Writing a press release: Things to look out for

To inform, to attract attention, to be noticed – these are the primary goals companies want to achieve with the aid of press releases. Those who send them out hope for publicity. Success is possible, but not guaranteed. To help you and your company succeed, we’ve put together a guide to issuing press releases below. This will prevent your message from drowning in the flood of information.

Assembling a press release: The basic structure   

1. Headline

Like most texts, the press release also begins with a headline. This outlines what the text is about. It is short, usually in bold type and its font size is slightly larger than the body text.  

Our Tip: Create the headline once you have composed the whole press release. This way you have a better overview and know what to emphasize.  

2. Subhead  

The subhead of a press release is placed directly below the headline and describes the topic it addresses. It is a “can”, not a “must”.  

Our Tip: The subhead should be short. Limit yourself to about two lines.    

3. Lede 

The lede answers the most important Ws about the topic covered in the press release. The reader receives answers to the following questions: Who? Where? What? When? Why? How? A dateline is placed at the beginning of the lede. It indicates where and when the press release was written.  

Our Tip: While drafting the lede, keep in mind that it will determine whether the journalist decides to publish the story.  

4. Body text 

Ideally, the journalists will have already decided whether the topic is relevant or not by the time they start reading the body text. The body text provides the journalists with background information and explanations about the news item. Quotations, for example, can be included in the body text.  

Our Tip: Use quotations in the body text. They give the text a personal touch and bring it to life.  

5. Contact information and boilerplate  

The final part of a press release is the so-called Boilerplate. It contains the company information and is rounded off by the contact details of the media correspondent. This gives members of the media the opportunity to contact the company and obtain background information.

How to write a press release: Good preparation is (almost) everything 

How to succeed in writing a good press release  

Before you start writing your press release: Be clear about your main topic. You need to define a core statement. This should be at the beginning of your press release. Sometimes, however, it takes more than just one key message. If you decide to use several key messages, be consistent in your descriptions and do not spread yourself too thin. Press releases are not about telling others what moves you personally. It is about spreading news. Essentially: You have to work out the news value of the message in advance. Its relevance for outsiders must be immediately clear. When working on the text, you must pay particular attention to the following points:  

• A sober tone of voice. The press release must be written in such a way that journalists do not have to revise it in the best case. A must: Do not write too commercially about the topic. If you use evaluative language, then integrate evaluations into the quotes. Important: Evaluations must always be identified as subjective statements.  

• Keep the length limited to about one page of text. Exceptions can be made, however, if you include important graphics or studies.  

• Do not use superlatives. Avoid adjectives und nominalizations. Write in the third person, rather than the first.  

• Do not use foreign words. Explain abbreviations the first time they are used.  

• Short sentences instead of long ones.

In general, your press release should start with the most important information on the topic. The further the reader progresses, the more background information is provided. If you follow these rules and only provide journalists with news that is really interesting for them, then nothing will stand in the way of publicity.