Guide · 5 min read
A practical structure for a press release, what makes it newsworthy, what to leave out, and how to send it.
Journalists receive a large number of press releases every day and read very few. The ones that get through are not the best written. They are the ones that contain actual news, presented clearly enough that the journalist can decide in seconds whether to pick it up. This guide shows how to write that kind of release.
Before you write a word, ask what has changed that someone outside your company would care about. Good reasons to write a release:
Poor reasons: a minor feature update, a new logo, a general claim that you are growing. If the honest answer is nothing much has changed, a founder's comment on industry news or a bylined article is a better route. See what founder-led PR is.
| Part | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Headline | What happened, in plain words, around ten to fifteen words. No hype. |
| Opening paragraph | Who, what, when, where and why it matters. A reader who stops here should still have the story. |
| Second paragraph | The most important supporting fact or the context that makes it newsworthy. |
| Quote | A real person saying something a journalist could not get from the facts alone. |
| Background | Short detail on the company and any relevant numbers, each with a source. |
| Boilerplate | Two or three sentences about the company. |
| Contact | A named person with a phone number and email who will answer. |
Here is the format in use, with a made-up company so no real firm is named. Notice that the headline and first paragraph carry the whole story.
Compare 'Acme Technologies, a leading provider of innovative solutions, is pleased to announce' with 'Acme has raised money to build charging points for delivery fleets'. The second tells the journalist what happened. The first tells them nothing.
Avoid empty words like leading, innovative and world-class. Journalists delete them. Say what the thing does, for whom and what changes because of it.
Every number, ranking and comparison needs a source you can name. If you cannot prove it, leave it out. A single wrong figure can end your relationship with a journalist.
A quote should add a view, a reason or a human detail. 'We are excited about this milestone' adds nothing. 'Most fleets still can't charge during their normal shift, which is the problem we built this to fix' adds something.
One page, around three to four hundred words, is plenty. If you have more, put it in a separate fact sheet.
A good release sent to the wrong person goes nowhere. Pick a few journalists who actually cover your subject, read what they wrote recently, and write a short personal note. This is the logic behind media mapping. Sending a release to a long mailing list rarely works.
Timing matters too. Avoid sending on days when big news is breaking in your sector, and give journalists enough time before any date you want them to publish by. If you want to share news in advance, agree an embargo clearly in writing.
Many of the best stories never start as a release. They begin with a relationship, a call and a good angle. A release is useful as a reference document that journalists can check facts against. It works best inside a larger plan, which is what a PR company builds, and the public relations service page shows how.
A short, factual announcement written for journalists that states what happened and why it matters, with supporting facts, a quote and contact details.
About one page, or three to four hundred words. Put extra detail in a separate fact sheet.
A clear headline, an opening paragraph that gives the whole story, a supporting paragraph, a real quote, sourced background facts, a short company description and a named contact.
They work as a reference for journalists when there is real news and the release goes to the right people. Most coverage comes from relationships and strong angles, with the release as support.
When there is no real news, such as a minor feature update or a new logo. A founder comment or an article may be a better option.
A headline that says what happened, an opening paragraph with who, what, when, where and why, a supporting paragraph, a real quote, background facts, a short company description and a named contact.
Anjali Sehwwag
Founder, Benedicct PR & Brand Building
15+ years in PR & communications · Journalism graduate · Sheffield Hallam University, England. More about Anjali · LinkedIn
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