Press Release Outline: The Exact Template Journalists Want to See
TL;DR - Quick Answer
12 min readTips you can use today. What works and what doesn't.
Press releases follow a rigid format. Deviate from it and journalists skip your email.
The format hasn't changed in decades because it works. Journalists know exactly where to find the information they need. Give them what they expect, and you'll get coverage.
Here's the exact outline.
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Every press release follows this structure:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[HEADLINE: All Caps or Title Case, 10-15 Words Max]
[Subheadline: One sentence that adds context, optional]
[CITY, State] — [Date] — [Opening paragraph: who, what, when, where, why]
[Body paragraph 1: Expand on the most important details]
[Body paragraph 2: Supporting information, data, context]
[Quote from company spokesperson]
[Body paragraph 3: Additional details, availability, pricing]
[Quote from partner/customer, optional]
[Boilerplate: About [Company Name] paragraph]
Contact:
[Name]
[Title]
[Email]
[Phone]
###
That's it. Let's break down each section.
What's the ideal headline length for a press release?
💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!
Section-by-Section Breakdown
1. Release Timing
Always start with:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Or if embargoed:
EMBARGOED UNTIL [Date, Time, Timezone]
Put this at the top of the page, before everything else.
2. Headline
Your headline determines whether journalists read further. Rules:
- 10-15 words maximum
- Include the news. What happened?
- No hype words. Skip "revolutionary," "groundbreaking," "game-changing"
- Use active voice. "[Company] Launches [Product]" not "[Product] Has Been Launched"
Good examples:
- "Acme Raises $25 Million Series B to Expand AI-Powered Marketing Platform"
- "CloudSync Partners with Salesforce to Integrate CRM Analytics"
- "FreshBites Opens 50th Location in Chicago's Lincoln Park"
Bad examples:
- "Acme Announces Revolutionary New Product That Changes Everything" (hype)
- "New Product Available" (too vague)
- "A Groundbreaking Partnership Between Two Industry Leaders..." (too long, too vague)
3. Subheadline (Optional)
One sentence that adds a detail the headline couldn't fit:
New integration allows real-time data sync between sales and marketing teams
Skip this if your headline covers enough.
4. Dateline + Opening Paragraph
Format: CITY, State — Month Day, Year —
The opening paragraph answers the 5 W's in 2-3 sentences:
- Who is making the announcement?
- What is the news?
- When is it happening?
- Where is it relevant?
- Why does it matter?
Example:
SAN FRANCISCO — February 21, 2026 — Acme Software today announced the launch of Acme Analytics, an AI-powered marketing analytics platform that helps mid-market companies track campaign performance across all channels in real time. The platform is available immediately with pricing starting at $299/month.
Rule: If a journalist only reads this paragraph, they should understand the full story.
If a journalist only reads ONE paragraph of your press release, which one should give them the complete story?
💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!
5. Body Paragraphs
Expand on the news in order of importance (inverted pyramid):
Paragraph 2: Most important supporting detail
- Product features, deal terms, event details
- Statistics or data that support the news
- Market context (why this matters now)
Paragraph 3: Secondary details
- Pricing, availability, technical specs
- Partnership terms
- Expansion plans
Paragraph 4 (optional): Broader context
- Industry trends this announcement connects to
- Future plans
6. Quotes
Include 1-2 quotes. They serve two purposes:
- Add personality and context that straight reporting can't
- Give journalists ready-to-use quotes for their articles
Quote format:
"Quote goes here," said [Full Name], [Title] of [Company]. "Second sentence of the quote."
Good quote example:
"We built Acme Analytics because marketers shouldn't need a data science team to understand their campaign performance," said [Name], CEO of Acme Software. "Now any marketer can get the insights that were previously locked behind complex BI tools."
Bad quote example:
"We are thrilled and excited to announce this revolutionary new product that will change the way people think about marketing analytics forever," said John Smith, CEO. (Too generic, too much hype.)
See our guide on press release quote examples for more.
7. Boilerplate (About Section)
A 3-4 sentence standard description of your company. Keep the same boilerplate across all press releases:
About Acme Software Acme Software is a marketing technology company helping mid-market businesses make data-driven decisions. Founded in 2020, the company serves over 5,000 customers across 40 countries. Acme is backed by [notable investors] and headquartered in San Francisco. For more information, visit acme.com.
8. Contact Information
Media Contact:
Jane Smith
VP of Communications, Acme Software
jane@acme.com
(555) 123-4567
Always include a real person, not info@company.com.
9. End Mark
Center three hash marks to signal the end:
###
This is AP style standard. Don't skip it.
Press Release Templates by Type
Product Launch
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Company] Launches [Product Name], [One-Line Description]
[Subheadline with key benefit or differentiator]
[CITY] — [Date] — [Company] today announced [Product Name], a [category] that [what it does and for whom]. [Product Name] is available [when] at [price].
[Expand on features and benefits. What problem does it solve?]
"[Quote about why you built it and who it's for]," said [Name, Title].
[Technical details, integrations, availability.]
About [Company] [Boilerplate]
Partnership / Integration
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Company A] and [Company B] Partner to [Outcome for Customers]
[CITY] — [Date] — [Company A] and [Company B] today announced a partnership to [what the partnership delivers]. [Key detail about scope or availability].
[How the partnership works and what customers get.]
"[Quote from Company A leader]," said [Name, Title].
"[Quote from Company B leader]," said [Name, Title].
[Additional partnership details.]
Funding / Investment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Company] Raises $[X]M [Round] to [What the Funding Supports]
[Led by Investor Name, round details]
[CITY] — [Date] — [Company], a [description], today announced it has raised $[X] million in [round type] funding led by [lead investor], with participation from [other investors]. The funding will be used to [specific plans].
[Company traction: users, revenue growth, milestones.]
"[Quote about what this funding means]," said [Founder/CEO Name, Title].
"[Quote about why they invested]," said [Investor Name, Title, Firm].
Event
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Company] to Host [Event Name] on [Date] in [Location]
[CITY] — [Date] — [Company] announced [Event Name], a [type of event] taking place on [date] at [venue, city]. The event will feature [key attractions: speakers, workshops, demos].
[Who should attend and why. Registration details.]
"[Quote about the event]," said [Name, Title].
Registration is open at [URL]. [Pricing/capacity details.]
Press Release Formatting Rules
AP Style Quick Reference for Press Releases
Use our AP style capitalization tool to check your headlines automatically.
- Dates: February 21, 2026 (spell out month, no "st" or "th")
- Numbers: Spell out one through nine; use numerals for 10+
- Titles: Capitalize before names ("CEO Jane Smith"), lowercase after ("Jane Smith, chief executive officer")
- States: Abbreviate in datelines (Calif., N.Y.), spell out in body text
- Percent: Use "%" with numerals (5%)
- Money: $5 million (not $5M or $5,000,000)
According to AP style, how should you write '$5,000,000' in a press release?
💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!
Distribution Tips
Once your press release is written:
- Email directly to targeted journalists, not mass distribution
- Write a personalized pitch in the email body, paste the release below
- Send Tuesday through Thursday, 9-11 AM their timezone
- Follow up once after 3-4 days if no response
For the full strategy, read our press release distribution guide.
Related Resources
- Press Release Generator, generate a formatted press release instantly
- Press Release Distribution, get your release to the right journalists
- Press Release Quote Examples, write quotes that journalists actually use
- PR Plan Template, build your complete PR strategy
- PR Campaign Ideas Generator, generate PR campaign concepts
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