As its name suggests, a press release is a document released to the media announcing something newsworthy — whether it’s an event, activity, new campaign, product launches, research release, managing crises, announcing a policy position, or a new hire.
Companies across many industries put out press releases everyday in the hopes of grabbing media attention and garnering press coverage, but what steps can you take to make your press release stand out? Media reporters, bookers, assignment editors inboxes are flooded daily, standing out and making it easy for the media goes a long way.
Consider these tips:
Keep your headline short-and-sweet. Have you heard that the human attention span is now shorter than a goldfish’s? That statistics may be debatable, but, chances are, if your release’s headline is too long or too complex, media will tune you out (aka delete your release pitch) before even opening your release to get to the body and meat of the release. Remember to keep it catchy and relevant to your media targets to engage them.
Make your hook newsworthy. A reporter will be more likely to report on your release if it is connected to a story already in the news. Think about the news cycle like a wave – you never surf on flat water (you won’t get anywhere!) and want to ride the wave while it’s high (high demand). For example, if you put out a release on the impact of inflation on holiday shopping, it’s unlikely the piece is going to gain much traction if you publish it over the summer!
Keep it relatively short — tight! You want to provide enough detail, but also keep the content short and sweet — the sweet spot is 600 words or less. Readers are looking for information and quick answers; the important details should be covered right away in your headline or first paragraph, so lead with the “why”. On average, press release length is around 686 words. We see a sharp drop off in time spent on the page as the press release gets longer.
Incorporate a killer quote. It is in your best interest to always include a quote in your release. The quote should summarize your main point since it’s the portion of the release most likely to be included in a reporter’s story. Your quote should stand out and provide a different point of view (POV) than others, or move a story along.
Multimedia is essential. Visual content draws more attention to your story and drives more engagement. Give them something they can use. A press release with photos drives more than double the click-throughs when compared to a text-only press release. Unable to find a multimedia asset to include with your news? Look on your affiliated company’s website and social channels.
Limit the number of hyperlinks. Limit the number of hyperlinks throughout your press release. Google recommends 1-3 unique links, make sure not to duplicate any. When you include too many links, it can be overwhelming to the reader. By keeping it to 1-3 total, it better directs the reader to your call to action and what you want them to click next.
Don’t forget the date and contact details. If the reporter has a question or wants additional information, they need to know who to contact. Email is standard, but a phone number works too.
Sadly, school administrators are becoming increasingly adversarial when it comes to parents asking for information about their child’s education. Whether it’s questions about the curriculum, teacher activities in the classroom, discipline practices, school budgetary decisions, or school security issues, parents are often ignored, put off, or even told they don’t have a right to know.
It shouldn’t be that way. Parents deserve better!
The Freedom of Information Act (commonly called FOIA, pronounced “foy-ya”) became law in 1966. The law gives the public access to most, but not all, official records from any federal agency.
FOIA has become an important tool in keeping the federal government ethical and accountable and its policymaking practices transparent, and it has been used to expose government misconduct and financial waste, along with threats to the public’s health and safety.
While the FOIA applies to the federal government, each of the 50 states (as well as the District of Columbia and some territories) have passed similar sunshine laws, providing citizens with the records they need to keep their local government accountable.
If you want to file a FOIA request, follow these steps:
Identify the agency that has the records being sought. Visit the agency’s website and follow the instructions for submitting a request. This will typically involve an online portal or an email option. Each federal agency handles its own records in response to requests.
Be as specific as possible in describing the desired records. The narrower the request, the higher the chance the relevant records will be provided in a timely manner. For example, if seeking Privacy Act records about a living person other than oneself, a consent form must be included with the request. Most agencies will have a link to the request form on the FOIA/PA websites.
Submit the request and wait for the agency to respond. Legally, an agency has 20 business days to do so. Simply acknowledging receipt does not count. The agency may say more time is needed to locate and review the records, but the requester is not legally bound to agree to an extension.
If the request is denied in full or in part, the response letter will include instructions for filing an administrative appeal. Therefore, a superior manager will take a second look at the request. However, success varies depending on the reasons for the denial.
Costs? The total cost depends on the agency. A simple, low volume request including electronic records may not cost anything; if it is a time-consuming search requiring several copies, however, there may be search and duplication fees. For example, the State Department requires search fees range from $21 to $76 per hour depending on the category of personnel conducting the search. Duplicated records are set at approximately $.15 per page. It helps to indicate the amount one is willing to spend or ask to be contacted if the fee will be over a set amount. And, of course, some agencies are more flexible than others on fee thresholds. Most will have a fee explanation on their FOIA website. Alternatively, fees may be waived if inquired.
An opinion editorial can be written by anybody! It’s literally an article that expresses an opinion. If you have an opinion, you can write an editorial. But it’s important to follow a few rules and know how to get the op-ed placed for publication.
Editors are most interested in something newsworthy locally or nationally.
Make your point concisely: the ideal length for an op-ed is typically 700 words or less.
We recommend following the TACT guidelines:
T: Thesis — What point are you making?
A: Address misperceptions — Are you debunking any misperceptions that stand in readers’ way on this topic?
C: Citations — Are you citing factual material from trusted sources to back up your point? Are you providing links to this material?
T: Target audience — Are you considering a target audience and using the right language and tone to reach them?
Submit for publication:
Generally a newspaper or magazine will list the way to submit your opinion editorial to the paper (it’s usually a general email address). Some larger papers employ “opinion editors” who decide what editorials the publication will accept and print but generally these editors receive submissions through a separate email address which is usually listed on the paper’s masthead. If it’s a small town newspaper, you might know the owner or editor. Definitely use your personal connections to help ascertain the best way to submit your article.
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Letters to the Editor are an effective way to correct misinformation and misperceptions on key issues in popular news sources. To write ...
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