The Five Ingredients of Every Great Press Release

Online press releases are fabulous, free traffic generators for your Internet marketing business. But to generate traffic, you must first get your press release noticed by the media. Unless you know what ingredients to include in this one-page statement, you won't be able to persuade the media to publish your story.

First and foremost, the information contained in the press release must be newsworthy. Don't think of it as an ad, though. Think of it as a story you are telling about your company. This story needs to cover the basics of who, what, when, where, why and how, appeal to the journalist and relate to your target audience.

For instance, if you're announcing a product launch, don't just write about the product; write about a customer who has benefited from your product. By personalizing the release, you engage the reader and enhance your chances of getting your story picked up.

If people can't relate to or connect with your story, it probably doesn't include enough substance to be considered newsworthy. So wait until you have a story with substance to submit a press release.

Second, use only facts and figures. This is not the place for excessive adjectives, embellished benefits and fancy language. Stick to the facts of your story as though you are an objective journalist reporting news. If it is appropriate to use specific figures to support your claims, do so. Including numbers helps you establish credibility.

Third, write in the third person. Use of the words "I," "we" and "you" (used outside of a direct quote) immediately alert the journalist that you are submitting an ad as opposed to a press release. Ads masquerading as press releases don't get published. So "he," "she" and "they" (even when writing about yourself) are the only pronouns you should be using within your press release copy.

Fourth, include a quote from you or an expert in your industry about the topic of your press release. It's best to include an endorsement from someone else, but you can quote yourself if necessary. If you do quote yourself, remember to use the third person, like this: "Quotes are essential to establishing credibility," said Glen Hopkins.

And fifth, make your press release publication specific. The basic content should remain the same no matter which publication you are submitting to, but your story is more likely to get picked up if you tweak each release to the target market of the publication you are submitting to.

By including these five things, you create the impression that you are a professional who has valuable information and services to offer your target audience. And readers will gladly visit your site to find out more about you.