Over the many years, we made some experiences and had a lot of learnings with writing good press releases. Here’s the main points in a checklist:
Content and Messaging:
- Clear and Concise Message: Is the main message or announcement clearly stated in the headline and opening paragraph?
- Relevance: Is the content of the press release relevant and of interest to the target audience?
- Key Information: Does the press release include who, what, when, where, why, and how details?
- Quotes: Are there quotes from relevant sources that add credibility and context to the story?
- Language and Tone: Is the language professional, concise, and appropriate for the audience?
- Jargon and Acronyms: Have industry-specific jargon and acronyms been explained for those not familiar with them? Does something need translation?
Structure and Format:
- Headline: Is the headline attention-grabbing, accurate, and limited to around 5-10 words?
- Opening Paragraph (Lead): Does the opening paragraph succinctly summarize the main story elements?
- Body: Is the press release organized in a logical sequence, presenting the most important information first?
- Length: Is the press release ideally between 3000 and 4000 characters (~500-600 words)? Check every sentence for words that can be removed without loosing content or style. Remove any redundancy.
- Subheadings: Are subheadings used to break up the content and guide readers through the release?
Grammar and Clarity:
- Grammar and Spelling: Have you thoroughly checked for grammatical errors, typos, and misspellings? Has Autocorrect, grammar checks and ChatGPT beautify been used? Check again, if yes.
- Clarity: Is the writing clear and easy to understand, even for those without prior knowledge of the subject matter? Have an uninformed colleague read it before sending and hear their feedback.
- Active Voice: Is the content primarily written in the active voice for stronger and clearer statements? Passive voice is only meant to cloak the subject of a sentence, to hide the actor.
Media and Contact Information:
- Media Elements: Are images, videos, or infographics included to enhance visual appeal and storytelling?
- Boilerplate: Does the press release include a brief boilerplate about the company, its mission, and relevant details?
- Contact Information: Is the contact information for media inquiries clearly provided, including a name, email, and phone number?
Additional Considerations:
- Accuracy: Have all facts, figures, and statistics been verified for accuracy?
- Quotations: Are any quotations attributed correctly and properly contextualized? Check quotation marks according to your language and style.
- Credibility: Does the press release cite credible sources or provide data to support claims?
- Legal Compliance: Is the press release compliant with all relevant legal and regulatory guidelines?
- Timing: Is the timing of the press release aligned with the event or announcement it pertains to?
- Formatting: Is the press release properly formatted, including consistent font styles and spacing?
- Proofreading: Have you proofread the press release multiple times to catch any remaining errors?
- Feedback: Have colleagues or peers reviewed the press release for additional insights and feedback?
We’re constantly updating this list, feel free to send us your feedback!