boilerplate: Include a few sentences on what your company or organisation does.

8. Questions: Contact information should always be at the end of your release, it should be comprehensive, including contact number, web site addresses, e-mails and fax numbers.

9. Proof: Always proofread for grammatical and spelling errors. This is my big weakness. I make sure two other pair of eyes read my stuff.

10. Classy: Send your press release out on company letterhead and never use fancy borders or silly clip art.

Email us for a free 1/2 hour consultation. susan@gardenmediagroup.com

Suzi
Garden Media Group

7 Tips to Write Twitter Headlines to Give Online Press Releases a Boost

I'm always looking for new tricks to add to our PR bag, and I found these tips from PRWeb on how to write Twitter headlines to boost search results for online press releases.

They were looking over the results of the PR Grant awards last week and had an epiphany: Many Tweeters "scrape" headlines automatically to create tweets.

WOW! From this revelation, they learned how to craft a news release headline for Twitter in 120 characters or less to leave room for the shortened URL link to the article.

Check out these examples of headlines on Twitter that caused PRWeb to take a second look:

1. Play duck…duck…@DACRONBrand this Tues. 10/18 in Union Square NYC.
Okay, we’re in. Dacron piqued our interest into their contest with this clever play on a saying everybody remembers from childhood.

TAKEAWAY – Tap into phrases, words and memes that inhabit our collective memory for instant connection.

2. Is it the end of the hotel? The unhotel @onefinestay announces 150 homes across London

Good question. The answer intrigues us. Unhotel? We’ll take a look at this release just to find out how London homes trump traditional hotels. And for the benefit of our friends who travel frequently to that lovely city, we’ll retweet the press release.

TAKEAWAY – Ask a provocative question and you’ll press a nerve. Headlines with questions are often irresistible – just make sure your answer is just as compelling.

3. Transparency. Health care. Learn how a rural hospital mixes oil & water
This juxtaposition of elements is perfectly framed with a visual metaphor. We can’t resist wanting to know more.

TAKEAWAY – Use compelling conceits to help us understand the gist of your story.

4. Sandi Krakowski Ignites Moral & Ethical Business Debate
Where there’s smoke there must be fire. We love debates.

TAKEAWAY – One of the keys to a successful headline is the ability to compel. Use gripping, emotional language to draw us in.

5. Survey: Moms’ #1 Back-To-School Worry is Drinking & Drugs
We’ve been brought up on “Survey Says!” Just the mention motivates us to read on.

TAKEAWAY – Surveys and polls are effective ways to communicate the news-worthiness of your topic.

6. New online service SaveOnBrew.com serves up “Beer On The Cheap” via 50,000+ retailers across the US.
Ah, now you’re talking. Who wouldn’t want to find out where to save money?

TAKEAWAY – Appeal to everyone’s innate desire to have more for less. Hint – it doesn’t always have to be about money. Does your product or service solve problems better than your competitors’? Give readers the feeling of being on the inside track.

7. The #GrainsofChange tour is asking Americans which oatmeal they prefer, @Better_Oats or the incumbent
Everyone loves to share their opinion. We want to be part of the crowd so we’ll keep reading for details.

TAKEAWAY – Ask your audience for their opinions, advice and suggestions and you’ll automatically create a higher level of engagement.
The limitation of 140 characters doesn’t have to be daunting. It can be a stepping stone to reboot your creativity.

One thing to remember, while Tweets can be 140 characters, online press release headlines should typically run less than 70. So create a killer headline that’s short and sweet and then add a little frosting on it – 70 characters’ worth – when you release it on Twitter.

Remember hash tags & even the tiniest URLs take up characters.

Suzi
Garden Media Group

5 Ways to Reinvent the Press Release With SEO

In 5 Ways to Reinvent the Press Release With SEO, author Venessa Bugasch writes on PRNews that pictures, video and other multimedia really do tell 10,000 words – or at least 80% more search traffic than text-only releases.

She says creating your own video is easy. We say it’s YouTube quality, not Hollywood. At the very least, add visuals – images, charts, logos - that support your product, message or campaign.

Here are four more tips from Venessa:

1. Choose the Right Keywords
Search engines think like your audience. Before you begin to write, know the keywords or phrases that will drive them to the news release and motivate them to click through to pages on your Web site. Do basic keyword research on sites like Google AdWords, Wordtracker or Keyword Discovery.

2. Use Your Heads
Use one to two keywords in the headline and subhead. Search engine spiders read left to right, so take that into account as you compose your headlines and your first paragraph. Use no more than 200 characters in the summary or subhead.

3. Optimize From the Top Down
Spiders also read from the top down. Using keywords in the first two paragraphs makes a much bigger impact than using them lower down. As you write, think in sound bites, like 140-character tweets.

4. Don’t Over-Link
As with keywords, don’t overdo anchor text, as it causes confusion and dilutes the impact of the links themselves. Offer two to three links for a 400-word press release.

These are great and practical tips, don’t you think?I appreciate an expert who can pump me up and help me change the tire! Thanks, Venessa Bugasch! She's senior VP of global marketing at Cision - our PR tools provider. Follow her: @vanessabugasch.

Suzi
Garden Media Group