Social Media Marketing: Google+ and Your Small Business

How is your PR writing?

Writing is a big part of public relations (PR) and marketing. From drafting website copy to writing a press release, you need to be able to get your message across in a concise and compelling manner. Keep reading for 4 PR writing tips that will make good text even better.

4 PR Writing Tips

1. Take out extra words.Even though you may not be limited by a word or character count, it’s important to remove extra words from your copy. Look for throwaway words like “that” and “really,” and as you read over what you’ve written, try to think of ways you can convey the same message with fewer words. In addition to making it easier for readers to understand your message, you’ll thank yourself for developing the skill when you are limited by the character count on Twitter or word count when writing a press release.

2. Watch for word repetition.As you read over your copy, do you see the same words used over and over? Although slipping in certain words or phrases a couple of times can be good for search engine optimization (SEO), redundancy can really put off readers. Use synonyms instead of the same word repeatedly; if you have trouble thinking of them off the top of your head, remember Thesaurus.comis your friend.

3. Avoid lazy language.Do you remember Professor Keating in Dead Poet’s Society? He once stated: “Avoid using the word ‘very’ because it’s lazy. A man is not very tired, he is exhausted. Don’t use very sad, use morose. Language was invented for one reason, boys – to woo women – and, in that endeavor, laziness will not do.” As you read over what you’ve written, are you using the best language possible?

4. Read it out loud.This is one step that will help with all your other PR writing tips. In addition to helping you catch missing words and typos, hearing what you’ve written can help you find extra words that can be removed, notice redundant language and think about the phrases you’ve written in a different way.

Whether you’re writing a press release or updating your blog, you want to convey the best possible picture of your business possible. Can you think of any other PR writing tips I should add to the list?