5 Things to Avoid When Creating a Press Release

A good press release is one that convinces journalists to write about it. It should be done in a way that grabs readers’ attention and puts your cause or product in the spotlight. However, when creating a press release, there are plenty of ways to get it wrong. To help you, here are some of the most important things that you should avoid at all costs.

Failing to Add Value

You can’t expect anyone to be drawn to your press release if it doesn’t provide any value to people’s lives. A press release that has a few statistics about your business doesn’t really matter in the big picture if your company doesn’t play a vital role.

What is it about your press release that will provide value and interest people on a large scale? If you create a press release with nothing more than general information that doesn’t offer any kind of promise or change to people’s lives, then it probably won’t get picked up. Create newsworthy content that is interesting. It’s really that simple.

Failing to Be Concise

There should be no questions about what your press release is about. Are you trying to expand people’s knowledge of American heritage? Are you trying to share your impressive quarterly figures that play a role in the overall economy? Make it clear what it is that you’re trying to convey and avoid using overly complex or difficult-to-understand jargon. People should understand exactly what your press release is about within a few moments of reading.

Failing to Make an Engaging Headline

Headlines are everything in the world of journalism, and your press release is no exception. Make a headline that captures the attention of readers at a quick glance and also encompasses what your overall release is about. An engaging, straightforward, and attention-grabbing headline is the secret to a strong press release.

Poorly Structured

A good press release is organized and structured in a way that makes it easy for journalists to extract the important information. The format should include a headline, the date and location, a strong introduction, several paragraphs with supporting information, and a conclusion. This concise structure makes journalists’ lives easier and gets to the point without confusing readers.

Forgetting to Add Contact Information

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to create a strong press release and forget to add your contact information. Your contact information should include the company or organization you’re representing and the spokesperson’s forms of contact. From email to full name to phone number, it’s absolutely essential that journalists have a way to get ahold of whoever created the press release. That way, they can reach out for further information or supporting quotes should they need them.