How to Write a Press Release [Free Press Release Template + ...

In today‘s world, brands have to generate their own buzz. Consumers aren’t waiting for the daily newspaper anymore to get their news. Instead, they’re scanning headlines on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms.

One way to control the narrative surrounding your brand is through press releases. Whether it’s sharing a new product release or changes in your organizational structure, a regular cadence of meaningful news can help a company stand out and build mindshare with journalists over time.

Download Now: Free Press Release Template

In this post, we’ll discuss:

What is a press release/news release?

A press release is an official statement (written or recorded) that an organization issues to the news media and beyond. Whether we call it a “press release,” a “press statement,” a “news release,” or a “media release,” we’re always talking about the same basic thing.

While the heading should contain action verbs, the first paragraph should answer the “who,” “what,” “why,” and “where.” The press release should also contain understandable language and a quote.

Most press releases are succinct at just a page long – two pages tops. Ultimately, companies want to provide enough information so that news outlets have sufficient material for publishing their own stories about whatever the company is announcing in the release.

One thing to remember is that press releases live in the public domain, which means your stakeholders and customers can see them.

So, instead of thinking of a press release solely as a ticket to earning news coverage, consider it as a valuable piece of marketing content.

Benefits of Press Releases

Aside from helping your company generate media coverage, press releases offer several benefits.

Brand exposure: Press releases can help create brand awareness by sharing your company’s news, updates, or achievements. This exposure can attract potential customers and increase brand recognition.
SEO benefits: Press releases distributed online can improve your search engine rankings. Including relevant keywords and links in your press release can help boost your website’s visibility in search results.
Investor and stakeholder communication: Press releases are an effective way to communicate with investors, shareholders, and other stakeholders, keeping them informed about significant company announcements, financial results, or strategic initiatives.
Crisis management: When you’re stuck in a challenging situation, a well-crafted press release can help control the narrative, provide accurate information, and manage public perception.

While there’s no cut-and-dried formula for what a press release should include, here are a few types of occasions to help you carve out a focus for your press release and determine what content would help you broadcast your news in the best way:

Types of Press Releases

New Product Launches
Mergers and Acquisitions
Product Updates
Events
Grand Openings
New Partnerships
Rebranding
Executive Promotions/Hiring
Awards

Product Launches

The product launch type of press release is valuable to get the word out about the new solutions your organization is offering to consumers.

It should emphasize the product’s specs, pricing, availability, and any other details that may be valuable to consumers.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Organizational change is noteworthy enough to warrant a press release, especially for informing current and future stakeholders about the growth and trajectory of a company.

To announce an acquisition or merger, include details about all organizations involved, information about the merger or acquisition, and quotes from the leadership teams.

Product Updates

Similar to a new product launch, product updates and expansions are also ripe for promotion. Explain what the change is, why it was made, and how it benefits the user.

Events

Press releases are an important component of event marketing to attract promotion from news outlets and other media sources.

You’ll want to include:

What the event is about
Who should consider attending
When and where it will be held
Pricing

Grand Openings

Whether you opened up a new office, relocated, or are opening for the first time, announce the details with a grand opening press release.

Announce the date and location the grand opening will be held, who is involved, how the grand opening is being celebrated, and the reason for the move (if applicable).

New Partnerships

Similar to mergers and acquisitions, a press release announcing new partnerships is a mutually beneficial marketing tactic.

To effectively execute this type of release, be sure to write a summary about each company, why the partnership was created, who benefits, and any additional important details for current and future stakeholders.

Rebranding

Rebranding is a difficult thing for any business to do, and it can occasionally result in confusion and awkwardness.

One way to make the transition smoother is by announcing the rebrand with a press release, including details on what is changing, the reason for making the change, dates the changes go into effect, and quotes from the leadership team.

Executive Team Changes

Executives often serve as faces of the company, and a press release functions to kick off this role.

It may include biographical information to establish their credibility along with a photo and other pertinent details.

Awards

When it comes to business excellence, it’s OK to brag. Press releases about awards and accomplishments serve to cement your organization as an authority in your space.

Such a press release includes information about the company and why they were given the award, information about the award itself, and details about the ceremony (if applicable).

Press Release Format

Contact information and ‘For Immediate Release’ at the top.
Title and italicized subheading to summarize the news.
News location and news peg in opening line.
Two to three paragraphs to add context and additional details.
Bulleted facts and/or figures.
Company description at the bottom.
Three pound symbols (###) at the end to signify the end of the release.

When formatting a press release, you want to write it in a newsy, straightforward way so a journalist who might write about it can imagine it as an article on their news site.

To start, here are the basics every press release should include:

Your contact information located on the top left corner
The phrase “For immediate release” located on the top right
A headline that quickly explains the announcement
Your business location in the first sentence of the press release
A quick bio about your company at the end of your press release.

You also might want to include “###” or another signifier to show the journalist that the release has ended. In the past, this prevented busy journalists from waiting or flipping the page for more information when there was no more news. However, this tradition is still adopted and highly-respected today.

