Whenever you write a press release, your foremost challenge is to grab the attention of your reader-whether it’s a reporter, buyer, investor, or someone else. Of course, there are thousands of other companies competing with you for this attention, meaning you need to do something really special and interesting if you want to stand out from the crowd.
Press Release Angles
In the world of press releases an “angle” is the attention-getting element, perspective or hook used to present the information. It’s the element that makes the story interesting, relevant, or compelling. The angle is crucial because it helps to capture the attention of journalists, editors, and ultimately, the public, encouraging them to read and possibly share the news.
A well-chosen angle in a press release can:
- Highlight the uniqueness of a product, service, event, or achievement.
- Connect the news to current trends, issues, or public interests.
- Emphasize the impact or benefits for a specific group or the broader community.
- Showcase innovation, leadership, community involvement, or other positive attributes of the organization issuing the release.
Why the Right Angle is Vital in a Press Release
Attracting attention with your press release begins with finding an interesting angle for telling your story. If your story angle is a bore, guess what…the rest of your press release will be a bore and end up getting no attention at all.
Choosing the right angle frames the information in a way that aligns with what the journalist, and ultimately, their audience cares about, making the news relevant and engaging to them.
How to Find the Right Angle for Your Press Release
When trying to figure out the best angle for delivering your news, here are some questions you can ask yourself:
- How can I tie my company into current events and other popular news stories?
- Is there a different spin I can put on an old story?
- Do I have any well-known, respected clients who I can get a quote or recommendation from?
- Does my story have ties to seasonal changes or activities?
- Has someone at our company received a special award or certification?
- Are we using any innovative technology or processes that make us stand out from our competition?
- What problems (pain points) do we solve?
- Are there any industry trends we can comment on?
- Do we have any interesting statistics or case studies we can release?
I could go on and on, but you get the point. Finding the right angle for your story lays the foundation for your success. If you swing and miss, you’ve wasted an opportunity for media coverage.
Press Release Angle Examples
Struggling to find the right angle for your press release? We’ve found that there are two major types of angles that tend to work well – brand focused and curiosity-based angles.
Product or Brand Focused Angles
Product or brand-focused angles are direct, showing how your product or service is an excellent solution for the target audience.
- Announcing [Product/Service]: The next big thing in [Industry]
- [Company] sets a new standard for [Product/Service] with its latest offering
- [Product/Service]: How [Company] is redefining [Aspect]
- Experience innovation: [Company]’s [Product/Service] launches with groundbreaking features
- [Company]’s [Product/Service]: Designed to solve [Problem] with ease
- Elevating [Aspect]: [Company]’s commitment to excellence with [Product/Service]
- Leading the charge: How [Company/Product] is shaping the future of [Industry]
- [Product/Service]: Where cutting-edge technology meets practicality
- [Company]’s latest [Product/Service]: A game-changer in [Industry]
- Setting new benchmarks: [Company]’s [Product/Service] redefines expectations
- Meet [Product/Service]: [Company]’s answer to [Need/Problem]
- [Company] unveils [Product/Service]: A leap forward in [Industry]
- Revolutionizing [Aspect]: [Company]’s [Product/Service] launches today
- [Product/Service]: The culmination of [X years] of research and development
- [Company] announces a major upgrade to [Product/Service]: What to expect
- Empowering [Target Audience]: How [Product/Service] changes everything
- Redefining convenience: [Company]’s [Product/Service] sets a new standard
- [Product/Service]: How it’s changing lives in [Area/Field]
- The future of [Industry] is here: [Company]’s [Product/Service] reimagines [Aspect]
- [Company] to pioneer [Innovation/Method] with its new [Product/Service]
Curiosity Focused Angles
Curiosity-based angles bring a touch of mystery, an untold story aspect that allows your press release to reveal the rest of the story.
- The untold story behind [Company/Product]
- Revealed: The breakthrough that’s changing [Industry] forever
- Why everyone in [Industry/Field] is talking about this
- The secret project [Company Name] has been working on
- Unveiled: The innovation set to disrupt [Market/Industry]
- How [Company/Product] is revolutionizing [Aspect]
- The future is here: Introducing the [Product/Service] of tomorrow
- Breaking the mold: [Company/Product]’s unconventional approach to [Problem/Solution]
- From concept to reality: The journey of [Product/Service]
- Why [Company/Product] is poised to lead in [Year]
- Before the breakthrough: The challenge that inspired [Product/Service]
- The science behind [Product/Service] and why it matters
- Exclusive peek: Inside the development of [Product/Service]
- How [Company/Product] is responding to the global challenge of [Issue]
- The collaboration that could change [Industry] forever
- [Company/Founder’s] vision for a [better/safer/more sustainable] future
- Behind the scenes: The making of [Company’s] most innovative product yet
- [Product/Service]: The answer to [Common Problem]?
- What experts are saying about [Product/Service]
- [Company/Product]: Bridging the gap between [Two Diverse Concepts]
These angles can be adapted to fit a variety of industries and products, making them versatile for your article on writing press releases. They’re designed to intrigue and draw in readers by highlighting innovation, revealing insider information, or promising a look into the future developments of a company or industry.
Building Upon the Angle
Once you find the perfect angle for your story, you need to keep your press release tight and focused. Remember, your reader has only a limited amount of time to view your story, and you’ve got less than 500 words to tell it in. This means you need to get your message across as quickly and clearly as possible. Any details that are unnecessary or that don’t add value to the story … get rid of them.
Focus on answering the who, what, when, where, why and how questions, use good quotes to enhance your story, and let the reader know why your story is relevant and why they should care.
If you have any details that don’t seem to fit within your story, you can always publish a separate release later on. This will allow you to enjoy the benefits of a steady press release distribution plan, and it will allow you to target different audiences more effectively with each specific release.
As far as the actual press release length goes, it varies depending on the story you’re telling. However, keep it at a single page or less (about 500 words or less) so you don’t lose your reader’s attention.
What are some of the most interesting story angles you’ve come up with for press releases? Share your best by leaving a comment.
This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (https://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Grab your free copy of the Big Press Release Book – Press Releases for Every Occasion and Industry here: https://www.ereleases.com/free-offer/big-press-release-samples-book/