What is a Press Release and How do I Write One?
DIY Guide
WHAT IS IT?
Contrary to popular belief, a press release is not where you write out your whole story.
A press release serves as a resource document to disseminate important, interesting, or exciting information you want to share with the general public, your target audience and the industry about your business.
In this case, it is the launch of your product or service.
WHAT PURPOSE DOES IT SERVE?
A press release serves three purposes:
INFORM THE MEDIA. Let them know about your news in hopes that a reporter will see it and write an actual story about it
INCREASE YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE. Having a press release out there helps promote your news online, via blogs, websites and social media by creating an online breadcrumb trail for when people google you.
IMPROVE YOUR SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO). We know lots of companies who regularly put out press releases as a tool to create in-bound links to their websites.
CREATE A TEMPLATE, TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
Headline
Subhead
First Paragraph
Quote #1
Trend Tie-in
Quote #2
Call to Action
Boiler Plate
NOW, LET’S BREAK IT DOWN SECTION BY SECTION
*Using an example from ABC, former client
HEADLINE: This should summarize everything clearly, concisely, in a compelling manner. Think big.
- For example: Digital Health Startup EverlyWell Announces Public Launch at BW Disrupt Startup Launch Competition
- WHY THIS IS GOOD: Easy readability, contains pertinent information, defines company, announces news briefly, SEO friendly.
- SUBHEAD: Your subhead falls directly below the headline, and serves as a secondary header that goes into greater detail. For example: Company reveals impressive beta traction to transform consumer lab testing; nearly 2100 paying customers since FEB 2020 launch, averaging 200% month-over-month growth
FIRST PARAGRAPH: This is where you introduce your news. Think of it as a “who, what, when” format, but in a paragraph form. Be specific.
- If there is a timeliness factor, include that here. Reporters always want to know about the “when,” because that could potentially push it up in the news cycle.
- For example: “ABC, a digital health startup transforming the consumer lab testing experience, launches today during BW Disrupt in New Delhi, after gaining significant traction with nearly 2100 paying customers in 7 states during its beta period which launched in FEB.”
- WHY THIS IS GOOD: We included who : ABC, what : their nationwide launch and when : at BW Disrupt in New Delhi, along with some impressive stats to show their traction.
SECOND PARAGRAPH: This is where you include more detail beyond the who, what, and when.
- Adding more about what you do, either immediately following this, or later in the release. For example: Who will use the service/product and how does it work? What audience is this for? What audience is this for?
QUOTE #1: After the who, what and when ,insert the first quote, which typically comes from the CEO or Founder.
- This quote should align with your aspirational message that you created in your messaging.
For example: “At ABC, our vision is to empower people with their own health information in order to live healthier and happier lives,” said by 1st name, 2nd Name CEO & Founder ABC. “We are honored to be selected by BW Disrupt and are excited about this next phase of growth as we continue to expand our test menu and create a world-class customer experience.”
- WHY THIS IS GOOD: CEO’s ABC touched on the change they want to make in people’s lives, their exponential growth and the vision of what they want to create. He was also gracious.
TREND TIE IN: The next paragraph should support the quote with more detail and talk about how this ties into a larger trend.
- What market statistics are out there, what is happening in the industry or even the world? Tie it into something bigger.
- For example: “Personalized health is a $250B market today and growing 10% annually. Currently, this industry is dominated by direct-to-consumer genetic testing, wearable technologies, and telemedicine, where companies like Doctor on Demand are gaining market share. What’s missing from the conversation is lab testing, which is an important tool to reduce the risk of chronic disease.”
- WHY THIS IS GOOD: We talk about what is happening in the market and how this ties into the impact this product or service will have – we touch on the size of the personalized health industry, as well as its growth.
SUPPORTING SECOND QUOTE: The second quote from anyone who can further validate the product or service, such as a customer or investor. Third party validation is key for audience trust.
- If an investor or customer isn’t an option, a product manager works.
For example: “Consumers today want more information about their health without all the hassle of traditional lab testing. ABC is meeting this demand and providing a growing number of tests, without ever having to make a single appointment,” said ABC, CX Manager.
CALL TO ACTION: It’s important to close the release with a call to action.
- Is there somewhere where people can go to download your product? Is there a demo video you can link to for them to watch? What’s next? Where can they go to learn more or take action?
- For example, at the end of the ABC press release, we explain the different tests and where consumers can find them.
Check out the demo here: Insert {URL}
Photos available for download here: Insert {URL}
- Pro Tip: If you have a video or demo you’d like to share with the viewer, you can also put that here. I suggest simply including a link to DropBox or Vimeo, and not sending as an attachment.
BOILER PLATE: The Boiler plate is the part at the bottom of the release that says “About [company].”
- This answers who you are, who you target and what your benefits are, and simply add your website, social media handles, and any call to action.
- For example:
About ABC
ABC provides at-home lab testing kits with beautifully redesigned results. The platform empowers consumers to order, self-collect, and understand their own physician-approved lab tests with the goal of improving health and reducing risk of future or chronic disease. The reports are clear and easy to follow, and include evidence-based insights and suggestions. ABC offers laboratory testing for wellness monitoring. The tests are not intended to diagnose or treat disease, or to substitute for a physician’s consultation. Find out more at ABC.com, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
WHAT DO I DO WITH IT NOW?
Your release is written, now what do you do with it? You have a few options for distribution.
- You can put it on your website.
- You can distribute it via a newswire.
- You can email it out to your network
For the purpose of your product launch, we recommend choosing a newswire, so that it can be disseminated to all of the major media outlets.
*Disclaimer* just because it is uploaded to a newswire, does not guarantee a reporter will see it or write about it. This is where the media relations comes in.