This is a post by PRWeb managing editor Terry Kaye. Prior to PRWeb, she spent more than two decades working in television news.
What makes a good press release? PR pros ask and hear that question constantly. Fortunately, the answer is simple: well-written, relevant content.
Thousands of press releases are published each day, and the ones that stand out have one common denominator: great writing.
Check out four press releases from the month of August that caught the attention of our PRWeb editors because of their strong writing and timely topics. Plus, see how your brand can replicate that success.
1. How to make earnings calls compelling
Click to read the entire release.
Press releases about earnings calls often are a bit dry, but this by GuideStar is thoroughly engaging due to the way the release is constructed. Rather than starting out with numbers, the release begins by outlining the company’s vision for the future. Then, it segues into the strategic successes for the quarter.
Not until three-quarters of the way into the release are the financial results reported and by that time, because the release so eloquently lays the foundation, the numbers have meaning.
Here is proof that earnings releases don’t have to be dry, but more importantly, a release written in such a way makes the company stand out.
2. How timeliness delivers success
Click to read the entire press release.
Like the previous press release, this one by The University of the Virgin Islands is well written, but what makes it stand out even more is its strong, timely news announcement. Timeliness is key in press release writing because it gives it greater relevance.
In the example above, the summary builds on the news announced in the headline, adding valuable information for the reader. Together, the summary and headline are indexed in search engines, enticing readers to click on and read the full release, so it’s important that these sections present an accurate encapsulation of the entire release.
Another best practice from The University of the Virgin Islands is inserting meaningful quotes inside the body of the press release. Doing so adds depth to the subject matter, propelling the release to its conclusion.
3. How to make releases resonate
Click to read the entire press release.
This press release by DraganFly Innovations is a good example of how to make subject matter relevant. This release does so by tying the announcement to a compelling news story.
The release announces how the Draganflyer unmanned helicopter is being added to the Smithsonian’s permanent collection and makes the story tangible by connecting the news to a story about the helicopter being used to locate a seriously injured person in a car accident. By connecting emotionally to the reader, the news announcement becomes more relevant for them.
4. How to connect with readers
Click to read the entire press release.
ChanTest provides another example of a press release that compels the reader to care. In the process, it makes the announcement of a new white paper engaging. The writing strikes an emotional chord by speaking eloquently about the debilitating disease, cystic fibrosis.
Making a connection with the reader, having a strong news announcement and timeliness are all integral to crafting a great press release, and the thread that pulls these components together is the writing.
Want to learn more about writing press releases and more? Visit the PRWeb Learning Center here!
Image: Andreas Cappell
