Press release writing — inverted pyramid, headline formula, quotes, boilerplate, AP style basics.
A press release is a formal announcement distributed to journalists and media outlets. It is written in journalistic style so reporters can extract what they need quickly — or in some cases, publish directly with minimal editing. It is not a marketing piece, a blog post, or an ad. Promotional language kills credibility.
┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ MOST IMPORTANT INFO │ ← Lead (who, what, when, where, why)
│ (answer all 5 Ws here) │
├─────────────────────────────────┤
│ SUPPORTING DETAILS │ ← Context, background, quotes
│ (expands on the lead) │
├─────────────────────────────────┤
│ BACKGROUND / BOILERPLATE │ ← Company description, additional context
│ (least urgent — cut if needed) │
└─────────────────────────────────┘
Why inverted pyramid? Editors cut from the bottom. Readers stop at any point. The most critical facts must appear first — every time.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [or: EMBARGOED UNTIL: Date/Time]
HEADLINE
SUBHEADLINE (optional)
CITY, STATE, Month Day, Year — Lead paragraph...
Body paragraph 1...
Body paragraph 2 (quote)...
Body paragraph 3...
Second quote paragraph...
Boilerplate ("About [Company]")...
### [indicates end of release]
MEDIA CONTACT:
Name
Title
Company
Phone
Email
[Company] [Verb] [Specific Thing] [Context/Impact]
Examples:
Rules:
[Company name], [brief description], today [announced/launched/released] [what],
[context or significance], [date/location if relevant].
Example:
"Acme Corp, a provider of AI fraud detection software for financial institutions, today launched FraudGuard 3.0, its most advanced detection platform to date, reducing false positive rates by 40% for banks under $5 billion in assets."
Expand on the "why it matters." Provide market context, problem being solved, or timing significance.
Quote rules:
Weak quote:
"We are really excited about this launch," said Jane Smith, CEO of Acme Corp. "We think it's going to be a great product for our customers."
Strong quote:
"Community banks have been underserved by enterprise fraud tools that weren't built for their transaction volumes," said Jane Smith, CEO of Acme Corp. "FraudGuard 3.0 changes that equation — and the 40% reduction in false positives means compliance teams can focus on real threats."
Specifics of what is being announced. Features, pricing, availability, partnerships, metrics.
Customer, partner, or industry analyst quote adds third-party credibility.
Every press release ends with a standard company description. This is the boilerplate.
About [Company Name]
[Company Name] [what the company does, one sentence]. [Founded/established year],
[company] serves [customer type] across [geography/markets].
[Key differentiator or proof point — customer count, revenue, recognition].
For more information, visit [website].
Boilerplate rules: