You could propose a boring title like: “XYZ Software Company Announces Newest Version of XYZ Pro.” This title certainly is newsworthy. It’s definitely going to get approved by the editors. But the problem is that it’s boring. It does nothing to engage the reader.

How to Create Good PR Titles

Try to be more creative. Revamp the title above to make it punchier, catchier, and more engaging. For instance: “Almost Human: XYZ Pro Takes Thinking Out of Doing; New Update Adds Human-Response Feature to Interface.”

Rule No. 5: Abide by the Editing Process

Editors at press release distribution services, newspapers, and online news websites are stringent. Keep in mind that they are usually fervent studiers of the English language, AP style, tone, and prose. They don’t see any wiggle room in proper grammar or adherence to style; they see only black and white with no spatial gray area in between.

A Community Tool Box^[11] publication offers some tips on avoiding press release rejection including using proper grammar, spelling, titles, style, and prose. Remember, editors won’t fix your document for you; that’s on you. They might make minor changes.

However, if your release is not almost picture-perfect, it will go in the rejection pile with all of the other shoddily composed (and promptly rejected) news releases that editors get bombarded with day after day.

Read this article by the Torontoist^[12] to find out what editors – like the one at the Star, mentioned in the article – do when they are over-inundated with error-prone articles and news releases.

Rule No. 6: Collaborate to Succeed

Teamwork goes far in helping to develop an effective press release. Collaboration is how some of the finest marketing pieces are created.

So why limit the idea of the piece and its composition to just your ideas? Instead, brainstorm with a few others and co-create and co-write the piece together. This will improve clarity and can drastically enhance the quality of your press release.

Rule No. 7: Cross-Promote to Gain Credibility

Cross promoting is often called free advertising, which is exactly how the Edward Lowe Foundation^[13] references it. Cross promoting can help your information spread across multiple platforms quickly.