4 Tips For More Targeted Press Releases

While it can be argued that press releases are a tool of the past, bloggers and journalists still find them to be very useful. There's nothing better at delivering a short, pointed story about a product or event, and they're great for archival purposes on websites. Regardless of the medium, a press release has to be targeted to a potential outlet to get it into the hands of someone who might find it useful. Here are some tips from an article in mediabistro.com regarding targeted press releases.


What’s the news? Part of crafting a quality press release is having a clear sense of what exactly the big news is. Your press release should focus on the most newsworthy element of your announcement with supporting details (including multimedia links) that clearly lay out why this news is significant. If you have a good story with good visuals, a press release can be quick, succinct, and to the point; all things that make everyone’s job easier. Journalism 101: Don’t bury the lede.

And, keep in mind, audiences are now able to search and find your press releases online. So making them consumer-ready — clear, interesting, and shareable — is also important.

Update your media list. Staff changes in the media are happening at a rapid clip. Before you send out your release, take another look at the list to be sure the reporters you’re targeting still cover the beats that are relevant to your story.

Proof, edit, and proof some more. Many press releases go out with poor grammar and unclear sentences that make it difficult to decipher what the heck you’re talking about. PR Daily, which has frequent grammar stories, and the AP Stylebook are just two of the sites out there that can help you clean up your writing. Reporters don’t have time to crack a code to understand what you’re saying.

Understand that the news you’re announcing isn’t for everyone. If you follow tip number one, it should be clear who would be most keen on the news you’re announcing. While it would be nice for tons of reporters and bloggers to report on your client’s news, there may only be a small number of reporters who will actually do so. Sending your release to a select list of reporters or bloggers is a more efficient use of your time than sending it to the The New York Times when that clearly won’t happen.

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