The structure editors expect and machines can read
Same format serves both, which is convenient. Use the free template builder if you would rather fill in fields than start from a blank page.
How do you write a press release?
Put the complete news in the headline and first paragraph: who, what, when, where and the specific numbers. Add context in the next two or three paragraphs. Include one quote from a named person with a title. Close with a short boilerplate and a media contact somebody answers. Aim for 400 to 600 words, and replace every unverifiable adjective with the fact underneath it.
Reviewed and updated September 27, 2026. We date these pages because the rules in this field change and undated advice ages badly.
The shape
Headline
Name the company and state the news in plain language, under about twelve words. Lead with the entity, not with a clever phrase. Include the specific number if there is one. Headlines are a primary signal for both editors scanning a queue and systems deciding what a page is about.
Dateline and opening paragraph
City, state, date — then the complete news in two or three sentences. Who, what, when, where, how much. Assume this is the only paragraph anyone reads, because for a large share of readers it will be.
Context
Two or three paragraphs: why it matters, what led to it, what happens next. Specifics only. Every sentence that could be said by any company about any announcement should be cut.
One quote
From a named person with a title. It should add judgment or reason, not repeat the headline with exclamation. Write it as something a real person would say out loud.
Boilerplate
Two to four sentences about the company, ending with the website. This is the paragraph other people copy, so keep it accurate.
Media contact
A name, an email and a phone number that a person actually answers. A release with an unmonitored contact address wastes the one chance it had.
Write this
Northgate Plumbing Adds 14 Technicians and Opens Second Aurora Location
AURORA, Colo., March 4, 2026 — Northgate Plumbing opened a second service center at 4120 Chambers Road on March 1 and added 14 licensed technicians, expanding same-day emergency coverage to Arapahoe and Adams counties.
Named entity, specific count, specific address, specific date, specific coverage area. Every one of those is quotable on its own.
Not this
Leading Plumbing Company Announces Exciting Growth and Continued Commitment to Excellence
DENVER, Colo. — Northgate Plumbing, a leading provider of premium plumbing solutions, is thrilled to announce significant expansion as part of its ongoing commitment to delivering world-class service to valued customers.
Not one checkable fact. Nothing here can be quoted, verified or extracted, and an editor deletes it in three seconds.
The words that make a release unusable
Not a style preference. These words describe nothing verifiable, so nothing can quote them: leading, premium, world-class, cutting-edge, revolutionary, game-changing, best-in-class, innovative, state-of-the-art, unparalleled, thrilled, excited, proud, committed to excellence, synergy, solutions.
Each one can be replaced with a fact, or deleted. "A leading provider" becomes "serves 4,000 households across three counties." "Revolutionary technology" becomes what the thing actually does. If you cannot find the fact underneath the adjective, there may not be one.
The release grader flags every one of these automatically and shows you where they are.
Before you send it anywhere
- Can a stranger verify every factual claim? If not, cut it or source it.
- Is the complete news in the first paragraph?
- Does the headline name the company and stay under about twelve words?
- Is there a real number in the first two sentences?
- Does the quote say something the release cannot say in its own voice?
- Is the contact address one somebody monitors?
- Is it under 800 words?
Or hand us the facts and skip all of it
Writing and one editorial pass are included at $99. You send bullet points, we send a draft.
Writing questions
How do I write a press release?
Put the complete news in the headline and first paragraph, including who, what, when, where and the specific numbers. Add context in the second and third paragraphs. Include one quote from a named person with their title. Close with a short boilerplate about the company and a media contact. Aim for 400 to 600 words.
How long should a press release be?
Between 400 and 600 words for most announcements. Longer than about 800 and editors stop reading, and the extra words dilute the facts rather than adding to them. If you genuinely need more room, add a linked fact sheet rather than padding the release.
What is a dateline?
The city, state and date at the start of the body text, before the first sentence. It establishes where and when the news originated and is a standard convention editors expect. Use the city your business is actually based in.
Do I need a quote in a press release?
Yes, one, from a named person with a title. It should say something a press release cannot say in its own voice: a judgment, a reason, a piece of context. A quote that only restates the headline in enthusiastic language is dead weight and will be cut.
What should the boilerplate say?
Two to four sentences: what the company does, who it serves, where it is based, when it was founded, and the website. It is the paragraph that gets copied into other people's articles, so keep it accurate and keep it current.
What format should I send a press release in?
Plain text or a simple document, with the facts intact. Avoid PDFs, designed layouts and images with text baked into them — every one of those makes the content harder for both editors and automated systems to lift cleanly.