How to Write A Press Release

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Summary. To write a good press release, you should first ask yourself if your announcement is newsworthy and provides value to your industry. If the answer is yes, be sure to answer the five W’s — the who, what, where, when, and why, within the context of your press release.

Key Takeaways:

The purpose of a press release is to catch the interest of a journalist or industry publication so that they can capture the essential information to craft a story of their own.
The title of your press release should succinctly sum up the value of your story and immediately capture the reader’s attention.
A recent survey found that 63% of global respondents said press releases were the preferred vehicle of news conveyance, and 44% of “journalists also trust press releases the most, with 44% saying that it’s their most trustworthy source of brand-related information.

What Is a Press Release?

When your business or organization has exciting news to share, you may be tasked with producing a press release to distribute. If you’re unfamiliar with press releases, they are short, compelling new stories written by a public relations professional. This story covers the who, what, where, when, how, and why and is distributed to targeted media members.

The purpose of a press release is to catch the interest of a journalist or industry publication so that they can capture the essential information to craft a story of their own. Press releases are written in a journalistic style and read like a news story written in the third person. They often cite quotes from individuals who influence the story.

When to Use a Press Release

The first and most important question to ask when considering a press release is if there is serious value in the information you’re looking to share. If you know the information will impact people’s lives or transform something within your industry, then a press release is probably the way to go. Here are some situations to consider using a press release for

Business announcement. When you have something new and exciting to announce about your business, such as a new product or service or major upgrade to your offering, a press release can be helpful in hopes a reporter will publish your announcement in a news article.
Events. When you are hosting an event, product launch, important business meeting, new location opening, or something similar, a press release is a great option to notify the media.
Mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships. When businesses merge, acquire, or decide to partner together, it impacts the growth process of any business. Using a press release to notify the media is a great way to keep stakeholders up to date about the trajectory of your company.
Executive hires or promotions. Another great use of a press release is announcing a new executive or promotion within your company. This builds brand credibility, trust with your stakeholders, and excitement about your company’s growth, especially if the new candidate comes from an impressive background.
Brand awareness. Press releases are excellent marketing tools for brand awareness, especially on digital platforms. It also helps to create strong relationships with industry media as well as increase your international exposure.

If you’ve ever seen a press release, you know there’s a general template to follow to ensure maximum readability. But there’s more to this process than following an outline. Here are a few tips on how to write a press release for your organization.

Create a captivating headline. This is arguably the most important piece of the press release, as it’s the best way to capture the attention of journalists or the media. It should succinctly sum up the value of your story and immediately capture the reader’s attention.
Add the date and location of your announcement. This is important for the media in order to establish relevance. Use the date your announcement is being distributed as well as your business location. If you have multiple locations, use the most relevant one.
Tell them the facts. The first paragraph should tell the audience the most important information first — the who, what, where, when, and why. First, who is the story about, and what is happening? Then, where it will happen and when it will occur. Finish strong with the value — why is this announcement important?
Add additional context. After your first paragraph, include more details of your story. Remember to keep it simple and straightforward and eliminate any industry jargon or common buzzwords. Be sure every sentence has relevance and adds something to the value of your overall story.
Add relevant quotes. Quotes are a great tool to use in press releases to break up the information you’re sharing. Be sure these are purposeful and relevant from an important individual within the company, such as the CEO, owner, or other executives.
Provide contact information. At the end of every press release, you should include contact information for the individual you’d like journalists to follow up with. This person should be affiliated with your business, and you should include their name, email address, and phone number.
Include a boilerplate. At the very bottom of your release, you should also include your boilerplate. This is a short, standardized paragraph that provides the media with a high-level background on your company. Think of this as a shortened version of your ‘About Us’ website page.

Why Use a Press Release?

Our digital landscape has transformed how we share information. Some may say the press release is an outdated marketing tool, but it’s not true. Press releases are incredibly beneficial to any marketing strategy and should be used as a powerful tool to create and maintain meaningful relationships with industry media.

A recent survey found that 63% of global respondents said press releases were the preferred vehicle of news conveyance, and 44% of “journalists also trust press releases the most, with 44% saying that it’s their most trustworthy source of brand-related information.”

Press releases have the ability to establish credibility while giving you the ability to control your own narrative. This can be especially beneficial for small businesses or start-up companies who are looking to gain broader exposure and get a positive message about their business or product.

Press releases can be used extensively within a marketing strategy, including increasing SEO traffic and creating additional content, such as blog posts or infographics. It’s also a good tool for salespeople to point their customers or leads to when discussing the announcement or for executives to use in discussions with stakeholders.