If you’re interested in content and you’re not a member already, I’d recommend joining the Content Strategy Google group. Many well-known (in content terms, at least!) names pop up regularly on there, contributing to a range of interesting discussions.
One such person is Ginny Redish, who recently responded to a query on online media centres or press offices with some best practice guidelines for press officers ‘who come from print’. I thought this was worth sharing.
Seven guidelines for online press releases
1. Make the headline a statement that gives the key message. Think ‘bite, snack, meal’ — a concept from Marilynne Rudick and Leslie O’Flahavan. The headline is the bite. 2. Make the first few sentences the snack — just a bit of elaboration of the key message. 3. Break up the piece with informative headings. Think of headings as key message bites to the next bit of information. 4. Keep paragraphs very …