Earn Attention in Less than Eight Seconds
You have less than eight seconds to convince editors to take your press release seriously. A well-written press release will engage the reader and encourage him to read to the end. Editors should visualize possible story ideas within the first seconds of reading your release.
A well-written headline can make the difference between thousands of dollars worth of free publicity versus a press release discarded in the wastebasket. Your headline will be the first thing that editors, bloggers, and readers see. It should get straight to the point and compel editors to continue reading.
A headline should tell the entire story and answer the "who" and "what" questions in two lines or less. Don't be cute with titles. Avoid vague, ambiguous, or gimmicky headlines that try to "trick" editors into reading on. If an editor cannot immediately tell what your press release is about by reading the headline, he's likely to ignore the press release completely. Consider these examples:
Well-written headline: The Rose Foundation's New Nutrition Chart Officially Replaces "The Food Pyramid"
Poorly written headline: Improve Your Child's Bad Eating Habits Today: Remarkable Healthy Eating Guide!
The first headline answers the "who" and "what" questions while maintaining the traditional journalistic style. The reader is compelled to keep reading for more information. The second headline sounds like nothing more than an advertisement. It fails to mention where the tip sheet is coming from and it makes demands of the reader. This headline might be successful in an advertising campaign, but it won't be taken seriously in a press release.
Your headline should be less than 80 characters. Longer headlines may be split into a headline and a subheadline. However, be aware that not all news outlets capture subheadlines from wire services. If you do create a subheadline, it should fill-in details that are not essential to the story.
Consider connecting your headline with a current event or a theme that is presently popular in the public's imagination. If your organization promotes literacy, a headline about new school reading programs would be perfect for September, a headline that ties into Read Across America month would work best in March, and a headline about summer reading would get attention in June.
Brainstorm four to six headline ideas before committing to any one title. Try rearranging the order of your words and eliminating unnecessary words to create a headline that is both brief and compelling.
If you are sending the press release by email, your subject line may be the only chance you have to capture the editor's attention. Always use your press release headline as the email subject line. Bland, lazy subject lines such as "press release" or "press release from my nonprofit" will land your message in the "deleted" trash folder before your press release even gets a chance. Journalists aren't willing to wade through irrelevant information to find the facts they need.
Below the headline, include a creative summary that will be used on your press release page and on websites that pull your press release from RSS content-syndication feeds. Keep in mind that this is the only information readers will have when deciding whether or not to click on your story in a news site. Your summary should address "who," "what," "where," "when," and "why" and include information not mentioned in your headline. Readers should be able to understand the gist of the story by reading the summary and be enticed to continue reading for the details. The summary should also include a link to your website and transition smoothly into the body of the press release.
