Tag Archives: press release writing

Embedding calls to action for multiple audiences in press releases

Posted on August 16, 2012 by | 11 Comments

Press releases are read by a wide array of people.  When drafting a message, it’s important to think beyond the professional media audience.  Enthusiast bloggers, industry and financial analysts, employees, customers, advocates, shareholders, industry peers and potential business partners are all likely to read your press release.  This means we can reasonably expect to engage numerous audiences with our message.  But are our press releases up to the task?

Traditionally, the outcome we use to gauge press release success has been media pick up.  The call to action embedded within most press releases is the media contact information, supplied so journalists have ready access to the PR staff in the event they need more information for a piece they’re writing.

But what about everyone else?  What about all those other stakeholders who are reading our messages?  Are we serving them well?  Helping support the buying (and other) decisions they’re making?

Capitalizing on fleeting reader attention

It’s safe to assume that readers of press releases assume the same behavior we see of the average web surfer.  They flit from page to page, consuming what interests them, ignoring what doesn’t, and following links that promise a deeper dive into the subject the reader is pursuing.

Sure, any press release worth its salt has ye olde boilerplate gracing the end of the message, in which one can usually find a URL.  But let’s think about this for a minute.  Most of us (correctly) use a version of the inverted pyramid when writing a press release.  The most interesting and important components of the message are toward the top of the press release.

It’s dangerous to assume that all your readers are going to make it to the end of the message – especially if the release is a long one.   A more effective strategy is to add different calls to action throughout the press release that make the most of those fleeting moments when you have the reader’s attention.

Embedding multiple calls to action that appeal to different audiences

People read press releases for different reasons.  In addition to covering a beat, your readers may be researching a purchase, learning more about the company before or accepting a job or evaluating marketplace players to lay the groundwork for a partnership or deal.   The trick for the PR pros behind the press release is to identify which audiences are also likely to be interested, and include links for them to follow that mesh with their specific interests.

Here’s an example.  In talking about this very subject with a client last week, we discussed a current press release about a new type of over-the-counter drug that significantly reduces some of the side effects endemic to this particular type of medication. [For the sake of this example, let’s say this is a new type of decongestant called EasyCold that is given in a standard dose for both children and adults, ending confusion over dosage.]     The press release itself was data-heavy.  It was designed to inform savvy journalists who have some familiarity with subject and have probably been on the healthcare beat for a while.   The original release went out with the standard media contact information.  However, there were other opportunities to engage consumers and other audiences with this message, including:

  • Signal the availability of the data in the headline (and subhead) by using benefit statements to tell the story and attract a wide variety of readers, and adding phrasing that indicates immediately the assets available within the content.

Safe Cold Medicine for Kids and Adults: EasyCold’s Standard Dose Formula Removes Risk of Inaccurate Dosing

Results of study prove standard dose is efficacious for people of all ages.

  • Instead of a jargon-heavy technical lead, describe in clear and simple terms what this new drug means to consumers, and the company.

EasyCold takes the guesswork – and risks – associated with giving children the correct dosage of a cold remedy out of treating sick kids: dosage is the same for both children and adults.   It’s safe cold medicine for kids that also works for the rest of the family, according to a recent study of the efficacy of variable doses …

  • Embed hyperlinks from keywords that will appeal to different audiences, connecting them with the specific information they’re seeking.   You can rely on your readers’ self-interest to guide them.

EasyCold takes the guesswork – and risks – associated with giving children the correct dosage of a cold remedy out of treating sick kids: dosage is the same for both children and adults.   It’s safe cold medicine for kids that also works for the rest of the family, according to a recent study of the efficacy of variable doses conducted by XYZ Pharma …

In this simplistic example, the popular search term “safe cold medicine for kids” could be linked to landing page offering information (and a coupon!) for parents who are struggling with the challenge of finding cold medicine they can feel safe about using.  In the next line, a link to the phrase relating to the study could link to the full study results for a journalist or professional interested in that angle of this story.

These simple links – and a few tweaks to an otherwise technical press release – will broaden the appeal of the story for both industry professionals (media and otherwise) and potential consumers – and the different media and blogs those disparate audiences consume.   With just a little more effort (and no more spend) you can significantly expand the audiences for your press releases – and track the different outcomes they deliver.

Author Sarah Skerik is PR Newswire’s vice president of social media, and is the author of the free ebook Unlocking Social Media for PR.

Related reading:

Writing press releases that generate better results

6 mistakes that can sink press release visibility

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Writing Press Releases that Generate Results

Posted on August 7, 2012 by | 3 Comments

Steelcase garners improved press release results by adding multimedia to messages.