Now, onto the body of your press release:

Your first paragraph should state what the announcement while providing some context around your business and what it does.
The next two to three paragraphs should include quotes from a company spokesperson or business executive to explain the “why” behind this announcement.
Your last paragraph should be an “About Us” section that explains what your company is and what it offers.

In this example, Catbrella Inc., a fictitious ad agency that just gained its 10th Twitter follower after two years of paid social media efforts, announces its achievement in a press release.

Sample press release format by HubSpot, with orange markers highlighting five key areas on the press release: headline, 3 paragraphs, about us section

*Disclaimer: HubSpot is entirely responsible for the silliness of this faux announcement.

How to Write a Press Release

Write a compelling headline.
Add more context with a subheadline.
Convey the news value to the press.
Offer a tempting quote.
Provide valuable background information on the subject.
Summarize the ‘who’ and the ‘what’ in a boilerplate.
Include contact information.
Proofread before publishing.

Writing a press release to break important company news can help businesses grow better, but doing it right is just as important. Here’s how to write a press release, like the one above, step-by-step.

1. Write a compelling headline.

You‘ve got your announcement in mind, and now it’s time to get it down in words to share with your community, industry, and followers.

Just like writing the perfect blog post title, setting up your press release for success starts with your headline. You only have one line to work with, which can seem scary, but consider your words carefully to make your headline captivating.

Here are some tips to make your headline stand out:

Use action verbs.
Be specific.
Keep it short.

Most importantly, make it interesting: Keep in mind that reporters get dozens, if not hundreds, of releases each day, so invest the time to write a compelling headline.

Consumers, on the other hand, see news stories all over their timelines. As such, your headline needs to be interesting enough to reel them in.

2. Add more context with a subheadline.

While your headline is meant to draw readers in, your subheadline gives readers a better idea of the news you’re sharing.

When crafting your subheadline, aim to encapsulate your press release in one sentence. Make sure it supports the headline you crafted to entice people to keep reading.

3. Convey the news value to the press.

If you want your press release to be newsworthy, you have to give readers a reason to care.

A good way to ensure this is by using the reverse pyramid formula when writing your press release: Going from the most important information to the least important.

While the first paragraph of your release should explain the who, what, where, the second paragraph should cover the why.

Reporters don‘t have a ton of time to sift through details and fluffy background information — they just need the facts that’ll help them tell your story to someone else from a position of authority.

There shouldn’t be any new, crucial information covered after these sections because the readers could potentially miss them.

4. Offer a tempting quote.

Once you‘ve set the scene, it’s time to bring your details to life with a quote that reporters can use for context around your announcement and help paint a picture of how your news affects the given industry, customer base, and landscape.

Ideally, quotes will be from key stakeholders in your company including your executive team, project leads, or those directly impacted by your announcement.

Quoting key figures and authorities underlines the importance of your development. The chosen quote should shape your narrative and emphasize the core of the announcement.

Don’t ask everyone in your office for a comment or feel compelled to quote all 25 people included in the acquisition. Pick one or two critical spokespeople and focus the quotes around their unique perspective.

5. Provide valuable background information on the subject.

In this last paragraph, keep in mind that the reader should already have key details they need regarding your announcement.

Offer details here that strengthen your narrative, like creative or noteworthy ways your company developed the project or announcement at hand. Or, when applicable, comment on the future implications of your announcement.

Another good way to add value to your press release is by using newsjacking. A process of relating your press release to something currently going on to make it more valuable to the journalist and reader.

6. Summarize the “who” and the “what” in a boilerplate.

Twitter is chock-full of reporters lamenting press releases or pitches that don’t clearly explain what the company does or what the announcement is actually about.

Describe what your company does in clear, plain language and include a link to your company’s website early on.

If you cite data, include a reference link for the data source, and make sure every name in the release has an associated title and company as well.

7. Include contact information.

Make it easier for journalists to reach out to your company by providing your media contact information. This allows them to quickly get in touch with you to get additional details, schedule an interview, or request accompanying visuals or materials.

It can also help streamline the communication process and increase the likelihood of receiving media coverage or engaging in further dialogue with journalists or relevant stakeholders.

When giving your contact information, be sure to include:

Your contact person’s name
Email address
Phone number

8. Proofread before publishing.

As with any other thing you write, you should always proofread your press release before sending it out to the media. You want to present your company in the best light possible, and typos can distract from your message.

Take the time to do one final read through before publishing. Better yet, have an editor or colleague look at it. This gives you the opportunity to tweak sentences, fix any confusing parts, double-check the formatting, and ensure that it’s easy to read and understand.

To keep yourself honest on this front, ask a colleague to read the release without context and ask them to relay the information back to you. If they can’t recall the who, what, or why get back to the drawing board.

Press Release Templates

Now, it’s finally time to write your press release. How do you even begin? Use the templates below to guide your press release creation process. Each document has placeholders for the critical information you need to include, depending on the announcement you’re making.