The article PR Secrets: Master Digital Press Releases and Get More Journalism Coverage, posted on the PRNewswire blog, has some interesting tips for capturing the attention of journalists.  The premise of the piece is no secret to any of us hoping our press releases will be noticed.  Today’s Internet and media representatives’ in-boxes are overflowing with news releases announcing products and services, financial earnings, changing staff and more.  With so many releases competing for the same eyeballs in newsrooms, standing out from the pack requires specialized digital tactics.

Some of the seven so-called secrets (Webinar-7 PR Secrets…) listed are par for the course, such as always using unique and trackable URLs and keeping headlines to 100 characters or less.  However, a few caught my attention that didn’t require additional budget and resources:

  1. Include a “click to tweet” subtitle. (Example: Your subtitle is basically a tweet.)
  2. Write for mobile first.  Craft mobile-ready copy.  Think short sentences and graphs, punchy quotes and use micro content principles.  (Example: The main facts/5Ws could be listed as bullets so they’re easily scanned on mobile.)
  3. Make all content portable. When possible, generate your press release content so it can be “broken apart” into pieces of mini content.  (Example: Can your pull quote be tweeted or shared on Facebook? Can your graphic be shared with a cut line that provides the key facts? Can your video stand alone?)

Creating relevant content for journalists is as tough as it’s ever been with the explosion of social media.  Incorporating some digital tactics into press releases can help ensure your company remains a valuable media source.