In today’s real-time, connected world in which our audiences expect to find anything they want, when they want it, it’s imperative that communicators wring every ounce of effectiveness out of all the content they publish, and to continually assess the results each message generates.   On the heels of last week’s post about rethinking (and expanding) the audiences for press releases,  today we’re putting the press releases under the microscope. and we’re focusing on some of the most common questions we hear.

Why don’t my press releases get any pick up?

If pick up is a problem, take a hard, candid look at your press releases.  Do they have a lot of jargon? Multiple message themes?   Many messages make promotion of the brand or organization their sole focus.  They’re written for the execs, not the audience.  To say it simply, they read like a hard sell.  A very boring hard sell.

So if your press releases are consistently panned, consider making these changes.

  • Find more interesting ways to frame your news.  Instead of an announcement about a technical upgrade featuring the updated specs , for example, talk instead about the customer problems the technology solves.
  • Find ways to “give” to your audience.  The direct access we have to our audiences has changed the definition of “news” as related to what sort of information we put into press releases.  Feature stories offering readers tips and best practices are extremely popular, and they generate positive attention and goodwill for the organization issuing the content.  Issue interesting information on an ongoing basis, and you’ll cultivate a loyal and engaged following of customers, prospects and industry influencers who pay attention to your messages.
  • Use tried and true practices that gain attention and make your content “sticky.” 
    • Journalists love data, facts and figures. Audiences appreciate data points, as well, and view data-based content as credible. If your content includes reference to some statistics or study results, make that your primary theme and highlight the numbers in the headline.   Studies have shown headlines with numerals generate more reads.  (And no, saying you have a GR8 new product does not count.)
    • Another tried-and true way to get more press release views and results is to include a photo – or, even better, video.   Images and video capture the reader’s eye and get preferential treatment in many search engine and social algorithms.  For these reasons, it’s not surprising that press releases with multimedia get better results.    One PR Newswire client, Steelcase, has committed to using multimedia content, and they’ve seen the results.

“At Steelcase we’ve significantly increased our use of multi-media assets, especially our use of video,” Katie Hasse, senior public relations specialist, told us in describing her team’s revamped approach to press releases.  “ It’s helped us get more pick up on our releases and also win attention from top-tier journalists on our thought leadership and industry knowledge.”  (Example:  Steelcase Projection)

  • Focus your message.  Unfocused content that tries to pack two or three angles into one message is confusing to both readers and search engines.  Readers aren’t inspired to take action, and search engines have difficulty categorizing the content, and probably won’t rank it highly.  Specificity and relevance are your best friends in today’s information and attention marketplaces.

As we demand more results from our press releases, it’s crucial that our messages keep step with audience interests and the algorithms that surface content in search engines and social networks.   Those algorithms are now using social signals, such as the number of times a piece of content was tweeted, how authoritative those tweeting the content are, and whether or not those tweets spiked any downstream response from readers.  To generate those kinds of signals, content must be interesting to the reader – something important to keep in mind when drafting your next press release.

Sarah Skerik is PR Newswire’s vice president of social media, and is the author of the free ebook Unlocking Social Media for PR.

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Demand More From Your Press Releases

Posted on July 31, 2012 by | 3 Comments

By now it’s no secret that content is the cornerstone of today’s communications campaigns.  Interesting content fuels social media discussion, provides important fodder for search engines and it’s an integral part of automated and inbound marketing campaigns.  Public relations departments and agencies are prodigious creators of content, and much of that content is in the form of press releases.

From what I’ve seen, many press releases issued today appear to be pretty traditional in terms of formatting and goals.   In reality, today’s information environment offers more opportunity for PR pros to reach audiences and influence outcomes.  To do so, however, we need to rethink the press release. Simply put, I think it’s time for us to expect more from our press releases in terms of audience reached and outcomes delivered.

Audience:

Traditional media – and their new media audiences:  Traditional newsrooms are still the primary objective for most campaigns featuring press releases.  However, it’s important to remember that journalists at all different types of media outlets are now charged with creating content for blogs, podcasts and videos; and also for feeding the social media engines that power today’s audience engagement.  Instead of thinking about targeting a journalist, as you craft your message, think about his or her audience (and what would be interesting to them) instead.

Emerging media: Even if your news item never sees the light of day in a print publication, don’t dismiss the power of the digital realm.  Socially-connected influencers can be extremely powerful.  One simple tweet from the right person can amplify your organization’s message amongst a focused group of people who are more likely to be interested in (and act upon) your message than most of the rest of humanity.

