Tips for becoming a #PR writing jack-of-all-trades

by William Comcowich @cyberalert1

With all the roles PR pros play, they must master different writing styles to publish effective press releases, social media posts, and content marketing articles.

Several recent articles address these needs by offering tips for all forms of writing so PR writers can establish themselves as a jack-of-all-trades, including:

Press releases and pitches

Richard Brownell shares 10 takeaways from a workshop that featured valuable information for writing shareable press releases, attention-grabbing pitches, and compelling social media content.

Among the key best practices addressed were:
• Post with mobile in mind. Nearly half of all emails are opened on mobile devices. Use only close-up images, avoid attachments in pitches, and keep headlines short (but informative).

• Pitch the story, not the brand. Or as Dharmesh Shah puts it, “pitch solutions, not products.”

• Use keywords wisely. If you don’t believe that Google penalizes those that neglect its link guidelines in press releases, Vladimir Gendelman’s story proves Google enforces its decrees.

• …but don’t leave out links completely. Always provide readers with an opportunity to learn more about your brand. A press release without links fails to serve its purpose.
Social media posts

The “rules” of social media come second nature to some, but Courtney Ramirez’s social media etiquette tips in “Twitter 102: the dos and don’ts of Twitter writing” should be kept in mind. The rules include:
• Do follow basic rules of English. Twitter’s 140-character limit doesn’t mean spelling, grammar, and punctuation rules go out the window. Start sentences with a capital letter and spell out words, or you’ll tarnish your company’s professionalism and credibility.

• Do share posts with links. According to Guy Kawasaki, every single social media post should carry a link. (But don’t publish long links. Use a URL shortening tool such as Buffer or Bit.ly).

• Do test multiple headlines—and don’t just share the article’s headline.

Content marketing

The way you craft content can change a person’s perspective and find connections where there had been none, Meaghan Keaney Anderson asserts. In “What makes good copywriting? 6 characteristics of top-notch copy,” Anderson illustrates the power of words with a compelling story about a homeless man sitting in a community square.

Bottom line: Concise and well-written content proves your credibility to the media, executives, and your audience.