5 Things to Check Before Hitting Send

We can never be cautious enough when it comes to writing a perfectly-crafted press release. PRFuel offers five things to check before hitting 'send' to boost your chances of obtaining coverage:

1. Newsworthiness: If your story is uninteresting and irrelevant, then you are wasting everyone's time. Make sure there is substance and newsworthiness to your story because press releases without news value will ultimately damage the credibility and reputation of your company or organization. For tips on determining newsworthiness, click here.

2. Double-check claims & statistics: Although you want to present an interesting story and angle, avoid hype and unsubstantiated claims that are misleading. Always be sure to check every claim and fact mentioned in your press release to avoid issues of liability.

3. Optimize!: Because most press releases wind up online, it is incredibly important to optimize your story. Be sure to target key words in the release and the headline and provide relevant backlinks. For some do's and don'ts on SEO, click here.

4. Back to basics: All of the following basics should be included in every single press release:

• Headline and subtitle
• Release date
• Answers to the who, what, when, where, and why questions
• Contact information
• Brief bio about your company

5. Find the fluff: Tighten up your press release as much as possible by eliminated unnecessary excess information in order to entice reporters into asking for more information. Remove any jargon and make sure that your story and angle are clear and concise.

What are other things you should check before sending out a press release? Let us know!