Direct to constituents: Of course, one thing we have to think about is the simple fact that brands can now connect directly with audiences.   So, as we write press releases, we need to be thinking in terms of creating content that will resonate with our current and potential customers.  And, of course, communicators also need to pay close attention to building the channels in social networks enable this type of close communication with constituents.

Outcomes:

Media pick up …and re-Tweets?  For many issuers of press releases, media pick up is still the gold standard of desired outcomes.  But given how people consume information today, it’s worthwhile to think long and hard about re-defining what “media pick up” means to your organization.  What about that influential tweet mentioned a few paragraphs ago, and the spate of re-tweets it spawned.  What about the enthusiast blogger with a fast-growing following who is a fan of your brand?   As you plan to measure pick up, think in terms of total influence, and don’t leave any exposure on the table.

Measurable objectives:  One of the exciting things about today’s communication environment for PR professionals is that we’re finally able to make direct linkages between the messages we produce and real business outcomes.  Instead of staggering into the head honcho’s office with armloads of clip books, we can now point to web analytics that show traffic to a web page, downloads of a white paper, or the number of lead forms submitted.  However, you can’t have this happy experience if you don’t embed measurable calls to action into your press releases.

Social buzz and conversation – measured and benchmarked: “Buzz” isn’t an outcome we should really be talking about in a serious way.  In my opinion, there is a difference between “chatter” and “conversation.”    Sure, it’s nice when a press release you issue is tweeted and shared and liked and pinned – but (hopefully) its social life doesn’t end there.   To get a handle of the impact of your messages in the social sphere, keep tabs (and benchmark regularly) the key statistics that illustrate the real effect your messages are having in social channels, including:

  • Pay attention to engagement.  Are people clicking “follow” next to your brand’s handle on Twitter and then tuning you out? Or is your brand developing some real traction with the audience? Simply tracking the number of friends, fans and followers isn’t enough.  Instead, pay attention to the number of times your content is shared, the amount of traffic coming to your web site from social networks and the share of conversation your brand enjoys.  Sure, these numbers should increase as your fan base does.  However, keeping an eye on the ratios of fans to actions, for example, can give you real insight into how efficiently your organization is communicating.
  • Improvement in search engine ranking. Social signals are now among the most important ranking factors for search engines.  If you generate authentic conversation in social channels, chances are good that search engines will notice, and will vault the talked-about content to the top of the search engine results page.  And that’s good for business.

If it feels like this article took a turn into the domain of digital marketing, well, that’s because it did.  A brand’s communications – irrespective of which department actually deployed the content – end up working together online.  To get the most out of the content public relations departments are creating, they need to take a page from their marketing colleagues’ playbooks, and apply those tactics to press releases.

Sarah Skerik is PR Newswire’s vice president of social media, and is the author of the free ebook Unlocking Social Media for PR.

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Don’t Run Afoul of Olympic Games Marks Use Restrictions

Posted on July 17, 2012 by | 2 Comments

In the run up to the London Summer Olympics which begin in just 10 days, please remember that commercial newswires like PR Newswire can’t transmit press releases that infringe on the uses of the “Games Marks” published by the London Organising Committee.

As is the case with other major events such as the Super Bowl and CES, the London Organising Committee are taking their protected Games Marks very, very seriously.   (See: Britain Flooded With Brand Police to Protect Sponsors.)

Our Content Specialists are counseling clients to change any references to   “Olympics,” “London 2012,” “Summer Games,” etc.  Just as the NFL protects the term “Super Bowl” and we have to counsel press release writers to use something like “big game” instead, we’re doing our due diligence in counseling clients to change “London 2012″ copy.

When would such copy be allowed?  There are just two circumstances:

- The company issuing the press release is an Olympic sponsor, and has a contract directly with the London Organising Committee.

- The copy being sent is of a newsworthy style, e.g., London Olympics to Spark Explosion in Mobile Data Traffic

Phrasing that won’t work, in addition to the direct usage of the above examples, includes:

  • “going for gold in 2012″
  • “supporting the London Games”
  • showing an athlete running with an Olympic flame

Giving away free tickets for the Games in a promotion also runs afoul of the rules.

If a press release legitimately refers to the Olympics in a newsworthy manner and makes no claims to be affiliated to the Olympics, then the issuer can be reasonably sure they won’t be violating the Games Marks usage restrictions, and PR Newswire will generally let it run on the wire.  However, if a release writer arbitrarily associates a brand or product with the Olympics, then we will most likely refuse to issue the copy due to the risk of copyright infringement.

