How to Write a Press Release (Template & Example)
A press release is a short, factual announcement written for journalists and media outlets, designed to give them everything they need to write a story about your news — a product launch, an event, a funding round, a partnership, or any other newsworthy update. It follows a specific structure and tone: objective, third-person, and front-loaded with the most important information. This guide explains how to write a press release step by step, with a format guide, a template, and a full worked example.
For the underlying skill of compressing information to its essentials — which a press release depends on — see our guide on how to write a summary.
Press release format
A standard press release follows this structure, in order:
| Section | Content |
|---|---|
| Header | ”FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” (or an embargo date) |
| Headline | One sentence, states the news |
| Subheadline (optional) | One sentence, adds a key detail the headline couldn’t fit |
| Dateline | City, state, date, then the first word of the body |
| Lead paragraph | The five Ws — who, what, when, where, why — in two to three sentences |
| Body paragraphs | Supporting detail, context, and a quote |
| Boilerplate | A standard paragraph describing your company |
| Media contact | Name, email, phone for press inquiries |
| ### | Signals the end of the release to editors |
Length: 400–600 words. A press release is a news document, not a marketing brochure — journalists skim it in seconds to decide whether it’s worth a story.
How to write a press release
Step 1: Confirm the news is actually newsworthy
Before you write, ask: would someone outside your company care about this? A press release needs a genuine news hook — a launch, a milestone, a partnership, funding, an event, a significant hire, research findings, or a response to a current event. Routine updates (“we redesigned our logo”) rarely justify a press release on their own.
If you’re not sure, imagine the headline a journalist would actually write. If you can’t picture one that isn’t just your marketing copy restated, the news may need to be sharpened or isn’t ready yet.
Step 2: Write a headline that states the news directly
The headline is a complete sentence stating what happened — not a teaser, not a question, not a slogan.
Weak: Forma Group Continues to Innovate in Customer Experience Strong: Forma Group Launches AI-Powered Support Tool, Cutting Response Times by 60%
The strong version names the specific action (launches) and the specific, quantified result (60% faster). A journalist scanning dozens of releases a day needs to understand your news from the headline alone.
Step 3: Write the dateline and lead paragraph
The dateline opens the body: city, state abbreviation, and the date, followed by an em dash, then the first word of your lead sentence.
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — September 24, 2026 — Forma Group today announced…
The lead paragraph answers the five Ws in two to three sentences: who is making the announcement, what they’re announcing, when it takes effect, where it’s happening (if relevant), and why it matters. This paragraph alone should let a busy editor understand the entire story.
Forma Group today announced the launch of Assist AI, a customer support tool that uses machine learning to resolve common tickets automatically. The tool is available immediately to all Forma Group customers and is designed to reduce average response times by up to 60%, according to internal testing conducted over a six-month beta period.
Step 4: Develop the story in the body paragraphs
After the lead, expand on the news with supporting detail: how the product or initiative works, why it matters to customers or the industry, and any relevant data, context, or background.
Order paragraphs by importance — the “inverted pyramid” structure journalists use, most important information first, because editors often cut releases from the bottom when space is tight.
Step 5: Include at least one quote
A quote adds a human voice and a point of view a journalist can use directly. It should say something a plain statement of fact couldn’t — perspective, context, or significance — not just repeat the headline in first person.
Weak quote: “We’re excited to launch Assist AI,” said Jane Kim, CEO of Forma Group. Strong quote: “Every support team we talked to said the same thing — most tickets are the same five questions, over and over,” said Jane Kim, CEO of Forma Group. “Assist AI exists to handle those five questions instantly, so human agents can spend their time on the problems that actually need a person.”
Attribute the quote with a full name and title on first use.
Step 6: Write the boilerplate
The boilerplate is a short, standard paragraph (usually 2–4 sentences) describing your company that appears at the end of every press release you publish. It stays consistent across releases so journalists researching your company get the same baseline information every time.
About Forma Group: Forma Group builds AI-powered tools for customer support teams, serving over 3,000 companies worldwide. Founded in 2019, the company is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in London and Singapore. For more information, visit forma-group-example.com.
Step 7: Add media contact information and close the release
End with a media contact block — name, title, email, and phone number — so journalists know exactly who to reach for follow-up questions or interview requests.
Close the document with three number signs, centered: ###. This is a longstanding journalism convention signaling the end of the release, so an editor doesn’t wonder if content was cut off.
Step 8: Edit for length, tone, and accuracy
Before sending:
- Cut anything promotional. Words like “revolutionary,” “game-changing,” or “best-in-class” read as marketing, not news, and can make editors skeptical of the entire release.
- Verify every fact and number. A press release with an error undermines your credibility with the outlet covering it.
- Check length. 400–600 words is standard; longer releases risk losing the reader before the key information.
- Read it as a headline scanner would. Would the headline and lead alone convince a busy editor this is worth 30 more seconds of attention?
Press release template
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Headline: a complete sentence stating the news]
[Optional subheadline: one additional key detail]
[CITY, State] — [Month Day, Year] — [Company name] today announced [what happened], [why it matters, in one clause]. [Second sentence of the lead, if needed to complete the five Ws.]
