Write press release headlines that capture journalists’ attention
By Paul Green
If there’s one copywriting skill you must develop, it’s the ability to write press release headlines.
The headline is the most important part of your press release.
It’s the thing that communicates your story to journalists in one second, and forces them to make a decision: “Do I want to read this press release or not?”
If they don’t read the press release, you can’t get coverage.
The good news is that it’s really easy to learn how to write press release headlines.
And if you can develop the ability to write great headlines for press releases, you will be able to use this skill all over your marketing (for great headline, read great email newsletter subject. Or headline on a web page).
Here are five tips for writing a great headline that will make journalists want to open and read your press release.
1. Keep it relevant: Your headline must indicate that the story is relevant to the journalists you have sent it to. If the journalists work on magazines for accountants, you should have the word “accountant” in there. The same with stories aimed at local areas; put the area name in. This is a basic requirement that so many businesses get wrong. If you are a news editor with 100 new emails (press releases), you are more likely to open the ones that seem to be relevant first. Remember that journalists are always more interested in the story than your business… so don’t try too hard to put your business name in the headline. Unless your business is famous, it’s really not important.
2. Be accurate: The worst thing you can do is write a headline that is relevant to the journalists, but bears little resemblance to what the story is actually about. If your story isn’t exciting enough to generate a good headline, then you need a better story.
3. Make sure your headline is short and to the point: Your headline needs to communicate the story quickly and effectively. Ideally stick to 12 words or under. A good test is to send yourself an email with the headline as the subject. Can you read the entire headline in your inbox without having to open it? If not then it’s probably too long. Remember that with headlines you are only summarising the main part of the story; you don’t need lots of detail. You are just trying to get a journalist to open your press release.
4. Don’t try to be too clever: Smart or witty headlines might work well in newspapers, but they don’t on press releases. You need to sum up the story quickly and efficiently. Ask a friend to read your headline once and tell you what they think the story is about. If they get it wrong, change your headline.
5. Triple check for errors: The worst place to make a mistake is in a headline. Check, double check… and then check the headline again before sending any press release out.
Finally, to give you inspiration, here are some headlines I have written in the past few weeks:
- Money saving expert: 5 ways to save on summer holidays abroad
- Dragons’ Den card set to be UK’s biggest with 500,000 members
- Company to film 5 new controversial TV adverts after 100% rise in sales
- 60% of Cambridge businesses targeted in asbestos crackdown
- Employers warned: 3 in 5 depressed by “bad work atmosphere”
- Business owners cautioned about making sick employees redundant
Be notified about new articles automatically
Sign up for Publicity Heaven’s free Tuesday PR & Marketing Tips email newsletter:
