6)    Facts (not opinions)
Unless you are specifically aiming for an opinion piece, opinion just won't cut it. News stories must be backed up by facts: If you're shouting about how much your business can help the local economy then use a quote to back it up. If you're telling the world how 'green' your product is then get some figures about carbon footprints. It all helps to give your business, you and your story more credibility.

7)    Contact details
Every press release should have relevant contact details on. Make sure it's a direct line or your mobile number, if a journalist has to go through a receptionist and a long line of questions they'll give up! The details you put on the release won't actually be published, it's purely so a journalist can get in touch with you.

8)    Availability
It's no good providing direct contact details if you're off on your holidays the next day! Make sure whoever the contact ...

1)    News content – the 'human' angle
The story your press release focuses on must be newsworthy. Loads of people ask us what makes a 'newsworthy' story and the key thing is a 'human' angle. 'What the **** is that?' I hear you cry! It means it needs to be interesting to Joe Bloggs round the corner or the intern at your competitors.

2)    Relevance
Your story has to be relevant to the audience you're targeting. You may want to start selling your product to people outside of your local area, but that doesn't mean your press release is relevant to the people in that area! When it comes to local press especially, it has to appeal to people in that area, affect them or be about the area, if it's not, it just won't get published.

3)    Timing
Timing is key when it comes to press release distribution. There are a few factors to consider with regards to time. If...

Summer is a quiet time for any business; the sun is shining (supposedly!), the kids are off school and things just sort of slow down. But it's exactly the same in the journalism field too; not a lot really goes on, making it the ideal opportunity for your press release to get maximum coverage.

If you're struggling for ideas, take a look at the events calendar on our website. This has a selection of national events, anniversaries and awareness campaigns, which may just seed an idea for the perfect press release!

You could hold a company sports day to raise cash for a local charity. You could even use the lull to launch your new business or perhaps develop and run a scheme to involve schoolchildren, keeping them out of mischief during the long holiday.

Whatever you do, make sure you take plenty of good quality pictures. If it's an event that will lend itself to images, you may want to send out a 'photo call' – a p...

Good:

Betfair are stirring up historic rivalry before this months Manchester derby.

The betting community is offering Manchester United and Manchester City fans the chance to have their football 'banter' displayed on a billboard in the Deansgate area of the city.

Fans are being asked to login to a website and edit their own poster, which they'll be able to send to friends and family. The submissions will then be viewable on the site and visitors will be able to rate them.

Clearly the sites moderators will be working overtime!

Bad:

AOL has announced they are to sell or close down social networking site Bebo.

The site, which has fallen prey to the social media circle ('oooh this site is great I'll tell all my friends' > the site gets popular and therefore monetised > 'bored now!' > 'oooh this site is great...' > repeat on a six month cycle!), was bought by AOL just two years ago for &poun...