Want to know how to write a media release?

Knowing how to effectively craft and distribute a media release (or what some call a press release) is a great skill to have, as it is one of the most effective ways of telling your story.

They can come in handy for a host of reasons and can be the perfect go-to tool for announcing, for example, new product launches, events, re-branding, mergers and acquisitions, or an award.

Every business and PR professional has a different method to writing a media release, however, there are a few key elements that all releases should include.

Here is a basic media release template to get you started.

Media Release Template

Write a great headline

The headline needs to be short, interesting, catchy, and newsworthy. This is your chance to catch the journalist’s attention and encourage them to read on.

Lead paragraph

The lead paragraph is the most important part of the release and needs to contain the most important information. It should answer the following questions, who, what, when, where, why and how. Journalists receive hundreds of media releases a day, so you need to grab their attention with a great headline and lead paragraph.

Body paragraph

A media release should be written in the ‘inverted pyramid style’ which means that every paragraph after the lead should be less important than the one preceding it. It is important to keep sentences short and simple and to one page if possible. Include as many quotes as you can from key spokespeople, but make sure they are appropriate and newsworthy.

End

The last paragraph should contain the least information and could include background information or a summary of essential information. At the end, you could also include information for a photo opportunity, or add a link to an image folder, website, or media kit for the journalist to use.

Contact information

Remember to add contact information for the media at the end of the media release. This should include a contact name, email, and phone number.

Boilerplate

A boilerplate is a short paragraph or two about the business, event, or subject of the media release. Not every media release has one, but they can be helpful as they give the journalist an overview of your business if they have no prior knowledge of the company.

To find out how the Adoni Media team can help with your next media release or PR campaign, contact us.