News release writing

Write hot PR pieces

News release writing — With 2,500 releases going out each day — that’s one every 35 seconds — the impact of your traditional news release ain’t what it used to be. Here’s how to make yours stand out.


	The world’s first release Ivy Lee invented the PR staple more than 100 years ago Let’s not wait until its 200th birthday! The news release is more than 100 years old. Isn’t it time to release old-fashioned PR 101 conventions?

	Snowed under Journalists — more overworked, still underpaid Baby, it’s cold out there: Journalists have more to do, fewer folks to get it done. So how can your PR materials help?

	Think Like a Reporter Develop stories media outlets want to run Some 55% to 97% of all releases sent to media outlets are never used, according to Wilcox and Nolte’s Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques. So how can you write releases that are among the 3% to 45% of those that really work?

	Anatomy of a release Tap current best practices, from lead to boilerplate The headline’s connected to the dateline … Learn what goes where in successful news releases.

	Tight PR pieces Measurably boost readability with targets, tips & tools If your lead is too long, Google News might reject it. If it’s too short, Google News will reject it. So how long is too long — for releases, leads and more?

	Display copy for releases Reach flippers, skimmers and other nonreaders with display copy 67% of media audiences skim — they don’t read — news online, according to a survey by Harris Interactive Poll. Reach flippers, skimmers and other nonreaders through display copy.

	Quotes on releases What writers & others say “Every couple of years the press release is declared dead, and today we’re thrilled to announce it’s not dead again or even sick but more alive than ever.” — Betsy Kosheff, a veteran tech PR person and independent PR consultant in Boston.