Key takeaways
A press release has a standard shape: release line, headline, dateline, lead, body, quote, boilerplate, contact details, and an end mark.
The first paragraph carries the news. If a journalist reads only that, they should still know who, what, when, where, and why it matters.
Write for the reporter's audience, not your own. Say what changed and who it affects, not how excited you are.
Every example below is fictional and labelled illustrative. Swap in your own facts and never invent a quote.
A press release is a short, plain document that tells journalists something worth reporting. It is not an advertisement and it is not a blog post.
Most releases fail for one reason: they bury the news under adjectives. This guide shows you what a clean release looks like, with six annotated examples for the most common announcements. Then it gives you a template, a format guide, and the mistakes that get a release ignored.
All names, companies, people, and numbers in the examples are made up. They are there to show structure, not to be quoted.
The Parts of a Press Release
Almost every release follows the same order.
| Part | What it is | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Release line | "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" or an embargo date | Goes at the top |
| Headline | One line that states the news | Specific, active, and short |
| Subheadline (optional) | One extra line of detail | Adds a fact the headline could not fit |
| Dateline | City, state, and date | At the start of the first paragraph |
| Lead | First paragraph that answers who, what, when, where, and why | The most important sentence in the release |
| Body | Two to four paragraphs of detail | Background, numbers, availability |
| Quote | One or two attributed quotes | Adds a human view, not more facts |
| Boilerplate | A short "About" paragraph on the organization | Usually two or three sentences |
| Contact details | Name, phone, and email for media | Someone who will actually answer |
| End mark | "###" or "-30-" | Signals the end |
Standard press release guides, including those from distribution services, describe these same parts. Where style matters, many newsrooms follow the Associated Press Stylebook, so the examples below use plain AP-style habits: the city in capital letters in the dateline, numbers spelled out below 10, and a plain tone.
Press Release Examples
Example 1: Product launch
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Brightloop Launches Free Time-Tracking App for Freelancers
Mobile app logs billable hours automatically from calendar events
AUSTIN, Texas, March 4, 2027 - Brightloop, a software company for independent professionals, today launched Brightloop Time, a free mobile app that turns calendar events into billable hours.
The app, available now for iOS and Android, lets freelancers tag meetings by client and export a timesheet in one tap. A paid plan adding invoicing will follow later this year.
"Freelancers told us the hardest part of billing is remembering what they did on Tuesday," said Maya Chen, Brightloop's co-founder. "This app answers that question."
About Brightloop: Brightloop builds simple software for independent professionals. The company is based in Austin.
Media contact: Sam Rivera, [email protected], 555-0100
###
Illustrative example. Brightloop and everyone named are fictional.
What to notice: the headline names the product, the audience, and the benefit. The lead states what launched, for whom, and when. The quote adds a reason, not a fact.
Example 2: Funding announcement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tallgrass Foods Raises Seed Round to Expand Regional Distribution
DENVER, Colo., May 12, 2027 - Tallgrass Foods, a maker of shelf-stable plant-based meals, announced a seed funding round led by Prairie Ventures to expand distribution across the Mountain West.
The company will use the funds to hire a regional sales team and to open a second production kitchen. Tallgrass products are currently sold in grocery stores in three states.
"We plan to double the number of stores carrying our products this year," said CEO Jordan Ellis.
About Tallgrass Foods: Tallgrass Foods makes plant-based meals for busy households.
Media contact: [email protected]
-30-
Illustrative example. All names, amounts, and investors are fictional.
What to notice: funding news is not interesting by itself. What gets covered is what the money will do. Include the amount only if you are free to share it, and never state a figure you cannot support.
Example 3: New hire or promotion
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Harbor & Vine Names Priya Nair Chief Operating Officer
PORTLAND, Ore., June 3, 2027 - Harbor & Vine, a hospitality group with six restaurants in the Pacific Northwest, has named Priya Nair as chief operating officer, effective July 1.
Nair joins from a regional hotel group, where she led operations across multiple locations. She will oversee kitchen operations, staffing, and purchasing across all Harbor & Vine locations.
"Priya brings the discipline and the warmth we want in every restaurant," said founder Luis Ortega.
About Harbor & Vine: Harbor & Vine operates six restaurants in Oregon and Washington.
Media contact: [email protected]
###
Illustrative example. People and companies are fictional.
What to notice: name, title, company, and start date go in the first sentence. Give the reader one specific reason the hire matters.
Example 4: Event announcement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lakeside Library to Host Free Community Writing Day on April 19
MADISON, Wis., March 28, 2027 - Lakeside Public Library will hold a free community writing day on Saturday, April 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its main branch, 220 Elm Street.
The day includes workshops on memoir, poetry, and fiction led by local authors, plus open writing time. No registration is required, but seating in workshops is limited.
"Anyone who has said they want to write something is welcome," said librarian Dana Whitfield.
