Writing a press release is easy. Writing one that journalists actually want to cover is a different challenge entirely. Having distributed thousands of releases across UK media outlets, PR Fire (prfire.co.uk) has seen firsthand what separates a release that gets ignored from one that generates genuine coverage. This guide shares practical tips drawn from that experience.
Start With a Genuine News Hook
Before writing a single word, identify what makes your story actually newsworthy. This might be a significant milestone, an interesting trend your data reveals, a partnership that changes something in your industry or a timely comment on current events. If you cannot clearly articulate why someone outside your business would care, the release needs rethinking before it needs writing.
Lead With the Most Important Information
Journalists are busy and often only read the first paragraph before deciding whether a story is worth pursuing. Your opening paragraph should cover who, what, when, where and why as concisely as possible. Avoid burying the actual news beneath company background or lengthy context that could easily wait until later in the release.
Write in Third Person With an Objective Tone
Press releases should read like news, not advertising. Avoid superlatives like “revolutionary” or “game-changing” unless they come from an external source. Instead focus on factual, verifiable statements. This objective tone makes it far easier for a journalist to lift content directly into their own article without needing significant rewriting.
Use Quotes That Add Real Value
A common mistake is including quotes that simply restate facts already covered in the release. Strong quotes add perspective, context or personality that the surrounding facts cannot convey alone. A quote from a spokesperson explaining why a decision matters, or from a customer describing genuine impact, tends to add far more value than a generic statement of excitement.
Keep It Concise
Most effective press releases run between 400 and 600 words. Longer releases risk losing a journalist’s attention while shorter ones may lack sufficient detail to justify coverage. Include everything essential but resist the temptation to pad the release with unnecessary detail or repeated points.
Structure for Scanning
Journalists often scan releases quickly before deciding whether to read in full. Using clear paragraph breaks, a strong headline and where appropriate a subheading helps convey the core story even to someone skimming quickly. This structure also benefits search engines, supporting the SEO value of your release once distributed.
Incorporate Keywords Naturally
If SEO is part of your goal, incorporating relevant keywords naturally within the headline and body copy helps improve search visibility once your release is published on distribution partner sites. However keywords should never come at the expense of readability. A release stuffed with awkward keyword placement reads poorly to both journalists and human readers, undermining its core purpose.
Include a Clear Boilerplate
Every press release should end with a short boilerplate paragraph describing your business, what it does and any essential background information. This gives journalists unfamiliar with your business the context they need without cluttering the main body of the release.
Proofread Thoroughly
Simple spelling or grammatical errors can undermine credibility and reduce the chances of a release being taken seriously. Before distribution, read through the release carefully or use an editorial review service. PR Fire includes editorial checks as part of its distribution process specifically to catch these issues before a release reaches journalists.
Time Your Distribution Carefully
Even a perfectly written release can underperform if sent at the wrong time. Early week mornings, particularly Tuesday through Thursday, tend to see stronger journalist engagement than weekends or Friday afternoons when newsrooms are quieter.
Avoid Overloading With Company Jargon
Internal terminology, acronyms or industry jargon that make sense within your business often confuse outside readers. Write as though explaining your story to someone entirely unfamiliar with your company, avoiding assumptions about prior knowledge.
Test and Learn From Each Release
Every press release you distribute offers a learning opportunity. Pay attention to which stories, headlines and formats generate the strongest response and apply those lessons to future releases. Over time this iterative approach significantly improves your overall pickup rate.
Final Thoughts
Writing press releases that get picked up is a skill that improves with practice and attention to journalistic conventions. By focusing on genuine newsworthiness, clear objective writing and careful distribution timing, businesses can significantly improve their chances of coverage. PR Fire’s editorial review process combined with strategic distribution helps put these principles into practice, giving well written releases the best possible chance of reaching and resonating with journalists.