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News releases still work—especially if you are in B2B and trade publications depend on them and love to run them. But what should be in them, and how long should a news release be, anyway?
Let’s start with what should be in a news release to gauge how many words we might need for that.
The anatomy of a good news release
Many news releases immediately include:
- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- EMBARGOED UNTIL < CERTAIN DATE>
Including that something is for immediate release is kind of silly when sending it to all the media, but pretty standard, and I do include that just to make it look more official. Keep in mind that the release sender is not really in charge of the publishing company’s schedule of when they release things.
A statement that something is embargoed should never be sent out without an agreement that publication will be held until a certain time. Sending releases ahead of time can have advantages for truly high-profile news items. It gives the publication time to prepare and can make their coverage more in-depth.
Read next: How to guest blog: A guide to effective thought leadership
An engaging headline
Assume that some will only read the headline and decide to consider publishing your news or move on. Get to the point and explain why the publication’s audience should even care about the topic. While news releases certainly are about the company, don’t make it too me, me, me.
Example: So-and-so rolls out new feature to minimize accuracy mistakes
So, it can be about the company but quickly tell people why they should care.
Opening paragraph that pulls people in
Many start with “We are so excited to announce…” and sometimes, it is okay to start a news release with that. However, keep in mind that people have a short attention span, and the quicker it gets to the point, the better.
Traditional example:
“We are so excited to roll out this new feature, which will minimize accuracy mistakes.”
Clearer:
“We’ve heard that accuracy has been a concern, so we’ve launched this new feature to minimize mistakes.”
A quote
Then, include a quote from a project leader or an executive that adds some humanness to the release and enhances the story. In other words, the quote shouldn’t just repeat what was already said.
For example:
“The team determined the most common accuracy issues and looked for ways to address them directly with technology,” said <high-ranking executive>. “I’m proud of how they tackled this high-priority item for our customers and made improvements for them.”
Any more details
If there’s anything else to add that adds value, consider adding 1-3 more paragraphs. Ensure they hit on the paint points this news addresses for the customer.
This could also be the place where you might include a video news release content asset or link to it.
Company details
Pretty standard, I would say, and it’s good to add company details.
Headline: About <company>
Copy: Standard summary/overview
Contact information
Always include contact information (email and preferably a phone number on the emailed release) so people can reach out with questions or even send you the live link to the publication. (Consider sharing it on your social media for further social proof.)
With all that being said, how many words are truly needed? Here are two examples:
I would say both of them followed the best practices, included what needed to be included and done. So when it comes to how long a release should be, the answer is as short as makes sense. But somewhere between 150-250 words is a good range to aim for.
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