You are in charge of corporate PR for the first time. Now that you have been assigned the task of "writing a press release" for the first time in your life, you feel completely lost. Thinking that a press release is, after all, just writing, you start by searching for "press release templates.".
After the title comes the subtitle, then the main text… and be sure to include the source and social media….
While format is important, the devil is in the details. There are rarely any places that teach you the 'details,' such as how to write a headline or what content to include in the body to increase the likelihood of being published. In this session, we will look at the minimum press release format and examine what specific details are best to include for each section.
Items to include in the press release form
5 Essential Elements of a Press Release: Title, Subtitle, Body, Company Introduction, Photo
A press release begins with a headline that captures the core content of the news . This is followed by a subheading that summarizes important details not included in the headline. The main body then follows, and a separate section for the company introduction is included. The introduction should contain general information such as the company's history, business sectors, headquarters location, and business regions. Photos are also mandatory, as many media outlets require reporters to attach them when writing online articles. Finally, contact information for reporter inquiries must be included
Factors that enhance the quality of a press release: Latest articles, logo, corporate newsroom
There are items that are not mandatory but are beneficial to include. Typical examples include a list of the company's latest press releases, the logo, and a link to the corporate newsroom. It is also recommended to include links to the company's blog and social media. This serves as a channel for journalists who become interested in the company after reading the press release to obtain more detailed information. You can see that the press release format is simpler than you might think.
How to Write a Press Release to Increase the Chance of Article Publishing
1. 'Fact' in the title, 'Meaning' in the subtitle
Now that we have reviewed the press release format, let's look at what content should be included in the most important sections: the title and subtitle. The essential element that must be included in the title is a "fact" corresponding to the 5 Ws and 1 H. If you have to convey your message in just one sentence, you should carefully consider what information you want to share and write it in the title. You can write about what you want to boast about, such as "acquired a company," "launched a new product," or "sales increased by [amount] compared to the previous period.".
What must be included in the subtitle is the meaning of the facts stated in the title. If automotive company A acquired electronics company B, you can assign a meaning such as "Laying the groundwork for entry into the N trillion won (industry scale) electronics industry." If food company C, which sells dumplings, launched a small-sized product, you can explain the background by stating, "Targeting N million single-person households." By drafting a press release according to this formula, you can see that it can be published as an article with the content you wanted to emphasize placed in the title or subtitle, as shown below.
| Title (Fact) | Subtitle (Meaning) |
|---|---|
| Automotive company A acquires electronics company B | Laying the groundwork for entry into the multi-trillion won automotive electronics industry |
| C Dumpling Company Launches Small-Capacity Product | Targeting N million single-person households |
For the subheadings, you can provide supplementary explanations. Regarding Company A's merger and acquisition mentioned earlier, the key details could include when the deal will be finalized, the acquisition price, and the stake being acquired. For Company C, you should write about when the new product will be launched and where it can be purchased. Let's look at the GS Shop press release below. It reports an increase in sales of sleep-aiding foods. You can see that the subheading contains sufficient supplementary explanations, such as the background on why sales increased and plans for launching additional products in the future.
It is especially helpful to include numbers in the title and subtitle. The more numbers you include, such as market size and price, the higher the specificity and objectivity. If you have been struggling with a blank press release template, you will now find yourself having completed at least the title.
2. Increase persuasiveness in the main text with specific figures
'Sold a lot' → 'Sales increased by 30%'
Now it is time to write the body text, the most important part of a press release. One of the factors that increases the likelihood of a press release being published as an article, or in print if you are lucky, is 'numbers.' An article is content created by uncovering objective facts. There is no tool as effective as numbers for making readers accept content intended for corporate promotion as fact.
The best figures are data such as revenue and sales volume held internally by the company. Data showing an upward trend for at least the past three years makes for excellent material for a press release. If it is difficult to disclose absolute figures, presenting relative growth is also an option. In this case, if data on the overall market growth rate is available, it can demonstrate how quickly the company's revenue is expanding compared to the market as a whole.
A similar discussion took place at the 'B2B Content Meetup: B2B Marketing, Strategies to Support Organic Growth' hosted by Elifunt last August . Team Cookie CEO Ryu Tae-jun stated that the core of PR activities is “exposing our products to the public extensively based on various backers, such as investment history, awards, and achievements.” In other words, a company’s own internal data, such as revenue and sales volume, can serve as a valuable backer.
When it is difficult to disclose the company's own figures, there are workaround methods. These involve citing data from market research firms or credible institutions such as the National Statistical Office or various associations. As shown in the figure below, the company is leveraging data from the market research firm 'Counterpoint' to enhance its promotional effect by mentioning specific models in the latter part of the article.
For example, let's say a distribution company wants to promote a new offline store opening in the Chungcheong region. Trends in the region's population growth or the increasing number of companies establishing production complexes or branches there can serve as valuable data. This is because objectivity can be gained by explaining why the company intends to open a new retail store in the Chungcheong region. While such "indirect data" is, of course, less persuasive than direct sales data, it is a method well worth considering if the item is attractive.
| Good figures to use in press releases |
|---|
| Absolute values of the company's own data (sales volume, revenue, etc.) |
| Relative value (growth rate) showing corporate growth |
| Data from institutions such as market research firms, Statistics Korea, and associations |
3. Let's include the social context and explain why it needs to be reported now
Timeliness is crucial for news articles. Answering the question of "why this article needs to be published right now" is a question that anyone writing a press release as a corporate PR manager must always ponder. No matter how excellent the content may be, a press release that does not align with the current market or environment is difficult to turn into a news story. Conversely, even ordinary content can become valuable news if it resonates with the social context.
For example, the fact that the loan delinquency rate among the self-employed has risen is not a major news story when the economy is strong, but it is different when the economy is slowing down as it is now.
If a company's services can be explained within this social context, the likelihood of them being published as a print article increases. Let's assume you are promoting a startup that provides loan services for small businesses. Focus on the 'context' of why their clients chose loan services instead of equity investment. You will see the background behind the difficulty venture companies face in securing equity investment as the IPO and M&A markets have frozen. Even a press release that might feel "out of the blue" when presented without context becomes more likely to be reported as a news story when accompanied by this background, evoking a sense of critical awareness that "Wow, just how serious must the situation be for a service like this to emerge?".
4. Let's grab attention with a plot twist
You can also 'exploit' the context. If a company has secured new investment or is seeing improved performance despite unfavorable average market conditions, you can create a press release that focuses on the reasons behind this. Let's examine this through two article examples.
"The story of a company that secured investment last year despite operating in the shrinking startup market—specifically, in the domestic electric vehicle sector, which is often associated with the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) theme." This is a topic that would surely pique the interest of investors and professionals in the relevant industry. The story of a startupactually serves as an attractive twist.
With soaring energy prices and the U.S. Conservative Party in power, the environmental theme is not currently a sector attracting much investor interest. Nevertheless, if there is a reason to invest, it is certainly intriguing. The fact that, contrary to conventional wisdom, renewable energy policies were actually extended and new ones establishedprompts a question of "Really?" It can be said that the moment you surprise readers and present a twist, the likelihood of your press release being turned into a news article increases.
Corporate PR, a strategy to gain public trust through media
We have introduced press release templates and writing methods, which form the very foundation of corporate public relations. Corporate PR is an important strategy for gaining the interest and trust of a wider public through media outlets. We hope you make good use of the recommended writing methods so that your company can grace the pages of print media!
✍️ This article was written by an editor affiliated with Elifunt. If you would like to become an Elifunt editor, please apply via this link !
