When it comes to building links, quality is just as important as quantity. But how does one make the leap from building links via specialised, niche sites to receiving press coverage from national news networks?
Press releases—that’s how.
Here’s the thing—journalists are extremely busy individuals. They’re overworked, over-caffeinated, and oftentimes uninspired. This sucks for them, but for the plucky SEOs of the world, their hectic schedules present a golden opportunity. If you’re willing to do the work for them, you could bag your brand a spot in a high-authority publication—and that’s SEO gold dust.
Put simply, a press release is a vehicle for distributing news directly to journalists. It communicates the story while presenting all the information, research, data, and facts that a journalist might require. But most crucially, the story will also include a link back to your brand.
At Seeker Digital, press releases—and digital PR as a whole—are our primary weapons for skyrocketing brand awareness for our clients. You may have seen some media coverage for Seeker-produced campaigns on sites such as The Metro, The Express, or The Daily Mail (to name but a few). From gardening tips to gift guides, our content specialists have written all sorts over the years, and as a strategy for delivering consistent growth, press releases remain as reliable as they are effective.
Fancy gaining similar exposure for your own business? You’re in the right place. Below, we’ll share the secrets to crafting a pitch-perfect press release.
What is a press release?
You can think of press releases as concise, power-packed parcels containing all the vital information, research, data, and facts that a time-poor journalist needs to build a compelling story.
However, while press releases are designed to lighten the journalist’s workload, they’re also about building a link back to your brand. It’s a you rub my back, I’ll rub yours type of deal.
One of the biggest stumbling blocks for those new to the world of press releases? Nailing a strong press release format. Press release writing is an art, but trust us — anyone can learn. The key building blocks of any press release are as follows:
The pitch
The pitch for your press release needs to detail who you are, what the story is, and why it deserves media coverage. There are many ways to format your pitch, but this is what our winning formula looks like:
Press release headline suggestions: The headline is a brief and attention-grabbing statement that summarises the main point of the press release. Ideally, you’ll include 3-5 headline suggestions within your press release. The best headlines:
- Create urgency by using words like “urgent” or “must see”.
- Are timely, referencing current events or talking points.
- Include a key stat or talking point of the release.
- Pose a question to spark curiosity.
- Demand further investigation — the clickbait appeal.
Pitch body: Your time to sell the story to the journalist. Open with a quick greeting, and link to any hooks or awareness days relevant to the piece. Follow this with a few snappy details about the unique research, information, or commentary packaged with the release. If the release includes data, it’s also worth including a sentence or two about the campaign’s methodology. End your pitch with a polite sign-off (including relevant contact information for further inquiries), and include an embargo date in the footer (or just mark it as for immediate release).
The press release
You’ve grabbed the journalist’s attention, and they’ve taken the beat — now you’ve got to make good on all of the promises made in your pitch.
Headline: Pick out your favourite headline from the list of suggestions you prepared earlier, or come up with something new.
Introduction/lead: Arguably the most important part of a well written press release, your introduction needs to pull the reader in. If the press release centers around an expert-led guide, for example, your introduction might present a problem, before offering the guide as a solution.
EG: “Christmas might be one of the most well-loved public holidays, but it’s also one of the most wasteful. From single-use wrapping paper to mountains of discarded plastic packaging, piles of uneaten food, and — thanks to all of those twinkling fairy lights — sky-high energy usage [insert stat here]
Fortunately [insert link to your eco-friendly business here] has put together a foolproof guide to celebrating the festive season in the most planet-friendly way possible. “
Body: The body of the press release expands on the information provided in the introduction. It includes additional details, quotes, statistics, and relevant background information. It should be well-organised and easy to read. Brevity is the soul of wit, so stick with the essential details and throw the rest away. Brutal edits aren’t just encouraged, they’re essential. ### or -30- (End Symbol): Traditionally, most press releases end with three hash symbols (###) or the word “End” to signify the conclusion of the release. There are no hard and fast rules here, though. Personally, we like:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-ENDS-
Below this, we also include:
A boilerplate: A boilerplate is a brief description of the company, organisation, or individual issuing the press release. It provides context about the entity and its background.
Contact information: All the information needed to get back in touch with us — a name, an email address, and our website.
What’s the difference between a press release and a blog post?
Given that guest posting is still the bread and butter of the SEO world, most content specialists, when faced with the task of penning a journalist-friendly digital PR piece, find it tricky to execute this shift in writing style.
With this in mind, here’s a quick guide on what makes a good press release distinctly different from its more laid-back cousin, the blog post. The best press release examples should fit all of the descriptions below.
They’re all killer, no filler In case we haven’t made it abundantly clear already, a press release is not a casual stroll through your brand’s story; it’s a high-octane sprint to grab a journalist’s attention and hold it. Journalists don’t have the luxury of time to decipher verbose prose. This said, there’s no use churning out releases that are completely devoid of any personality or “voice”. Excellent copy, exciting commentary, and intriguing data — these are your core ingredients.