If you’d like to read the fine print, here is the link to the “Olympic Symbol etc Protection Act 1995″ http://www.london2012.com/about-us/our-brand/using-the-brand/index.html

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Press Release Best Practices: Accuracy, Newsworthiness & Illustration

Posted on April 26, 2012 by | 3 Comments

Last week I penned and article for Ragan’s PR Daily titled “The 5 Mistakes Press Release Writers Make” and followed that up with a more detailed post here titled, “The 6 Mistakes That Can Sink Press Release Visibility.”  I shared these on several PR discussion groups and solicited additional feedback from my fellow members, asking what other press release tips they would offer.

Newsworthiness

Newsworthiness was a prevalent theme, and was in fact echoed in a video interview by Steve Farnsworth (@steveology on Twitter) in which he asked EE Times editor in chief Junko Yoshida for her opinion on press releases (see the video at the top of this post.)

F. John Sbrana, Communications Coordinator at Vineland Public Schools near Philadelphia noted, “ I try to write short, interesting news stories and not “press releases”.

Tonya Hayes, a Bay Area PR pro, said “ I say “no” to some press releases. That means having the energy to say “no” to a CEO. If there is no news, it’s better to put the brakes on than to tick off the media. Or worse, have them ignore your next one. “

Images

Tracey Paleo, blogger and editor at Gia On The Move, noted in a comment on the Ragan story the importance visuals play when she’s evaluating a story. “When receiving press releases I almost 100% will follow up with a pr rep or whoever is sending when photos are included. Online readers are visual. So am I. Especially when talking about non-corporate content, i.e. arts & culture, events etc. It’s essential. Often what I see also are embedded links to internal host sites/pages (other than press release sites) where photos or video can be downloaded with a password. It’s a great alternative to getting caught in a spam blocker and completely helpful.”

Kim Stevens, publisher of State Aviation Journal and Arizona Aviation Journal concurred.  “I believe in running photos with every article or brief we use in our aviation journals. I’m amazed at how many releases we get that don’t include any photos or even company logos – and this from major companies or organizations. Fortunately, we’ve built up quite a library, but it is frustrating to send an email asking if a photo is available. Although not my first choice, I find myself hitting delete more often rather than going photo-less or holding a story while we wait, and wait, and wait even longer for a photo.”

Michael Crabtree agreed. “ Always try to include images. From a recent survey, access to high res images was highly valued with 87% (of journalists) saying that’s (very) important.
http://www.pwrnewmedia.com/site09/archives/2011JournalistSurvey.html

Formatting basics:

In an interesting twist, many of the participants in the discussion highlighted issues that could be best described under the header of “Press Releases 101.”  The PR Newswire Content Services team would agree – though the end of the first quarter 2012, they found (and fixed) 27,414 client mistakes in press releases.  In particular, numerous people noted that spelling is a prevalent problem.

Gwen Watkins, the Botswana-based director at entreprenuers for Africa Ltd. was adamant, saying, “ Learn to spell! I sub 10-15 press releases every night for an online marketing magazine and am horrified at the careless spelling. The cardinal sin – misspelling your own client’s name, or company name, followed by misspelling an internationally recognized name or brand. It’s not as if Microsoft doesn’t help – more than half the mistakes are picked up for me by its Word spell check.”

Brevity was also a recurring theme.  From a user (and search engine) standpoint, a 400 word release is more effective than an 1800 word tome.

Yassir Islam, a Washington DC-based communications professional talked about how to combine brevity but still offer detail to those who need it, “I like to keep press releases to one page, if I can. You can always add links to fact sheets for those who want to dig deeper.”

Tactics for keeping the key messages of the press release front and center were also discussed, and to the points I made about developing focused messaging in both articles, I think that these tips are particularly important.

Caryn Starr, NYC-based owner of StarrGates Business Communications, noted that having a boilerplate about the company to keep too much ancillary information from creeping into the release.   That’s an excellent point, and segues nicely into some advice about the lede (or “lead” as some prefer.) Staci Harvatin, interactive communications & media melations coordinator at Saint Louis University Hospital, said, “One of my favorite press release tips is “don’t bury the lede.” Part of this falls under the “don’t lose focus “point, but I think it is important enough to restate. Also, I still write down my top three key messages before writing the release. I know many people do this in their head, but I like checking them off as I go along.”

When combined with the tips offered earlier that were really geared toward driving social interaction and online visibility, I think that these suggestions will really help communicators produce more effective content.  Do you have a favorite tip that we missed?  If so, share it below!

Author Sarah Skerik is PR Newswire’s vice president of social media, and is the author of the free ebook Unlocking Social Media for PR.

