Press Release Tidbit – Is Your Release Too Short?
While some news releases seem to drag, others can be too short. Don’t make this mistake! News announcements should be long enough to get your point across and to educate editors and the general public. Most press release writers realize this, which is why thousands of companies use a professional news writer instead of writing their own.
Consider this…a press release must be appealing to news editors. These might be editors of newspapers, websites or even magazines. An editor will consider your release either as one of the venue’s main stories or as filler news. You’ll want the release to be long enough to meet the publication’s word count requirements. A good rule of thumb is to make your release at least 300 to 400 words or more. This will depend upon how many details are needed to get your point across and will vary from one release to another. The key is to pretend you’re an editor reading your story, and try to read it objectively. Even if you hire a press release writer, put yourself in the editor’s shoes when reading your draft. If you’re still not sure, ask a friend to read it out loud to you.
While editors might actually add to your PR story, you need to give enough information to spark interest and get their creative juices flowing. And always leave it open for an interview either by phone or e-mail. Some editors like to include many direct quotes in their stories, and they can’t make these up on their own.
Make sure your release covers all the main questions: Who, What, When, Why and How
Also, don’t be afraid to include specifics such as date, time, place and people. News releases flow through the media daily, and editors are always on a tight schedule to publish the most up-to-date material. A release with a definite purpose and date demands to be published right away – giving a sense of urgency to editors if they find your story appealing enough to publish it.
In conclusion, be sure your news release gets to the point quickly, but also reveals the entire purpose of your announcement. If you’re having trouble creating a press release on your own, then you should definitely hire a professional writer who understands how to put together a well-written release. The publicity you’ll receive from a professional release will be well worth the investment.