And how long should the lead be?
Quick! Which of these paragraphs would you rather read? This 11-word paragraph, from The New York Times?
Press Release
3 types of press release lead paragraphs to try
Choose benefits, news and feature leads
Are you still using the fact pack — cramming who, what, when, where, why and how into the first paragraph of your news release?… Read the full article
What’s the best press release length?
Journalists spend less than 1 minute reading releases
Tick tock.
In the time it takes you to wash your hands, buckle your seat belt or start the dishwasher, your favorite journalist can finish reading your news release.… Read the full article
How long should a press release headline be?
Keep headlines short, like The New York Times
Hey, PR pros: Would you like to see your story in The New York Times? Then why not write like the Times?… Read the full article
Why CEO press release quotes suck
Reporters hate PR quotes
What’s the least important element in a release — less important even than the dateline or the boilerplate?
Quotes, say one in four reporters surveyed in a study by Greentarget.… Read the full article
Write headlines for your PR target audience
Write about the reader, not about us and our stuff
Front-loading your headlines with your topic word just makes sense if your readers are going to encounter those headlines in online lists — a search engine results page, for instance, or your online newsroom.… Read the full article
Write leads for your PR target audience (Examples!)
Want readers to read? Lead with you
It’s counterintuitive, but true: The product is never the topic. The program is never the topic. The plan is never the topic.… Read the full article
Details make the difference
Go granular with PR leads
The internet coffee pot. Word of the year. The Dust Bowl.
Details like these grab attention and help readers see your big idea.… Read the full article