Pub355: Writing for the Web

what’s up next
Nov 4: Nov 18:
• Writing for the Web (SEO) • SMM case studies and examples
• Individual assignment: press release (group presentations—5 min.)
• Review feedback on Draft 2 • Work on Draft 3
• Readings for Nov 18
• Assignment for Nov 18: based on your Nov 25:
draft 2, I'll assign each group a tool to • Measuring Success
research and present on Nov 18 • Review for in-class test
• Work on Draft 3
Nov 11:
No class Dec 2:
• In-class test
Dec 9:
• Draft 3 due

Monique Trottier
@BoxcarMarketing

Writing for Two Audiences
People + Search Engines
by Monique Trottier

monique@boxcarmarketing.com
You should follow me on twitter @boxcarmarketing

Creating an Online Press Release

1. Headline
A headline establishes the content of the press
release.

It’s a promise of what the reader will ﬁnd out by
reading on.

(#4 It has a Hook.)

It should include keyword phrases relevant to the
content of the press release.

It should include the name of the company,
product or service.
twitter: @boxcarmarketing

What are keywords?
Keyword phrases are the words people type into a
search engine in order to ﬁnd things on the web.

(#3 Consider the keywords your audience would
use to search for your event.)


Keyword Matches
Get Bolded


Checklist for Headlines
• A Headline Should Appear in Title Case
• Capitalize Every Word Except Prepositions and
Articles
• Aim for 60-170 characters
• ALL CAPS FOR EMPHASIS SHOULD BE AVOIDED.
• Include relevant keyword phrases
• Articulate the content of the press release
• Provide a good hook (a reason to keep reading)
• Include the company name

Example Headline
Universal Orlando Resort Celebrates the One-Year
Anniversary of The Wizarding World of Harry Headline Checklist:

Potter A Headline Should Appear in Title
Case

Capitalize Every Word Except
http://media.universalorlando.com/harrypotter/news.php?id=31 Prepositions and Articles

Aim for 60-170 characters (used 86)

ALL CAPS FOR EMPHASIS SHOULD
BE AVOIDED.

Include relevant keyword phrases

Articulate the content of the press
release

Provide a good hook (a reason to
keep reading)

Include the company name


2. Summary
The Summary is a synopsis of the information in
the release. It follows the headline and is usually
1-4 sentences only. Sentence case is used for
summary text.

Checklist for Summary:
• A Summary should appear in sentence case.
• Aim for 1-4 sentences
• Articulate the content of the press release
• Provide a good hook (a reason to keep reading)
• Include the company name

Example Summary
Universal Creates Special Moment for Guests in
Hogsmeade Summary Checklist:

A Summary should appear in
sentence case.
Plus, All-New "Share Your Story" Facebook Tab Aim for 1-4 sentences

Allows Guests to Share their Favorite Memories Include relevant keyword phrases

from this Spectacularly Themed Entertainment Articulate the content of the press
release

Environment Provide a good hook (a reason to
keep reading)

Include the company name


Summary Appears As the
Results Description


Tips for Writing a Good Press Release
• Start Strong: You have a matter of seconds to earn attention.

• Be Newsworthy: The headline, summary and 1st paragraph should clarify
the news. The rest of the release provides the details. It’s not a marketing
pitch or advertisement.

• Use Keywords: The headline and summary use keywords people are likely
to use when searching for this type of information.

• Identify Yourself: Identify the company, brand or product in the headline
and summary.

• Economize Your Words: Be concise. Aim for 60 characters including spaces
for the headline and 1-4 sentences for the summary.

• Pick an Angle: Make sure your release has a good hook.

• Proofread: No spelling or grammatical errors.


3. Body
Checklist
• Be on-topic
• Deliver on the promise established in the
Headline
• But avoid keyword stuﬃng—overusing
keywords repetitively—which makes search
engines think you’re trying to scam the system.
• Model the lead paragraph on the summary.
• The lead paragraph is 25 words or less.
• Body Copy is 300-800 words.
• Always write press releases in the third
person. No “I” or “you.”

Example Lead Paragraph
ORLANDO, Fla. (June 18, 2011) - Today, Body Checklist:

Universal Orlando Resort celebrated the one-year Be on-topic

Deliver on the promise established in
anniversary of the most spectacularly themed the Headline

entertainment environment - The Wizarding Include relevant keyword phrases

But avoid keyword stuﬃng—
World of Harry Potter, where the wonder, overusing keywords repetitively—
which makes search engines think

excitement and adventures of the Harry Potter you’re trying to scam the system.

Model the lead paragraph on
books and ﬁlms come to life. the summary.

The lead paragraph is 25 words
or less (38 words used).

Body Copy is 300-800 words.

Always write press releases in
the third person. No “I” or “you.”

Includes a link.


My suggestion
Headline: Universal Orlando Resort Celebrates The One-Year Anniversary
of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Summary: Universal Orlando Resort creates special moment for guests
celebrating in Hogsmeade and extends the virtual celebration to the
all-new "Share Your Story" Facebook tab that allows guests to share
their favorite memories from this spectacularly themed entertainment
environment.

Body: ORLANDO, Fla. (June 18, 2011) - Today, Universal Orlando
Resort celebrated the one-year anniversary of the most spectacularly
themed entertainment environment - The Wizarding World of Harry
Potter. In live celebrations, and virtual celebrations through the resort’s
“Share Your Story” Facebook tab, guests were invited to share the
wonder, excitement and adventures of the Harry Potter books and ﬁlms
come to life.