They’re written in the third-person: A press release is about presenting facts objectively, allowing the journalist to weave the story themselves. It’s not about you; it’s about the news and how it matters.
They’re timely: What’s happening in the world, and how does your story fit into the current narrative? Press releases capitalise on trends and events, they’re relevant to what’s happening now, not last week.
They demonstrate your brand’s topical authority: Press releases are designed to showcase your brand’s expertise. As such, you should always include a selection of carefully curated quotes — the kind of snippets that encapsulate the story as a whole.
They’re seamless: Your brand is an essential component of the story, not a bolt-on. The more seamlessly your business fits in with the piece, the more likely journalists will run with it.
Top tips for writing a press release
Now that you understand the essential components of a press release, let’s dive into some top tips to ensure your press release stands out in a journalist’s crowded inbox. Here’s how to write press releases that grab— and keep—their attention.
Align tone with brand and target audience: Tailor the tone of your press release to resonate with both your brand identity and the specific audience of the publication. Consider the publication’s readership to ensure your message is relatable and engaging for their audience.
Optimise with SEO-rich anchor texts: Infuse SEO-rich anchor texts strategically, directing attention to campaign pages and essential links. Explicitly request backlinks to your brand or campaign page, emphasising the importance of these links for mutual benefit. If your piece receives coverage, be sure to check through the release to ensure your links are included, and if they aren’t follow up with a request to insert them.
Provide everything in one message: Anticipate the journalist’s needs by including all necessary elements in one comprehensive message. Offer images, quotes, your brand name and link, and editorial notes upfront. This proactive approach simplifies the journalist’s job and increases the likelihood of your content being turned into a news release.
Write in a journalistic style – use the upside-down pyramid: Get to the core of your story immediately, leaving additional information for later. Make your hook explicit, address the journalist and their audience directly, and avoid unnecessary details by being direct and concise. This is known as the upside-down pyramid format, and it’s a cornerstone of the journalistic writing style.
Image: Wikipedia
Prioritise spelling and grammar: You’re crafting content for the big leagues now, so every aspect of the press release must be buffed to a mirror-like finish. Check for spelling and grammar errors, then check again — then run it through Grammarly.
Consider E-E-A-T for credibility: Boost your press release’s credibility by linking the brand name and referencing accredited experts. This enhances your story’s authority and aligns with Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) guidelines.
Craft a personable email pitch: Structure your email pitch for easy scanning while maintaining a friendly and clear tone. Shape it like an “F” for optimal readability. What we mean by this is that your release should begin with three small lines that capture attention, then cascade into the tail until the sign-off. This format ensures that your pitch is visually appealing and effectively communicates your message.
Tailor headlines to the journalist’s publication: Customise your headlines to resonate with the specific publication the journalist writes for. Appeal to their interests and audience by crafting headlines that align with the tone and style of the publication, increasing the likelihood of acceptance and coverage.
Prioritise spelling and grammar: You’re crafting content for the big leagues now, so every aspect of the press release must be buffed to a mirror-like finish. Check for spelling and grammar errors, then check again — then run it through Grammarly.
Consider E-E-A-T for credibility: Boost your press release’s credibility by linking the brand name and referencing accredited experts. This enhances your story’s authority and aligns with Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) guidelines.
Craft a personable email pitch: Structure your email pitch for easy scanning while maintaining a friendly and clear tone. Shape it like an “F” for optimal readability. What we mean by this is that your release should begin with three small lines that capture attention, then cascade into the tail until the sign-off. This format ensures that your pitch is visually appealing and effectively communicates your message.
Tailor headlines to the journalist’s publication: Customise your headlines to resonate with the specific publication the journalist writes for. Appeal to their interests and audience by crafting headlines that align with the tone and style of the publication, increasing the likelihood of acceptance and coverage.
To conclude, Charlie Warner, Digital PR Specialist at Seeker Digital, explains the importance of a strong press release for generating brand exposure:
“Press releases are the best way to quickly and effectively tell your story to a journalist. With the work of a journalist being fast, reactive and often incredibly time-poor, press releases need to lay out all the necessary information while remaining relevant and interesting. I think the word here is zeitgeisty. A good press release oozes newsworthiness and highlights the hook of a story, whilst adding value to the article a journalist ends up writing. Value can come in the form of expert quotes, data or something visual – essentially anything that makes the release unique to you or your brand. Think of your press release as a bonafide buffet of information that supports the work of journalism. Give them every reason to cover your story and they probably will.”
Fancy winning top-tier media coverage for your business, but don’t have the time to action the points listed above? We can help! Get in touch with our friendly DPR experts today — you won’t regret it.
