How to Write a Press Release That Gets Results

A press release is one of the most effective tools in public relations, but only when it is written well. A poorly structured release gets ignored. A well-written one can land your brand on major media outlets, boost your search rankings, and make your company visible to AI platforms that millions of people now rely on for information. This guide walks you through every element of a professional press release, from the correct format to writing tips that actually work.

Whether this is your first press release or your fiftieth, the fundamentals remain the same. What has changed is how your audience consumes the content. Media editors still scan for the key facts in seconds, and AI systems like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity also parse your release to decide whether your brand is worth citing. Writing for both audiences requires a clear structure, factual language, and deliberate formatting.

What Is a Press Release?

A press release is an official written statement issued by a company or organization to the media. Its purpose is to announce something newsworthy, such as a product launch, a partnership, a funding round, an executive appointment, or a significant company milestone, in a clear, factual, and professional format.

Press releases follow a standardized structure that media professionals worldwide recognize. This format exists for a practical reason: editors and reporters receive hundreds of pitches and releases every day. A properly formatted press release lets them quickly find the key information they need to decide whether a story is worth covering.

When distributed through professional channels, your press release can be published directly on high-authority news outlets such as MarketWatch, Yahoo Finance, and Business Insider. At Press Elevate, for example, we guarantee placement across 500+ media outlets, with delivery completed within 4 to 5 business days.

The Standard Press Release Format

Every professional press release follows a specific structure. Here is a breakdown of each element, in the order they should appear.

1. Release Timing

At the very top of your press release, include the release timing in uppercase text. The two standard options are:

• FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: This means the information can be published right away. This is the most common option.
• EMBARGOED UNTIL [Date]: This means the information should not be published until the specified date. Use this when you want to give media outlets advance access to prepare their coverage.

2. Headline

The headline is the single most important line in your press release. It is the first thing a reader sees, and it determines whether they read further or move on. A good headline should:

• Be concise, ideally under 100 characters
• Use sentence case (capitalize only the first word and proper nouns)
• Include a strong action verb
• Clearly communicate what the news is
• Avoid clickbait, jargon, and vague marketing language

3. Subheadline (Optional)

A subheadline provides additional context that supports the main headline. It is not required, but it can be useful for complex announcements where the headline alone cannot convey the full scope of the news. Keep it to one sentence.

4. Dateline

The dateline appears at the very beginning of your first paragraph. It includes the city, state or country, and the date of the release. For example:

NEW YORK, N.Y., May 21, 2026 - [Your lead paragraph begins here.]

The dateline tells readers where the news originates and when it was released. It is a standard convention in professional communications and should not be skipped.

5. Lead Paragraph

The lead paragraph is the most critical section of your entire press release. In 25 to 50 words, it must answer the five Ws:

1. Who is making the announcement?
2. What is being announced?
3. When is it happening?
4. Where is it taking place?
5. Why does it matter?

Think of the lead paragraph as a standalone summary. If someone only reads this one paragraph, they should understand the complete story. This is the inverted pyramid principle: the most important information comes first, with supporting details following in descending order of importance.

6. Body Paragraphs

The body expands on the details introduced in the lead paragraph. Keep each paragraph short, around two to four sentences. Each paragraph should focus on a single point or idea. Use the inverted pyramid structure throughout: place the most important supporting details immediately after the lead, and save background information for later paragraphs.

If your announcement involves data, product features, or technical specifications, present them in bulleted lists rather than dense paragraphs. Lists are easier to scan and for AI systems to extract and cite.

7. Quotes

Include one or two quotes from company leadership, a project lead, or a relevant third-party expert. Quotes serve two purposes: they add a human voice to an otherwise factual document, and they provide a perspective that cannot be communicated through plain facts alone.

The most common mistake with quotes is making them generic. Avoid phrases like "We are excited to announce..." or "This is a game-changer for the industry." Instead, write quotes that provide genuine insight, strategic context, or a forward-looking perspective.

