In the world of PR, there are few situations more disappointing than realising a press release you spent so long crafting isn’t getting any attention. Here are a few common mistakes that may impact the success of your press release.
Starting at the top, a bad subject header is one of the most critical mistakes you can make when drafting a press release. The subject line is your first impression, and a poor one can be a deal-breaker. It must be concise, intriguing, and relevant. A bland or vague subject header won’t cut it – it’s the digital equivalent of a yawn.
Similarly, your press release should outline the key issue or newsworthy information in the first 1-2 paragraphs. The last thing that a busy journalist wants to do is sift through a press release to find the golden nugget of information, so if they can’t find it quickly, they’ll move on.
Failing to include additional media such as photos and videos can also kill a journalist’s interest in your story. When crafting your press release, you should aim to give journalists all the information they need in one place. If you don’t, you will be wasting their time and they might pass up your story altogether.
Another important thing to remember when sending your press release is that timing is everything. On the one hand, you should always try to tie your story in with the news cycle as much as possible, as journalists know that people are already interested in the topic.
On the other hand, pressing ‘send’ on your media release when you know the news cycle is being dominated by other powerful stories is also a mistake. If the news is reporting on major political events, natural disasters, or heavily anticipated matters such as interest rate decisions, you’re unlikely to get noticed at all. In this case, it’s better to sit tight and wait for the news cycle to calm down before sending out your press release.
Last but not least, sending your press release as an attachment rather than pasting the content directly into the email can also ruin your chances of getting noticed. Not only are attachments inconvenient and a potential cybersecurity risk for journalists, but you want the recipient to be able to see your headline as soon as they open your email. This will help to capture their attention and, hopefully, get them to keep reading.
As you can see, when it comes to getting coverage, there is a lot to consider. But if you avoid these common pitfalls, your press release will have a much better chance of capturing the attention it deserves.
Get in touch with Pure Public Relations today to find out how our expert team of creatives can craft a tailored PR campaign for your business.
