Why your press release isn't making headlines

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Missing the beat

Crafting content for the media differs from writing for your own channels such as your website blog, social media pages, brochures or press office. A recent experience highlighted this perfectly. Despite being an excellent writer, my client's self-written press materials weren't gaining traction with journalists and they didn't understand why. While their content was generally well-crafted it missed the journalistic style that media outlets expect. It reminded me why understanding the following nuances is crucial for effective media relations.

When writing for media, your content must serve the publication's audience first. Journalists seek stories that inform, educate, or entertain their readers – not promote your brand. This requires a specific writing style that typically comes from either direct journalism experience or years of PR practice. You need to understand how to structure a story in a way that immediately grabs a journalist's attention and meets their editorial standards. It's also handy to know exactly who to pitch to and when.

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In contrast, owned channels give you creative freedom to directly showcase your brand voice, products, and services. Here, you control the narrative, use promotional language (forbidden when writing for the media) and include direct calls-to-action.

Clear facts

Whereas media writing requires a news hook, clear facts, and unbiased language. It follows journalistic principles like the inverted pyramid structure, where the most important information comes first. Brand mentions should be minimal and relevant to the story.

The most successful brand communicators master both styles. They understand when to pitch compelling news angles to media and when to leverage owned channels for brand-building content. Media coverage builds credibility through third-party endorsement, while owned content drives engagement through direct audience connection. Both play vital roles in a comprehensive communication strategy, but each requires its own distinct approach and expertise.

Employing the services of a writer who understands journalism principles, has fact-checking and verification skills and has access to resources and networks will ensure that your messaging is uniquely positioned to land top tier media coverage and earn your brand the credibility it deserves.