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Emergent Newswire: Complete Press Release Writing Guide

In today’s fast-paced digital environment, crafting a compelling, clear, and effective press release is essential to ensuring your brand’s news reaches its intended audience. Emergent Newswire’s guidelines, outlined here, are designed to help you write a press release that meets industry standards, increases media appeal, and maintains compliance with premium outlets.


Getting Started: Choosing the Right Topic


A successful press release must focus on a single, recent business announcement. Here are some suggested topics:

  • Product, project or service launches or updates

  • Company announcements

  • Major accomplishments or milestones

  • Event announcements/ recap


For additional guidance on accepted and non-accepted topics, check out our topic guidelines.


Difference Between a Press Release and an Interview:

When creating a press release, it’s essential to understand how it differs from an interview. A press release is a concise, straightforward announcement that conveys specific brand information, an event, or an update. It centers around a single newsworthy point, using a neutral, third-person tone and avoiding detailed narrative or personal style. Press releases often rely on quotes and key facts to reinforce brand authority and are crafted to capture media attention for broader distribution.


In contrast, an interview is a more in-depth, personalized format, usually based on a conversation conducted by a journalist or editor. This type of article often explores the people behind the brand, creative ideas, or industry insights, allowing the main subject to share perspectives and emotions. The writing style can be more varied and storytelling-oriented, aiming to connect with the audience on a personal level and highlight the brand’s unique qualities.


For best results, please structure your content in a press release format rather than an interview style—quotes from key figures may be included, but the piece should avoid the personal, conversational tone typical of interviews.

Crafting Your Headline and Summary


Headline:

Keep your headline between 8-20 words, providing a direct summary of the announcement (e.g., "Company X Launches New Product Line"). Avoid using numbers, discounts, questions, or promotional language. Headlines should be bolded, refrain from punctuation, and should not start with question words like who, what, where, when, why, or how.


Summary:

Follow with a summary of up to 45 words or 500 characters. This italicized section should provide added context without any exclamations, questions, or links.


Structuring Your Content


Relevancy:

Focus on one announcement/ milestone/ story to maintain clarity.


Structure:

Begin with the 5 Ws (Who, What, When, Where, Why) to ground the reader.


Tone:

Use a neutral, factual tone. Write in the third person and reserve personal pronouns for quotes only. Avoid asking questions in the press release.


Language:

Stick to standard English and avoid promotional keywords like “buy,” “trial,” or “free.” Aim for accessible language, avoiding jargon and buzzwords.


Formatting:

Use short paragraphs, and if applicable, organize content using subheadlines and bullet points for better readability (note: only allowed in certain packages).


Quotes:

Include a quote from a relevant spokesperson, using their full name to add authority.


Links:

Include up to 3 links (or 5 for certain packages), underlined in blue. Links should be embedded in the main content only, not in titles or summaries.


Length and Word Choice:

Keep your press release between 350 and 800 words. Avoid exceeding 800 words if you are submitting for the Popular and Premium Package. Use your brand name and primary keywords naturally to optimize for search engines.


Images:

For better engagement, include up to 3 high-quality images of at least 800px in width.


Videos:

YouTube and Vimeo video embeds can be added. Please ensure all media is audience-appropriate.


Media Contact Information


News outlets require basic contact details at the end of the press release:

  • Business Name

  • Contact Name

  • Contact Email

  • Website URL

  • Country

  • Optional fields include phone number and address.


Proofreading and Compliance


Before submitting, ensure that your press release is grammatically correct, all links function, and that any claims are legally sound. Avoid unverifiable statements, and include proof links for claims about endorsements, partnerships, or financial information.


Submission Process


When your press release is ready, use our order form to select the Publishing Package that aligns with your goals. Choose the “Yes, I have an article in PR format.” option, upload your document, and complete the order form. Most press releases are published within 5 business days.


If you find it difficult to stay within the guidelines, consider choosing our service to write it for you when checking out, as we can make sure the press release is in the right format.


Happy writing!

 
 
 

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