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Google Webspam Update Means Opportunities for Great Content

Posted on April 25, 2012 by | 1 Comment

Google has started rolling out some of the algorithmic changes geared toward reducing the amount of webspam encountered by internet searchers.  Though this algo change will only affect about 3% of searches, and though the vast majority of press releases submitted to PR Newswire do not run afoul of the rules, there are still some key take-aways for PR from this change in search.

In a nutshell, what this means to the content creators and press release writers out there is that there is one set of rules for developing content. Worrying about keyword density and exact match anchor text links and packing page metadata with keyword have gone by the wayside into the dustbin of SEO history.  Instead, Google is advocating an approach that is heavily focused on providing value to your audience.  Google offers a succinct view on their Inside Search blog today (Another Step to Reward High Quality Sites):

“White hat” search engine optimizers often improve the usability of a site, help create great content, or make sites faster, which is good for both users and search engines. Good search engine optimization can also mean good marketing: thinking about creative ways to make a site more compelling, which can help with search engines as well as social media. The net result of making a great site is often greater awareness of that site on the web, which can translate into more people linking to or visiting a site.”

Professional communicators should be rubbing their hands in absolute glee. This is awesome news for the content creators amongst us, and the guidelines for success in search engines should look pretty familiar:

  • Listen to your audience. Know what’s on their minds and what challenges they are encountering.
  • Speak the language of your audience.  Kill the jargon.
  • Make being interesting and useful key goals for the content you develop. Does the content offer something that the reader can really use?

Watch for red flags and be demanding

If you’re the listener in chief for your brand or organization, it’s imperative that you share with your organization the intel you glean from social networks, web analytics and search results.  If the marketplace is clamoring for information and your organization is studiously silent on the subject, it’s time for a candid chat with the PR team, because chances are good that the silent treatment will eventually stop working. Likewise, if you wind up trying to use content to gloss over a bad product, it’s time to have a candid chat with the product team, using data and conversations from social channels to back up your point.  There’s only so much lipstick you can put on a pig, and let’s be realistic here – even if you do manage to wrassle a hog and keep it still long enough to actually apply the lipstick, the chances of the makeup lasting are nil.  This analogy, awkward as it is, holds true when it comes to trying to use content to mask larger, underlying business problems.   The glossy sheen of the content will soon wear thin.  This is nothing new.  The advent of social media has created an era of transparency unseen previously, and has brought the customer into many internal processes. With this change, Google is upping the same ante.

More changes are coming from Google.  The update announced today is not the “over-optimization” penalty.  However, the signals are clear.  Google is starting to do the same thing the millions of people populating social networks around the world have been doing for a while now: surfacing the most interesting content, which in effect rewards the creators of interesting and valuable information with increased visibility.

Related reading, if you’re interested:

SearchEngineLand: Google Launches Update Targeting Webspam In Search Results

SEO Round Table:  It’s Live: Google Over Optimization Algorithm (3% Of Searches Affected)

Beyond PR: What Google’s Over-Optimization Penalties Mean for PR

Modern PR: The Art & Science of Integrated Media Influence (white paper) – ideas, examples and advice for developing content (and the framework that supports its creation) that will have lasting traction with your audiences.

Sarah Skerik is PR Newswire’s vice president of social media, and is the author of the free ebook Unlocking Social Media for PR.

Image courtesyof Flickr user Sean MacEntee.

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What Google’s Over-Optimization Penalties Mean For PR

Posted on April 20, 2012 by | 8 Comments

Rand Fishkin of SEOmoz offers fantastic advice today for avoiding the coming over-optimization penalties that Google has announced.   You can view his entire video here:

6 Changes Every SEO Should Make BEFORE the Over-Optimization Penalty Hits – Whiteboard Friday

Within the tips he offers are several that anyone who writes press releases should pay attention to.  Below, I summarize the issues Rand highlights, and describe the implications for PR.

1. Keyword stuffed page titles.  Page titles need to be authentic, and they need to sound like they were written by humans, for humans.  Repeating keywords over and over and unnatural phrasing are likely to be red flags.

Implication for PR:  Many newswires and other vendors turn your headline into the page title.  Keep this in mind and write headlines that are first and foremost designed to capture the interest of your audience and convey your story.

2.  Manipulative internal links, such as pointing to the same URL over and over again on one page.  Linking to the same page over and over isn’t helpful  (the first link is the only one that counts anyway.)  Use logical, useful links, link to different URLs, and use links that you want people to actually go to.  And mix up the phrases/words to which you link.

