Want to make sure your carefully crafted press release is as effective as possible? This quick read for today gives you three things to double-check your press release for before you distribute it:

A call to action. Asking readers to click a link, watch a video or visit your Facebook page are all examples of calls to action. Inserting these requests extends the time your readers hover around your brand and increase the chances that they will try your product or become a community member.

Answer the 5 W’s: who, what, where, when, and why. This is the essential information that should appear in the very first paragraph of your release. Why?  Including the most crucial information first a) reduces reading time for those skimming or who are crunched for time and b) provides a hook for the audience to keep reading. If someone is reading your release and can’t figure out what it’s about after reading the headline and first sentence, they are likely to skip the release altogether.

Relevance of news statement. I’m going to coin this term RNS because I believe it’s an element every single press release should have. A “relevance of news statement” details how your news relates to the world today. Linking to a new trend, current news, or something else that is recent or timely creates relevance for your news. Another word for it is making sure your release is “newsworthy.”

Is there an essential element that I may have forgotten? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. And don’t forget to check out our post from earlier this week, 3 Things You Shouldn’t Include in Your Press Release.

Filed under: Content by Stacey Acevero