Want your press release to stand out? Try writing it like a journalist
To catch a journalist’s eye and inbox, your press release needs to read like something they’d write themselves: clear, concise, and compelling from the very first line.
With tight deadlines and overflowing inboxes, journalists are quick to skim. If your release doesn’t immediately feel timely, relevant, and easy to understand, it’s unlikely to make the cut.
A Strong Start Matters
Lead with your announcement. Journalists want to see what the news is right away, so get to the point fast. Aim to clearly present the story within the first few sentences.Â
Include a strong headline that’s clear, relevant, and attention-grabbing. Avoid industry jargon and overloaded headlines. Instead, highlight the impact or value of your news.
To improve your chances of coverage, use a proven journalist technique known as the inverted pyramid structure.
What is The Inverted Pyramid Structure?
The inverted pyramid is a classic journalism style in which the most important and newsworthy information comes first, followed by supporting details and then background information. This ensures journalists and readers can quickly grasp the key message, even if they don’t read the entire release.
How to Structure It:
- Start with what readers MUST know: 5 Ws: Who, What, When, Where, and Why.
- Follow with important information like quotes, stats, and additional context.
- Wrap up with information about your organisation, but only the information that isn’t crucial for the release.
Journalists are under tight deadlines, so they must be efficient in their news coverage. Using the Inverted Pyramid Structure makes your press release easier to publish with minimal changes.
Write for your audience.
When crafting your release, consider the journalist’s readers and your audience. What will they find interesting about this story, is it relevant to a broader audience and is it useful?
Your release’s job is to make the journalist’s work easier and show that your story is too good to ignore.
Format Matters Too
To make your release media-ready:
- Include a clear release date and location.
- Add a media contact for follow-ups.
- Finish with a short company bio (boilerplate).
- Include an editor’s note if applicable.
Need a Hand?
Before you hit send, make sure your press release ticks all the right boxes. We recommend reviewing our editorial guidelines.
Short on time?
If writing isn’t your strength or you’re simply juggling too much, we’ve got you covered. Let our expert team craft a professional, publish-ready release for you.
Ready to get started? Place your order here, and we’ll help you create a release that stands out in a journalist’s inbox. With our simple online ordering system, you can submit your request in just a few clicks and let us handle the rest.