Implication for PR:  When you post a press release to your web site, or run it over a wire service, it does in fact become a web page.   Use – but don’t overuse – anchor text links in your press releases, and use them as a reader service, providing a call to action or more detailed information. Content that is stuffed with links is likely to be flagged by search engines.  Keep links to a minimum – one or two per release.

3.  Link filled footers, or more specifically a  bunch of exact anchor links at the bottom of the page that no one would ever really click on.  This is a decade old tactic.

Implication for PR:  Keep links to a minimum, as noted in #2.  Resist the urge to add lists of links to your press release.

4.  Text content blocks built for the engines.  The weird block of  keyword stuffed junk.  Spammy blocks of text that have no purpose other than to get the keyword into the text.  These will actually drive people away.   It’s dangerous because it provides very poor user experience.

Implication for PR:  Guard against any text that is riddled with keywords – including your boiler plate.  Because most releases include the same boilerplate over and over, it’s important that you dial back on keywords in the boilerplate, to avoid looking like a search engine spammer.  –

5. Large numbers of pages targeting similar keywords with slight variation between them but are essentially the same content.  What Rand is talking about here are pages on a web site that essentially say the same thing, but have slight variation in titles and keywords.

Implication for PR:   If you use a template for your press releases, this could be an issue, especially if there is little variation in your titles and throughout the body of the release.  With the emphasis on natural writing these days, it’s probably time to dump the template.  At the very least, be sure you write a fresh headline and lead, and change up some of the body text.

My theme this week has been “Write for people, not machines.”  At the end of the day, sticking to that simple advice will serve you well when it comes to authoring press releases.

Related reading:

Six Mistakes That Can Sink Press Release Visibility

The 3 Cornerstones of Building Lasting Online Visibility

Sarah Skerik is PR Newswire’s vice president of social media, and is the author of the free ebook Unlocking Social Media for PR.

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5 Ways to Fight Client Jargon

Posted on March 23, 2012 by | 1 Comment

Each week, Dear Gracie answers PR and media questions from ProfNet Connect readers with advice from our network of nearly 50,000 ProfNet experts. Has there been a question burning in your mind lately, something you’ve been wondering that none of your colleagues can answer? Please send it to grace.lavigne@prnewswire.com

Dear Gracie,

Do you have any useful tips on how I can convince my clients to tone down their use of jargon and industry terminology, like in a press release, for example? Sometimes they’re hesitant to take my advice and explain their work in simpler terms. What can I say to persuade them?

Slang Stopper

******

Dear Slang Stopper,

Three ProfNet experts provide some insight on how to combat client jargon:

Why the Mumbo Jumbo Needs to Go

Specialized terms are used by all manner of companies, in nearly every profession, because it makes communication faster and easier among colleagues, says Alison Cohen, senior manager of media relations at Education Development Center (EDC).

Problems arise when experts believe they can use the same language — like insider shorthand, acronyms and overly long descriptions — with everyone else, says Cohen. They do not always realize that reporters, donors, lawmakers and the general public lose interest when they hear “proposal speak,” explains Cohen.

“Proposal speak” happens when “help” become “technical assistance,” “use” becomes “utilize” or “assistance” becomes “capacity building for a range of stakeholders,” for example.

These words only serve to cloud the message and keep potential allies at bay, Cohen continues. Reporters in particular just want to get to the heart of the matter.

Clarity and simplicity are particularly important on social networks, says Anthony J. DeFazio, president of DeFazio Communications. “Clients need to be concerned with the fact that social networks require ease of use and clear understanding of information to be shared.” Without that, their message will not be retweeted or posted on industry blogs and forums.

Industry slang isn’t always just generated by the experts themselves either — sometimes buzzwords appear after they’ve gone through the marketing department or C-level management too, adds Paula Gould, owner of PEG PR.

Jargon-busting is possible, though, so it’s important for media consultants to work with experts to help them remove excessive industry terms from their speech, says Cohen. Experts need to discover another way to talk about their work and why it matters.

Why Experts Resist Sometimes

“Long-held habits are heard to break, and many are resistant to change,” says Cohen. It can be a challenge to separate experts from their industry language since it has served them well on a daily basis and can be difficult to translate for other audiences, says Cohen.

Furthermore, experts might think that using plain, jargon-free language is condescending and “dumbed down,” she says. But it’s just the opposite — plain language does not alienate anyone.

Experts might also think that using complicated words makes them seem more serious and important, Cohen continues. For example, using “text-based resource” instead of “book” is not the way to go.