4. Links
Links are the currency of the web. They are what we use to endorse content
(retweeting links, blogging and linking to another site). Provide a relevant
link in the ﬁrst paragraph of your press release.

Search engines look at links pointing at your domain, and a link from a
press release service such as PRWeb.com is a vote of legitimacy.

Providing a link early on in the press release also helps journalists and
bloggers understand where to ﬁnd more relevant content about this
topic. They are also likely to use the link you provide in their follow-up
stories, which means more links to your domain, and more votes of
credibility for your content in the eyes of the search engines.


5. Boilerplate Statement
The boilerplate statement is the one-paragraph “About Us” snippet at the
end of a press release. Most organizations reuse the same piece of copy for
all press releases, which is a wasted opportunity as this is another place to
add keywords and to establish the “so what?” (#4) of what you do or to
reinforce your brand/business identity (#6).

Boilerplate Checklist:
• Include the facts: company name, location, what you do.
• Include the “so what?”, or the positioning statement (6: brand
statement, niche, business identity): what is compelling about what
you do? Are you the 1st company to do it? Does 80% of the market use
your products?
• Remember a press release is no place for a sales pitch, but you can
write a compelling, relevant boilerplate statement that helps reinforce
the message you are trying to get across in your press release.


Which is better for this
example press release?
The Universal Orlando resort destination (www.universalorlando.com)
includes two dramatically distinct and adjacent theme parks, the Universal Boilerplate Checklist:

Studios motion picture and television theme park and Universal's Islands of Include the facts: company
name, location, what you do.
Adventure, Orlando's most thrilling and exhilarating theme park. Universal
Orlando also includes CityWalk, a 30-acre dining, shopping, club and live- Include the “so what?”, or the
positioning statement: what
entertainment venue as well as premier on-site Loews hotels and world- is compelling about what you
do? Are you the 1st company
class ﬁlm and television production facilities. to do it? Does 80% of the
market use your products?

Remember a press release is
no place for a sales pitch, but
you can write a compelling,
relevant boilerplate
Universal Orlando Resort is a theme park destination that places you statement that helps reinforce
the message you are trying to
and your family in the heart of pop culture's most incredible and get across in your press
timeless stories. Guests experience two exciting theme parks - release.

Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure as well as Universal
CityWalk, a 30-acre restaurant, shopping and nighttime entertainment
complex; and three magniﬁcently themed on-site hotels. Flagship
experiences include soaring above Hogwarts with Harry Potter,
swinging above the streets with Spider-Man, and helping Shrek save
Princess Fiona in Shrek 4-D. www.universalorlando.com. monique@boxcarmarketing.com

Social Media Release
A social media press release includes relevant links, keyword phrases,
a great hook in the headline, summary and lead paragraph, and
multimedia goodies like links, images, video and other shareable
content.

Journalists and bloggers are looking for good content that can be
made into excellent news stories. If you provide easy to access,
well-written, remarkable, unique and newsworthy content that
engages people, then you will get more incoming links
(recommendations and referrals), more story mentions, a better
chance of showing up in search results for related keyword phrases
and a larger audience for your content.


Pulling It Together
Headlines: Body:
• A Headline Should Appear in Title Case • Body content is on-topic and delivers on the
• Capitalize Every Word Except Prepositions promise established in the Headline
and Articles • Lead paragraph is 25 words or less
• Aim for 60-170 characters • Aim for 300-800 words
• ALL CAPS FOR EMPHASIS SHOULD BE • ALL CAPS FOR EMPHASIS SHOULD BE
AVOIDED. AVOIDED.
• Include relevant keyword phrases • Include relevant keyword phrases (but avoid
• Articulate the content of the press release spammy repetition)
• Provide a good hook (a reason to keep • Content is focused on a core message (not
reading) trying to cram in 3-4 ideas)
• Include the company name • Include a link early on in the release

Summary: Boilerplate Statement
• A Summary should appear in sentence case. • Include the facts: company name, location,
• Aim for 1-4 sentences what you do.
• Include relevant keyword phrases • Include the “so what?”, or the positioning
• Articulate the content of the press release statement: what is compelling about what
• Provide a good hook (a reason to keep you do? Are you the 1st company to do it?
reading) Does 80% of the market use your products?
• Include the company name Remember a press release is no place for a
sales pitch, but you can write a compelling,
relevant boilerplate statement that helps
reinforce the message you are trying to get
across in your press release.

Individual Assignment
Write a press release for your Terroryaki! event.

• Step 1: create a list of relevant keyword phrases that
your target audience might use if searching for an
event like yours. i.e., the name of your event, the book
title and author name, the location of your event.

• Step 2: Think about the hook for your event. Write a
relevant headline and summary.

• Step 3: Now write the lead paragraph, body and
boilerplate.

• Due in 1 hour. Ensure your name and ID is included.

Next Steps
ASSIGNMENT
Individual Assignment on Online PR
Prepare 5 minute group presentation for next class.

READINGS
Darren Barefoot and Julie Szabo, Chapter 10 & 12, Friends With
Beneﬁts, 171-193 and 220-237

How to measure the success of a press release:
http://www.bloggingprweb.com/how-to-measure-pr-success

You should follow me on twitter @boxcarmarketing

Pub355: Writing for the Web

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