Press Release Writing Style & Guideline

Important!!

Here are guidelines that you should use to write and format your press releases. Also included are key points below that we use when choosing to reject a press releases.

Write Press Release in third person singular

Make sure all press releases are written third person singular. Do not "You," "Your," "We," "Us," "Our," "I," in a title or body of release – unless when quoting someone.

Anatomy of press releases

This sections apply to a press release: title, subtitle, byline, body of press release, about company; disclosure and disclaimer/forward looking statement for public company press releases and Contact information

Title

Attribute press release title with company name. For example of title attributed with company name: Douglas Lake Completes Airborne Survey on Its 800 km2 Handeni Property. The company name here is Douglas Lake.

If your press release is about a public company, you'll use ticker symbols — Only 5 ticker symbols are allowed in one press release. Use no more than 5 in title. Here is the format you should use stocks symbol in a title:

International Business Machines (IBM) forms Partnership with Apple (AAPL). The format to use ticker symbol in the body are stated below.

Subtitle

The subtitle is explanatory title; it should be about 150 characters. Do not repeat title in subtitle or summary field. Do not repeat it in the body of release. Do not cut part of the body of release paste as subtitle.

Byline

Add "city, state" in the byline field. For example: "Dallas, Texas".

This will automatically be prepended to the start of your press release.

Body

Each press release should be about 500 words. If you mention ticker symbols in title, write about each of those ticker symbols. Don't just list them. Here is how you represent ticker symbol in body of a release: International Business Machine (NASDAQ: IBM), APPLE (NASDAQ: AAPL) or Citadel EFT Inc. (OTCQB: CDFT) (PINKSHEETS: CDFT)

If a press release is about a lawsuit, it must contain a docket number.

Disclaimer/Disclosure: If your press release is about a public company or you mention public companies, include Disclaimer/Disclosure section. Please disclose on each press release the amount you've been paid to promote a particular stock(s). State investment interest, if any, in the company. If you have not been paid or you've no stocks in the company, please state so.

About Company

This section tells readers about management, what each company does; the product or services it offers.

This will automatically be appened to the end of your press release, with the header About <Company Name Here>

Contact Information

This section must be filled out with accurate information. The company name used here will be used in the header for the above About Company section. A fake email address or phone number will result in rejection.

This information will automatically be formatted and appened to the bottom of your press release.


Reasons for Rejection

MassMediaSEO.com And EmailWire.com have the right not to approve and publish any submission. However, here are some criteria we use when choosing to reject a submission:

  • Submission does not meet above guidelines of format:
  • Submission reads like an advertisement or a classified ad.
  • Press release is not unique — do not post same press release twice unless issuing a correction. If it is a correction, it must be stated thus. Changing words in a press release and saying the same thing does not make a press release unique.
  • Duplicate title of a submission in subtitle or body.
  • Submission contains ALL CAPS in the title or body.
  • Title contains a question or include "How to."
  • Submission reads like an article. We can only accept articles if they are converted to a press release format.
  • Headline or body of the release is not newsworthy.
  • There is no company attribute in title.
  • Submissions about "get reach quick" scams, multilevel marketing, payday loans or smokeless cigarettes.
  • Submission contains keyword spamming, for example sprinkling keywords within press releases that are not in proper prose.
  • If submission has more than 5 stock ticker symbols.
  • Submission reads like an advertisement or SPAM.
  • Press release has words like FREE, "Make Money", "Don't miss this opportunity!", SALE!!!!
  • Poor newsworthiness - The release does not have sufficient news value for distribution.
  • Prohibited content - The release contains prohibited content.
  • Poor writing quality - The release is poorly written and/or does not make sense.
  • Insufficient contact information - contact name (first and last name), telephone and/or email address is required.
  • Contact information is written in lowercase.
  • Content of press release is obscene, libelous, slanderous or otherwise defamatory, false or misleading or which violates any copyright, right of privacy or publicity or other right of any person.
  • Submission of legal nature or of a lawsuit does that does not contain docket number.
  • Any other reason not mentioned above at discretion of editor and publisher.