Writing a press release

Sometimes it can be a good idea to seek publicity through a press release.  But how do you write a press release that really grabs people’s attention? And what if you have to report negative news in this way? This online course explains exactly what you need to bear in mind, as well as what definitely does not belong in a professional press release.

The online course 'Writing Press Releases' teaches you how to write press releases effectively.

What will you be able to do or know after the course?
- An understanding of what is and is not appropriate for an official press release
- Preparing for publication (considering the news value)
- Careful consideration of: the message itself, its human dimension, the selection and scope of the information, and the identification of the target audience
- Applying practical dos and don’ts
- Knowledge of the layout of a press release
- Knowledge of the email sending process and how to handle attachments
- Knowledge of the main news agencies, relevant websites and the most widely read newspapers and magazines
- Knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of a press release

Duration and workload
The 'Writing a Press Release' e-learning course takes around 35 minutes to complete. If you want to get the most out of your online training, make use of the supporting learning materials. These will provide you with training material for around one week.

If you choose this e-learning course, you will be directed to an online learning environment set up specifically for the Volunteer Academy. There, you will need to create an account to access this e-learning course. You can then use these login details to access several other e-learning courses.