Press releases can help blogs and web sites draw in readers, attract products to review and get press passes for their niche. Having a press release puts you on lists of press organizations for companies in your target market. It also gives a veneer of legitimacy that just having a web presence can't do. Sure, press releases are an "old fashioned" marketing technique, but they are still in use today for one reason: they work. Learning to write the perfect press release can drive business your way as a writer, since most companies don't have the time or objectivity to handle it themselves.

The components of a great press release are:

* Logo

* Media Contact Block

* Snappy Headline

* Gripping first paragraph news summary

* Three to four following paragraphs

* Conclusion

* In text links

Logo: There are certain components to any press release that are always the same. Every press release needs a logo. Including the logo of the client on the press release immediately creates a visual relationship between the news you are delivering in the press release and the company, blog or web site your are releasing the news about. Including the logo on the press release helps you brand the company as on online and offline presence.

Media Contact Block: The media contact block is where you place your company name, address, phone number, email, web address and the name of your media contact. Without a media block, your press release won't get picked up on or off the web. This gives the news outlets the essential information they need to verify the news contained in the press release. It also gives event planners a proper address for sending press passes and press kits to you for conventions and events that your press release may generate.

Snappy Headline: The title of the press release should act like a news headline and be eye catching, possibly driving the reader to action.

News Summary: Your opening paragraph acts as summary of what is to come. It should have the first live link to your web site landing page, use active language and be peppered with action words. Never write in a passive voice for a press release! You are writing to inspire people to check out your blog, web site or event. Your words should spur your readers into action. The more interesting your press release is, the more likely more news networks will pick it up.

Following Paragraphs: There should be one paragraph for each point you want to make about your blog or event. Your full press release should never exceed two pages.

Conclusion: A closing paragraph that gives you the opportunity to make a last chance pitch to your readers.

In Text Links: Every paragraph needs at least one live text link back to your landing page. then ensures that even if your press release gets edited, your readers will have the information they need to act on your news item.

Create a template you can use for each new press release. This will make writing press releases much faster. Each press release should take between 3 and 4 hours to write once you get the hang of them, including interview time with the client. You can use any word processing program like Open Office or Word to create this template. Your press release template should be no more than two pages long. One page is optimal, but two pages maximum. People in general have a short attention span, and editors not only have a short attention span, they are pressed for time. You have limited space in which to grab their attention.

Think journalism. Every press release must be newsy in tone. They are often released as a news item or as news filler, so clients should use them sparingly, only when something newsworthy happens on your blog, or when you write a newsworthy article about a current or upcoming event. The first press release is the easiest: it is often used to announce your selection as the editor/author of your blog, the creator of a new website or the head of a company. This gives you an opportunity to write about your blog or web site and what it talks about, as well as to toot your own horn professionally. After that, you would use the press release as a marketing technique if you were covering breaking news, attending a conference, putting on a webinar (web based seminar or class), hosting a contest online - you get the drift.

When an editor gets a press release, they often have to trim it for space. Write it accordingly. It should be a multi-level approach to whatever news item you are writing about. The first paragraph should give a summary of what will be detailed in the press release, and the first paragraph should include a link to your landing page for more information. After that, use the next paragraphs to detail the idea. The least informative paragraph should be the last one. It is the paragraph most often chopped off for space by editors. You want to write a complete press release, in case they have room for the whole thing, but at the same time write it assuming they may not.

You can submit your press release to the media department of your local or national newspapers, weeklies, and magazines that relate to your topic. You should also submit it to the free press release outlets online. Many of these offer to "upgrade" your press release placement "for a fee" - ignore that. If you write a good press release, if will get picked up without needing this kind of boost. You can submit it to PRWeb, i-newswire, Press Release 365 and many other news wire services online - just do a Google search for "free press release submission" and see how many pop up.