How to Let Go of the Lingo

1. Edit and Explain: Edit out the buzzwords for your client and explain why the information has to be clear and simple and in laymen’s terms, says Gould.

“The key is to give the client honest feedback as soon as you recognize it as inappropriate and ineffective,” adds DeFazio.

If the client’s goal is publicity and coverage, then why force a reporter to translate for their audience? explains Gould. The expert should be considering how the audience will read and absorb the information, and tailoring their quotes accordingly.

Provide an alternative to persuade them, suggests DeFazio.

2. Consider the Competition: By eliminating the fluff, clients will give themselves a significant advantage over their competitors, says Gould.

Journalists and bloggers tend to know their beats and the industry landscape anyway, so it’s not the client or PR person’s job to wow reporters with marketing tactics. “Rather, it’s our job to wow them with knowledge of the space and how the client is different and important,” she says.

3. Use Examples: Ask your client to provide examples and place the work in context, says Cohen. One example can do more to explain “how” and “why” than a thousand words.

4. Try “Banana Words”: A “banana word” is an idea coined by Professor Carl Sessions Stepp at the University of Maryland, which refers to the idea that some words can only have one meaning and are therefore crystal clear to every audience, says Cohen.

Words like “banana,” “sidewalk” or “dolphin” can only be interpreted in one way, as opposed to words like “capacity,” “sustainability” or “intervention.” Why use the word “assessment” if you can just say “test”? she says.

5. Tell “Uncle Bob”: If the expert can explain their work to a family member without their eyes glazing over, says Cohen, then your choice of words is probably fine. However, if they start tuning you out or ask “What does that mean?” it’s time to go back to the drawing board.

Clarity of message and mission is essential to appealing to the general public and media, stresses Cohen. With some effort and practice, experts can incorporate generic components of efficacious interventions – that is, learn!

Gracie

Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Dear Gracie is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Gavin Llewellyn.

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Dear Gracie: How to Write Catchy Headlines

Posted on January 20, 2012 by | 3 Comments

A truly catchy headline!

Each week, Dear Gracie answers questions from ProfNet Connect readers with advice from our network of nearly 50,000 ProfNet experts. Has there been a question burning in your mind lately, something you’ve been wondering that none of your friends can answer? Please send it to grace.lavigne@prnewswire.com

Dear Gracie,

I’m PR agent, but I also freelance on the side, so I write press releases and articles regularly. I want to know how important headlines are to readers. What types of headlines generate the most interest? Are headlines different in print vs. online? Are puns a good idea? Can you go overboard trying to make a headline catchy?

Heady Headliner

***********

Dear Heady Headliner,

Nine experts from the ProfNet community offer their insight on headlines:

So Much Pun in Pictures: Contextualizing Headlines

Understand your limitations, says Marie Lang, editorial assistant for Rochester Insitute of Technology’s University News Services and editor of News & Events Daily, the online campus newsletter. “Print newspaper headlines are bound by columns and lines, but may have accompanying artwork or photos to play off of,” she says. “Online headlines are bound by SEO guidelines, character limits and a lack of accompanying visual aids.”

“If there is an image next to your headline, play off of what is happening in the photo,” says Lang.

“Overall presentation is enhanced when the headline picks up on the photo or illustration,” agrees Joseph McClain, director of research communications at The College of William & Mary. He provides this picture as an example:

The grasping crab in the photo actually dictated the “Seize the Bay!” headline, explains McClain. If the photo had been different, the headline wouldn’t have worked.

Punline Headlines: Writing for the Web

Kathryn Clark, media relations coordinator at Creighton University in Nebraska, notes that she frequently uses puns or clever words for headlines and story ideas — but on Facebook, she finds that the number of clicks on her article goes up when she’s “to the point.”

Always use an SEO keyword in every title, unless it compromises the catchiness of the title, says Joan Barrett, owner of The Content Factory.

“The most important words should be early in the headline,” says Lang. Ask yourself: If I were looking for this story online, what would I search for?

Barrett notes that “Top 10″ and numbered lists are generally the most popular, so try taking that angle whenever possible.

Kristina Jaramillo, a LinkedIn marketing expert and owner of GetLinkedInHelp.com, adds that revealing results in the headline can be effective too. For example, “See How This LinkedIn Marketing Expert Helped a Top Internet Marketer Increase Website Traffic by 33 Percent.”

She also says that providing a reason why someone should read your article will pique interest, for example: “Client Admits Losing $5 Million Due to Poor Workplace Communication Mistakes: Could You Be Making the Same Mistakes?“

And finally, consider using the power of media, says Jaramillo. For instance: “Negotiation Expert Featured on Fox Business Helps Companies Win Multi-Million Dollar Contracts.”

