Press Releases, Done Properly
Official announcements written for journalists and published through newsrooms and distribution services, covering launches, results and company news.
Dana Whitfield
Where most projects go wrong
The usual mistakes:
- Releases with no news
- Jargon-filled quotes
- Distribution purely for links
- Unverified claims about results
What good looks like instead
- Lead with the news in the first sentence
- Include concrete facts and figures
- Provide contact details for journalists
- Publish in your own newsroom
- Pitch relevant journalists directly
Why it matters
Press releases inform journalists and create an official record, but they rarely earn coverage on their own without newsworthy substance.
The specs that matter
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Structure | headline, dateline, lead paragraph, details, quotes and boilerplate |
| Links | Google treats links in distributed releases as not passing ranking value |
| Newsroom | hosting releases on your own site keeps an official record |
| Accuracy | statements about finances may carry legal obligations |
Knowing when to hand it over
Tip: Bring in help when announcing significant news, or when financial or regulated information is involved.
Where this comes from
- Google Search Central — Spam policies for Google web search
- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission — Fair disclosure (Regulation FD)
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
Working on something like this?
We take on Content Strategy work for teams who want it done once, properly. Tell us what you are building and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right studio for it. Start a project.
Where to go next
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