PressGo press release posting tips

To ensure you get the most from Journalism.co.uk's PressGo distribution service, we have prepared the following editorial and formatting guidelines for online press releases.

General

Content – The most effective press releases have a clear news angle and are expressed simply and concisely. Avoid jargon, superlatives and trying to say too much – wordiness will dilute rather than add weight to your message. Make sure that readers will understand who you are and the gist of your announcement by the end of the opening paragraph and always proof read your draft before you post your release online – a single spelling mistake can destroy all your credibility.

Keywords – When you post your release on the site, you can choose as many tagged keywords as you wish, although we recommend a maximum of 10. These keywords are picked up by search engines and journalists' RSS feeds. They might include your company name, the subject of the release, your industry or sector, or any other information relevant to your announcement.

Embedded links – You can also embed html links in the main body of your press release, for example to a video file or your web site. In fact, we recommend that you include at least one link to your web site in the text. If you want to add a link to an e-mail address you can, but bear in mind that – unlike the e-mail address provided on the built-in contacts tab – the link will not be protected by an anti-spam blocker.

Pictures – You can upload a picture, table or diagram with your press release, which can either be uploaded using the image option or embedded in the text. Jpg or png format.

Posting your release – When you post your release you will also need to choose from a list of 37 Twitter and RSS feed categories to ensure your release is sent to the most appropriate recipients.

Legal – It is your responsibility to ensure that all data used in your press release is accurate and up-to-date and that any professional claims can be substantiated. You should also read our terms and conditions before posting your release, paying particular attention to section eight: User generated content.

Format

Headline/title – This should sum up the purpose of your release and be short and to the point. Aim for around 5–15 words. Words in the headline should not be capitalised apart from the first word and any names, brands or other proper nouns.

Summary – When you post your release you will also need to submit a short summary of 250 characters maximum (roughly 50-60 words). This should be different from the introductory paragraph of your release and contain no links, but it needs to include your company name and two or three keywords to aid search engines.

Date – The date that will appear on your release is the date you publish it on PressGo.

First paragraph – This may be the only part of your release that some people read, so it needs to state clearly who you are and what you are announcing. Two or three sentences is usually sufficient.

Length – There is no prescribed length for a press release but, as a guide, aim for between 400 and 600 words.

Names – The standard style for a business release is full name on first mention then surname thereafter (ie John Smith then Smith).

Contact info – You will need to provide the name and contact details of someone who can respond to enquiries about your release, preferably by phone and email. These details will be included at the end of your release and a spam-blocker will automatically be applied to the e-mail address. If you want the address to be available without the blocker, you should also include the contact details in the body of the press release.

If you would like to know more about what journalists look for in a press release, click here to see a compilation of suggestions submitted by freelancers on our database.