Sooner or later any copywriter faces the task of writing a press release. And the main problem that comes up most often is how to write it correctly if the customer has not given enough information.
Well, there are a lot of nuances in writing a press release, because this type of text has undergone a lot of changes and the requirements for its writing have been significantly distorted, as well as the meaning of the concept of “copywriting”. However, not everything is as difficult as it seems at first glance. Make yourself comfortable, today we unravel the tangle of public relations and understand how to write a press release, which will be a real use.
What is a press release
A press release is a news release covering a particular issue. As a rule, it is written for journalists or periodical editors and is not of an advertising nature. Very often the customer asks: write me an advertising press release. If we proceed from the definition, it is nonsense.
For whom a press release is written
Historically, press releases were supposed to be written for journalists of print media – newspapers and magazines. This was especially true twenty years ago, when the press literally ruled the world. Now the influence of the print media has been significantly reduced, and if earlier PR managers were working hard to catch journalists’ press releases, then with the development of information technology and total globalization it has become an unnecessary and useless occupation.
Now press-releases are written directly for the target audience and in skillful hands are very powerful weapons of conquest of the masses.
Structure of the press release
Any press release consists of at least three main parts:
Chain headline
Lyd…
The body of the press release
Let’s look at them in more detail:
1. Title
One of the most important parts of the press release is the title. It is the title that journalists (initially) and the target audience (nowadays) use to determine whether or not they should pay attention to the main text. A good title is more than 90% of the success of a press release. One of the grossest mistakes of all novice copywriters – ignoring the title or creating it banal and boring.
You can read about how to write a cool title in the article “10 methods of creating spectacular catchy headers”.
2. leader
Lead is the first paragraph. The information basis for the entire text. It should be noted at once that the press release is written on the principle of “inverted pyramid”. The leader contains all the information that is subsequently disclosed in the main text.
3. the body of the press release
The body of the press release is a logical continuation of the lead and reveals details of the information occasion to which the press release is dedicated. As a rule, the body contains facts, quotations and descriptions.
For example, if the press release is devoted to the release of a new line of industrial robots, the body will necessarily describe the advantages of the new line over analogues, the benefits to consumers and the prospects that this line opens up in the industry.
Features of modern press releases
When writing a press release for the media, you can give information as you like (dry, concise, official, etc.), relying on the fact that journalists themselves will make texts for their publications interesting and readable. However, now that press releases are written for consumers, this approach has shown very low efficiency. The explanation is simple: every day a lot of information appears on the Internet. People simply do not have time for another boring reading.
The secret of writing a slaughter press release
Actually, “secret” is a very loud word. Just for the press release to be effective, it should not be written according to the rules and canons of the classical approach of twenty years ago, but as a selling text that emphasizes the problem and offers a solution to the target audience.
The main difference is that the structure may not be fully in line with the AIDA model, but still catch the reader’s attention and interest. The main rule in this case remains: a cool title – 90% success.
Example of a press release
Suppose there is a fictional company, such as Shard-Toys, which has launched a new toy – the robot “Mimic”, which is able to learn and adjust to the character and temperament of the child, becoming his best friend.
On the one hand, you could just lay out the naked facts, but it is not interesting. Instead, the press release can be beautifully played. In this case, do not forget for whom you write. If it’s a retailer, the focus will be on some values, and if the parents – then on completely different. Please visit www.klkntv.com for more info.
