Top tips to help get your story covered in the media

 

Traditional press releases are still the most practical tool for time-poor journalists with overflowing inboxes. Getting the basics right, supporting your story with relevant images and integrating social media should all be part of your PR plan. 

 

Here are my tips for writing effective press releases and getting your brand covered in the media in Brighton and across Sussex.

 

Before your start - Your story needs to be newsworthy so ask yourself the tough question – ‘why would people care about this?’ Your release also needs to be accurate, relevant to the target audience, and planned and distributed. So get to know the media you are targeting. Read, listen, watch and follow them on social media, to get familiar with their style, tone, format and timing. Find the right contact / journalist for your business or sector.

 

Use the five Ws - I started my career at an agency run by national journalists and I was taught to include the "five Ws" (who, what, where, why and when) in the first sentence (ideally around 25 words). You can sometimes open with an interesting statistic or a quote but they have to be very good and encapsulate the story, as the journalist receiving it needs to know instantly what the story is about. So avoid being clever or cryptic.

 

Be clear and concise - A press release should be factual, concise, and should avoid superlatives. It is not a marketing or sales promotion tool. Aim for three or four short paragraphs and a quote or two. Quotes must add to the story, give it some heart, insight or opinion. Don’t include jargon or technical terms without explanation or unless you are targeting the specialist media and they will understand what you are talking about. Pay attention to grammar and spelling and get it proofread.

 

Send it by email - Highlight the fact you are sending a press release, story idea or media invitation in the subject box of your email and include a strong headline. Paste the press release as double spaced text within the email, no attachments or PDFs. Photos are clearly important but must add to the story. Avoid sending big files that will clog up inboxes. Don’t attach your logo as a file, or send fancy corporate graphics or videos. Do provide relevant web links and the offer of further content, relevant images etc. 

 

Integrate social media - Repurpose your story for social media, keep it short and sweet – you have about three seconds to engage. Adapt the style and format for the channel you are using and remember that photos, video, infographics, GiFs, links etc are essential here. 

 

Be available - Include your name and phone number as a contact at the end. Be ready to respond immediately with what the journalist needs, whether it is images, quotes from spokespeople or case studies. 

 

And finally - Remember the media do need stories, so get it right and you can get coverage! And when you get coverage - share it, retweet or start a conversation on social media.

 

Thank you to Debra Broadhurst for writing this blog. Debra is a freelance PR consultant offering support for projects big and small, including press releases, PR planning, and strategy development. Want help with a press release? Contact: debra@integratepr.co.uk