How to Know If Your Press Release Is Boring
There’s nothing worse than working hard on a press release only to discover, too late, that it’s downright boring. A boring press release won’t get picked up by the media. It won’t get the kind of engagement you want online. And a boring press release just won’t get the results that you need. Unfortunately, the internet is packed with boring press releases. So how do you make sure your press release isn’t among those unfortunate masses?
Ask Yourself These Questions:
Is My Press Release Timely?
Timely means that the information you’re sharing is relevant to the media and your target audience right now. Timely press releases often tap into current trends, the latest news, and even recent controversies. Timely press releases capitalize on what the media, and your audience, are reading and looking for right now.
Does My Press Release Have Personality and a Brand Voice?
To be fair, a press release is a highly-structured content format. There are boxes that you have to check and all that structure can make a press release a bit dull. However, you have quotes and the power of language at your disposal. Your word choices and the quotes that you choose to put in your release can add personality and create a strong voice.
Is My News Relevant?
Before you submit your press release or pitch it to anyone ask yourself “why would they care?” Why would the recipient of your press release care about the information that you’re sharing? If you cannot satisfactorily answer that question, then your release is boring and – perhaps worse than that – it may not be newsworthy at all.
Step back for a second and find the information in your release that your reader is going to care about and connect with. Then, write your release from that perspective. For example, a new CEO isn’t necessarily relevant to the media. A CEO who is the first female African-American CEO in your industry is relevant to the media.
Is My Press Release Visual?
Finally, make sure that there are visual elements in your press release. The media tends to favor video, so include a link to a video or embed one if that is available to you. Include photos, charts, and other relevant images to grab and hold the attention of your reader. With social media channels, a press release has to have some visual elements to receive any degree of engagement.
Before you issue a press release, step back and ask yourself these four questions. They’ll prevent you from submitting a boring, and therefore ineffective, press release. And ultimately, they’ll lead to stronger press release writing skills and results.