Press Release Builder - Public Relations Tool

I guess I am giving away a trade secret here.

This free online analysis tool was launched in mid 2008 and when I found it I was an instant fan.

I spent a great deal of my Communications degree having my media writing graded, you’d think I’d be over it, but this ingenious web tool has me working hard to make an A grade, and I feel it could be really useful to media professionals and business people alike.

The interface is so easy; you just cut and paste your media release word for word into the online form, hit go, and the press release grader almost instantaneously evaluates the content of your media release.

The tool allows you to check that all the essential and expected components of a media release are contained within you document and searches the release to assess search engine optimisiation.

You are presented with a score out of 100 and a breakdown of the content of your release with constructive feedback to help you improve your writing.

The useful school report style score sheet analyses the level of education required by the reader for comprehension, checks for “gobblydegook,” over used , meaningless weasel words, and produces a “word cloud” a visual representation of the key words and concepts in the media release.

I found the word cloud a particularly novel way of showing whether or not you are really driving your message home. This particular tool is definitely geared towards online media users encouraging the use of multiple weblinks to increase your web presence and recognition. SEO has become an indispensable process in ensuring the full value of your website and integrating this function into the press release grade serves a valuable purpose.

The tool does have its pitfalls especially for Aussie users, most of my media releases are downgraded as the American based reader doesn’t recognise Australian phone numbers. It also only recognises #### as the only appropriate ending for a media release not accepting other typically accepted ways of showing the completed release ie. -ends- or #ends# . If you use it for the feedback rather than just an isolated score alone pressrelease grader is quite a useful tool.

Aside from the stylistic quibbles the simplicity of use and the comprehensive analysis provided is impressive.

If you can’t write to save yourself, then the press release grader is probably of little use but it has definitely helped me rethink the importance of structure, process and cohesive thinking and just helps you to dot your I’s and cross your t’s so to speak.

I like that this tool is not only useful to learners but a really practical tool for even the most experienced writers. The technology is sophisticated , well researched and resolved.

If anything I liked it for the challenge, my competitive nature kicks in and I want to score higher, it’s like online pinball for PR nerds.

Cheers

Mich

Comments

Submit a Comment

Author
Email
Comment