Add Some Punch: Using Word Play

“Brevity is the soul of wit,” says Nancy Juetten, author of “Bye-Bye Boring Bio” and the Authentic Visibility ezine. “Headlines should be brief, descriptive and compelling.” The goal is to turn heads and invite readership, she says.

“Eye-catching headlines are usually short and snappy,” agrees Lang. Use strong, descriptive verbs; and try alliteration, consonance and assonance, she says. “Grab your thesaurus and let it do some of the work for you.”

Lang provides an example: Compare “Bills Beat Broncos” to “Bills Trample Broncos.” The first headline lets the reader know the Bills won the game; the second example lets the readers know the Bills won the game by a landslide, with some added imagery of the victorious team running over the losers.

Sometimes taglines and phrases that are instantly identifiable to readers, albeit with a twist, are very effective, counters Zipporah Dvash, vice president of public affairs and development at SUNY Downstate Medical Center – University Hospital of Brooklyn at Long Island College Hospital.

For example, Dvash reported on a story a few years ago about a hospital physician in her community (Brooklyn) who was mugged and required plastic surgery. Although he could have gone to a ritzy Manhattan hospital, he asked a colleague at his hospital to do it. When Dvash wrote up the press release, she played to her readers’ sense of Brooklyn boosterism, plus the their knowledge of Las Vegas promo ads, and ran it with the headline: “What Happens in Brooklyn, Stays in Brooklyn.” Her press release was picked up by all six local newspapers.

Similarly, when Shel Horowitz — copywriter, marketing consultant and author of “Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green: Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and Your Planet” — wrote a press release about a new book on electronic privacy, he titled it with, “It’s 10 O’Clock — Do You Know Where Your Credit History Is?“

“I liked it because it did not say ‘Electronic Privacy Expert Releases New Book,’ or anything else that was boring and expected,” explains Horowitz.

By taking an old, familiar meme, and reinventing it in a completely new context, the headline was much more interesting, he explains.

But be creative and original, says Lang. “Don’t rely on overused clichés.” For example, using “‘Tis the Season” in your headline around the holidays is probably boring to readers.

Funny Phrases (Comical or Strange?): Ambiguity in Headlines

Although it is essential to choose a headline for your article that reflects what it is actually about, ambiguity in headlines is a tried-and-true trick of the trade.

Dwight Bachman, public relations officer for Eastern Connecticut State University, shares this example: The former president of Eastern Connecticut State University, Dr. David G. Carter, used to (and still does) speak to inmates at the prison in Brooklyn, Conn., to encourage them to read more.

When Bachman wrote up a press release about Carter’s visits with inmates, he ran it with this ambiguous headline, “Eastern President David Carter Going to Jail!”

It’s ambiguous because while the headline was truthful (Carter was in fact visiting inmates), it can simultaneously be interpreted as Carter being sent to jail — which is a much more jarring statement.

Bachman got calls from several editors, with responses like, “You sure got my attention!” because they initially thought they had a scandal to report on.

In the end, several reporters did end up writing articles on Carter’s outreach efforts, and it made the front pages of several newspapers. So even though the headline didn’t guarantee story coverage, it got people to pay attention.

Inkcouragement: Thinking up Headlines

“Don’t beat yourself up if a gorgeous headline isn’t the first thing that pops into your head,” says Lang. “Sometimes they do, but for the rest of the time, grab a pen and paper or open a fresh Word document and just start writing or typing.”

“Start with your keywords, what the story is about, or what you want to emphasize,” Lang continues. “Write it all down, even the headlines you think are no good. Maybe that no-good headline becomes a great one when you substitute a word here or add a word there.”

If your headline is destined for the Web, then also try searching for your keywords to see what comes up, says Lang.

And remember: “No matter how good you think a headline is, it’s worthless if no one understands it,” says Lang. So if you think up a creative headline, and you’re not sure if it works, play it safe and ask for a second opinion.

Very Punny: Final Tip

Juetten recommends checking out the Advanced Marketing Institute’s “Emotional Marketing Value Headline Analyzer.” It’s a free tool that allows you to enter your headline into an analysis engine to find out its emotional marketing value. (Neat!)

However, she notes that sometimes a headline won’t earn a great score, but you’ll know in your gut that it’s a good one. “It’s ultimately a judgment call when push comes to shove,” she says. “For those who want to get known and get paid, it is the measuring of results and ongoing testing that are important to optimizing results.”

Gracie

Written by Grace Lavigne, editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Dear Gracie is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

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