[Body paragraph 1: expand on the announcement — how it works, what it includes, or what led to it.]
“[Quote that adds perspective or context, not just repeated facts],” said [Full Name], [Title] at [Company]. “[Second sentence of the quote, optional.]”
[Body paragraph 2: additional context, data, or background, in descending order of importance.]
About [Company Name] [2–4 sentence boilerplate describing the company, its mission, size, and founding.]
Media Contact: [Name] [Title] [Email] [Phone]
Press release example
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Forma Group Launches Assist AI, Cutting Customer Support Response Times by 60%
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — September 24, 2026 — Forma Group today announced the launch of Assist AI, a customer support tool that uses machine learning to resolve common support tickets automatically. The tool is available immediately to all Forma Group customers and is designed to reduce average response times by up to 60%, based on results from a six-month beta program with 40 enterprise customers.
Assist AI analyzes incoming support tickets in real time, identifies the small number of issue types that make up the majority of a typical support queue, and resolves them without human intervention — routing only complex or unresolved cases to a human agent.
“Every support team we talked to said the same thing — most tickets are the same five questions, over and over,” said Jane Kim, CEO of Forma Group. “Assist AI exists to handle those five questions instantly, so human agents can spend their time on the problems that actually need a person.”
During the beta program, participating companies reported a 60% reduction in average first-response time and a 35% reduction in total ticket volume reaching human agents. Assist AI integrates directly with Forma Group’s existing support platform and requires no additional setup for current customers.
About Forma Group Forma Group builds AI-powered tools for customer support teams, serving over 3,000 companies worldwide. Founded in 2019, the company is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in London and Singapore. For more information, visit forma-group-example.com.
Media Contact: Alex Rivera Director of Communications press@forma-group-example.com (415) 555-0142
How to write a press release for an event
An event press release follows the same structure, with the lead paragraph front-loading the event’s date, location, and purpose instead of a product’s features.
Include:
- What the event is and its purpose — a conference, a fundraiser, a grand opening, an anniversary celebration
- When and where it’s happening — specific date, time, and venue
- Who is involved — notable speakers, honorees, or partner organizations
- How to attend or register — a link or contact for RSVPs, tickets, or media credentials
Send an event press release seven to ten days before the event to give journalists time to plan coverage — earlier for major events that outlets may want to preview.
How to write a press release for a new business
A press release announcing a new business should establish credibility alongside the news itself:
- What the business does and who it serves — be specific about the product, service, or market
- What makes it noteworthy now — funding raised, a gap in the market it addresses, a notable founder background, or early traction (customers, revenue, or partnerships)
- Founder quote — explaining the motivation and vision, not just excitement
- Launch details — when the business opens, where it operates, and how customers can engage with it
New business announcements are more likely to be picked up when they include a specific, verifiable detail (funding amount, customer count, notable investor) rather than general enthusiasm about the opportunity.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Burying the news — if the actual announcement doesn’t appear until the third paragraph, most readers won’t get there. Lead with it.
- Writing like an ad, not a news story — superlatives and marketing language (“revolutionary,” “the future of X”) read as unverified opinion, not fact, and are the first thing editors cut.
- No quote, or a quote that just repeats the headline — a quote should add a perspective the facts alone don’t provide.
- Missing or vague media contact information — if a journalist can’t reach someone quickly, your release may not lead to any follow-up.
- Sending it to the wrong audience — a general press release blasted to every journalist regardless of beat gets ignored; target outlets and reporters who cover your industry or topic specifically.
- Announcing something that isn’t actually news — a press release for a minor internal update wastes a journalist’s attention and can make future releases less likely to get opened.
Use AI to check your release
Once you have a draft, paste it into our free AI text summarizer to get a compressed read-back of the key facts. If the summary captures who, what, when, where, and why in a few sentences, your lead paragraph is doing its job. If the summary is vague or missing key details, the lead needs to be more specific.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a press release be? 400–600 words is standard. Journalists skim releases quickly, so length beyond that risks losing the reader before the key information.
What is the format of a press release? “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” header, headline, dateline, lead paragraph (the five Ws), body paragraphs in descending order of importance, a quote, a boilerplate about the company, media contact information, and a closing ”###” mark.
How do you write a headline for a press release? State the news directly, as a complete sentence — who did what, with a specific, quantified detail when possible. Avoid vague or promotional language; a journalist should understand the story from the headline alone.
Do you need a quote in a press release? Yes — at least one. A quote adds a human perspective a journalist can use directly and signals that someone at the company is available and willing to speak about the news.
How do you send a press release to journalists? Build a targeted list of journalists or outlets that cover your industry or topic, and send the release directly (by email, with a clear subject line stating the news) rather than a mass blast to a generic list. A personalized note referencing the journalist’s past coverage increases the odds of a response.
What is a boilerplate in a press release? A short, standard paragraph — usually the same across all of a company’s press releases — that describes the company’s mission, size, founding, and headquarters, giving journalists consistent background information without having to research it separately each time.