Follow a standard press release format

Make sure your press release looks like a press release. The following can be used as a template for your press release.

Headline - Be creative.  One sentence. Use proper title case, capitalizing the first word, first and last name of people, company names...

City, Country, Month Day, Year -- Get their attention here. A strong introductory paragraph should cover who, what, when, where, why and how.

Put the body of your press release here. Expound on the information provided in your introductory paragraph. Include quotes from key staff, customers or subject matter experts.

The body of your press release should contain more than one paragraph. The final paragraph should restate and summarize the key points of your news release.

For additional information (or sample, copy or demo), contact: (include contact information here)

You can include details on product availability, trademark acknowledgment here.

About XYZ Company

Include a short corporate backgrounder.

Contact Information: 
Contact Person
XYZ Company
Address details
City and country

T: +999999999999 (include country and city code in contact numbers) 
F: +999999999999

http://www.YourWebAddress.com (if applicable)

Contact e-mail address

Image caption: Description of the attached image(s) if applicable

Include safe harbor statement (if applicable).

Formatting your press release

How you present your news is just as important as its content. Some of these suggestions are

Mixed case. NEVER SUBMIT A PRESS RELEASE IN ALL UPPER CASE LETTERS. This is very bad form. Use mixed case.

Correct grammar usage. Always follow rules of grammar and style. Errors in grammar and style affect your credibility. Excessive errors may cause your press release to be rejected by various editors.

No HTML. Never embed HTML or other markup languages in your press release. Your press release will be distributed over a wide array of networks. Including such formatting will negatively impact the readability of your press release and slow down the process as the AMEinfo.com editors will usually need to strip the formatting.

More than one paragraph. It is nearly impossible to tell your story in a few sentences. If you do not have more than a few sentences chances are you do not have a newsworthy item.

Summary paragraph. AMEinfo.com asks you to include a one paragraph summary. Some distribution points only receive your headline, summary and a link to your press release. If you fail to include a summary paragraph you may reduce the effectiveness of your press release.

Word processor. Write your press release on a word processor instead of composing online. Writing online will not achieve best results. Take time to do it right. Write, print, proof read. Rewrite, edit

Pictures and captions. Make sure you include a picture where possible - alternatively a company logo can be submitted. Images must be in JPEG format - and remember you are sending this by e-mail for publishing online so please ensure they are web optimized. When you do send images, make sure you include a caption for the image - either in a separate text file or as part of the release.

Do not include your e-mail address in the body of your release. Do not include your e-mail address in the body of your press release. We have a special field during the submission process where we include your e-mail address to guard you against spam as spiders routinely scour the Internet harvesting e-mail addresses for spammers. Provide your e-mail address only in the contact information at the end of your press release.

PR checklist

A quick checklist for press release requirements:

• Is the press release business focused?
• Is it written in a strong business tone
• Does it include a clear Middle East business relevance?
• Does it have a business angle?
• Does it include a quote from a senior Middle East based executive?
• Have you identified the key message you want to communicate?
• Have you included full contact details for the company?
• Have you included full contact details for the sender whom the release is being sent from? 
•  All press releases submitted should originate from an official corporate email id, alternatively include details of why it has been sent from another email address
• All press releases sent from either Outlook, Webmail, Blackberry/Smartphone devices/ non corporate accounts should contain a signature setup to speed up verification
• Have you included a photo with caption or logo?
• Does the release include a date it was issued to the media?
• Have you highlighted several search engine optimized (SEO) keywords or Tags e.g.: these could relate to the industry or an event the company is participating in?
• Client/ Company mention - Be sure to advice on whose behalf the release been issued e.g. the organizer of an event, the company or the client.
•  The release should have a minimum of 350 words
• Typical press release guideline format: 
  Headline (no more than 100 characters) 
  Stand first/ Introduction (no more than 50 words) 
  Full body of press release/ contents (no less than 350 words) 
  Boilerplate
• Have you included and submitted an English and Arabic version?
• Get permission. Be sure that you have written permission before including information about another company

The importance of a good press release

The importance of writing and creating a very good press release is paramount in communicating your brands news and objectives, as well as attracting a larger audience. Having your news press release published online successfully will achieve several positive results.

A press release therefore has to include newsworthy content. Your press release is a marketing activity, a means of outlining key positive publicity about your company and its business.

It is an opportunity to highlight your brand and create an audience of followers through words as opposed to a creative advertising campaign.

To get your message across to an audience is simple if you know several points, for example the person you are trying to communicate with or reach; the decision maker; the one who will buy your product etc. You need to clearly outline your audience and their objectives. Identify your main goal and target and create a matching press release that is newsworthy and attracts a reader's attention.

To ensure you understand the importance of a good press release, think of your target, have you addressed their needs and outlined the reasons?

Remember that a reader is looking for facts. Clearly address the 5W's and H. The Who, Where, What, Why, When and How. Think of ways that words can be used to keep the reader interested. Will a journalist or the audience want to continue to read your news?

A reader will want to understand the contents of the press release in the first four lines. Have you been able to clearly and simply outline the significance of the release in the introduction?

In today's ever increasing online media channels a good press release will stand out from the rest. The importance then of defining your message and including search engine optimized keywords will reflects the writer's ability to understand the media channel and the reader's objectives.

A well written press release will be interesting to read, will attract a reader's attention and will challenge a company's perception of who you are and what you do and if successful will allow for companies to indentify your key positive successes and how you might support their business in future or buy your product or brand buy in.

Spending time on creating a good press release is valuable to ensuring your brands message gets across the way you intended.