About Lakeside Public Library: Lakeside Public Library serves more than 40,000 residents.
Media contact: [email protected]
###
Illustrative example. The library, address, and people are fictional.
What to notice: event releases need date, time, place, cost, and how to attend, all in the first two paragraphs. If a reporter cannot tell when and where, they cannot cover it.
Example 5: Partnership
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Orchard Health and Bayview Clinics Partner to Offer Same-Day Telehealth Visits
SEATTLE, Wash., July 15, 2027 - Orchard Health, a telehealth platform, and Bayview Clinics, a network of primary care clinics, today announced a partnership that will let Bayview patients book same-day video visits.
The service will begin in September at all 12 Bayview locations. Patients will schedule through the clinic's existing website.
"Our patients asked for faster access," said Bayview medical director Dr. Aaron Mills.
About Orchard Health: Orchard Health provides virtual care services. About Bayview Clinics: Bayview Clinics operates 12 primary care clinics.
Media contact: [email protected]
###
Illustrative example. Companies, people, and numbers are fictional.
What to notice: both organizations appear in the headline and lead. Say what changes for the customer and when. A partnership release with no customer benefit rarely gets picked up.
Example 6: Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Northfield Bakery Wins State Small Business of the Year Award
DES MOINES, Iowa, Nov. 9, 2027 - Northfield Bakery, a family-owned bakery in Ames, has been named Small Business of the Year by the Iowa Business Council.
The award recognizes businesses for community impact and growth. Northfield Bakery has expanded from one location to three in five years and donates unsold bread to local food pantries.
"We could not have done this without our customers," said owner Elena Park.
About Northfield Bakery: Northfield Bakery has baked bread in Ames since 2022.
Media contact: [email protected]
###
Illustrative example. The bakery, council, and people are fictional.
What to notice: say who gave the award and what it recognizes, so readers can judge its weight. Do not claim an award is "prestigious" or "leading." Let the facts do that.
A Fill-In Press Release Template
Copy this and replace each bracket.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Organization] [Verb] [Specific News] [Who It Affects]
[Optional one-line subheadline with a key detail]
[CITY], [State], [Month Day, Year] - [Organization], [one-line description], today [announced / launched / named / opened] [the news], [what it means for whom].
[Second paragraph: the key details, such as date, price, availability, location, or numbers.]
[Third paragraph: background or context that helps the reader understand why this matters.]
"[Quote that adds opinion or reason, not new facts]," said [Name], [title] at [Organization].
About [Organization]: [Two or three sentences on what the organization does and where it is based.]
Media contact: [Name], [email], [phone]
###
Press Release Format and Style Details
- Length. Keep it to one page, roughly 300 to 500 words. Reporters skim.
- Voice. Third person, past or present tense, no "we" outside quotes.
- Headline. Aim for about 10 words, with a verb. Avoid hype words and exclamation marks.
- Dateline. City in capitals, then the state, then the date. AP style has its own state abbreviations (for example Calif., not CA), so check the Stylebook if style matters to your audience.
- Numbers and dates. AP style generally spells out numbers below 10 and uses numerals for 10 and up. Pick a style and stay consistent.
- Quotes. Use real quotes from real people who approved them. Never invent one.
- Boilerplate. Update it once a year and keep it factual.
- Contact. Include a person who will respond quickly, not a general inbox no one checks.
Common Mistakes
- Burying the news. If the real announcement appears in paragraph three, rewrite.
- Hype. Words like "revolutionary," "cutting-edge," and "world-class" give a reporter nothing to quote.
- Jargon. Write so a reader outside your industry can follow.
- No news. A release needs something that changed. A new feature, hire, partnership, result, or event counts. "We are still great" does not.
- A long quote full of facts. Quotes are for opinion and reason. Put facts in the body.
- Missing contact details. A reporter on deadline will move on in minutes.
Where to Send a Press Release
Send it to the specific reporters who cover your topic, not to a long generic list, and personalize a short note on top. Post it on your own news page too, so it can be found. Pitching a reporter directly with a two-line email and the release below it works better than a mass blast. Distribution services exist, but they are optional and cost money, and the value of a release depends on whether the news is worth reporting.
Write Your Press Release With Writingful
The free press release writer drafts a release from the facts you enter, which you can then edit. It cannot supply facts you do not give it, so check every name, date, and number before you send. If you are writing for a specific field, see our pages for startups, nonprofits, corporate teams, and real estate agents, or read about press release writing with AI.
What This Guide Cannot Do
A good release does not guarantee coverage. Reporters decide what is newsworthy, and most releases are never used. These examples are fictional and simplified. Real announcements, especially about funding, health, or finance, may carry legal or regulatory requirements, so check with your counsel or compliance team before you publish.
Related Guides
- Cold email follow up: how to pitch the reporter.
- Email sign offs
- Blog post examples: for your own news page.