8. Boilerplate

The boilerplate is a short "About Us" paragraph that appears near the end of every press release your company issues. Think of it as your company's digital business card. It should be approximately 50 to 100 words and include:

• Your full company name and headquarters location
• A one-sentence description of what your company does
• A brief mention of your core products or services
• A credibility marker, such as years in operation, number of customers, or a notable achievement
• Your website URL

Keep the boilerplate consistent across all your press releases. Consistency helps readers quickly identify your company and helps AI systems build an accurate entity profile for your brand.

9. Media Contact Information

Clearly list the contact details for the person who can answer media inquiries. This section should include:

• Full name
• Job title
• Email address
• Phone number

Make sure the contact person is actually available and prepared to respond to media inquiries promptly. Someone working on a deadline will not wait days for a reply, so responsiveness is essential.

Practical Writing Tips

Following the correct format is necessary, but it is not enough on its own. How you write within that format determines whether your release gets picked up or ignored. Here are the writing principles that make the difference.

Write with Clarity and Purpose

Your readers include editors, business executives, investors, and AI systems. Your writing should make it easy for all of them to extract the key information quickly. That means:

• Use clear, direct language that a general audience can understand
• Avoid industry jargon unless your release targets a highly specialized trade publication
• Use active voice instead of passive voice ("Press Elevate launched a new distribution package" not "A new distribution package was launched by Press Elevate")
• Keep sentences short and paragraphs focused on a single idea
• Follow AP Style for consistency, as it remains the standard in professional communications

Focus on Newsworthiness

Before writing a single word, ask yourself: "Is this actually news?" A press release should announce something that matters to people beyond your own company. Product launches, major partnerships, acquisitions, significant funding rounds, research findings, and executive appointments are all newsworthy. Routine internal updates, minor website redesigns, and vague "innovation" announcements are generally not.

If you are unsure whether your topic is newsworthy, consider this test: would a major publication cover this story if a competitor announced it? If the answer is no, your announcement may need a stronger angle.

Keep It Concise

A press release should be between 300 and 600 words. One page is ideal; two pages is the absolute maximum. Brevity forces you to prioritize the most important information and cut anything that does not directly support the core announcement. Concise releases get processed quickly, and shorter releases are less likely to contain filler that weakens the overall message.

Support Claims with Data

Specific numbers, statistics, and verifiable facts make your press release more credible and more useful to readers. Compare these two approaches:

• Vague: "Our platform has seen significant growth this year."
• Specific: "Press Elevate's client base grew 140% year-over-year, with 500+ businesses now using the platform to earn guaranteed placements on top-tier media outlets in 2026."

The specific version gives readers a concrete data point they can reference. It also signals trustworthiness to AI systems, which are more likely to cite content backed by verifiable evidence.

Adding Multimedia to Your Release

Press releases that include multimedia assets, such as high-resolution images, infographics, or short video clips, receive significantly higher engagement rates. Multimedia makes your release more visually appealing and provides ready-to-use visual content for articles, social media posts, and broadcasts.

When including multimedia:

• Use high-resolution images (minimum 300 DPI for print, 72 DPI for web)
• Give image files descriptive, SEO-friendly names (e.g., "press-elevate-global-coverage-launch.jpg" not "IMG_4821.jpg")
• Include alt text that describes what the image shows
• If including video, keep it between 30 and 90 seconds
• Provide download links or embed codes so media teams can easily access the assets

Optimizing Your Press Release for AI Platforms

In 2026, writing a press release is no longer just about reaching media outlets. AI platforms like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot, and Grok now index and cite news content when responding to user queries. If your press release is not structured for AI readability, your brand could be invisible in the fastest-growing information discovery channel in the world.

Here is how to optimize your press release for AI platforms:

Use Clear Heading Hierarchies

Structure your content with proper H1, H2, and H3 headings. AI systems use heading structure to understand the organization of your content and to identify the most important topics covered. A flat wall of text with no headings is much harder for AI to parse accurately.

Maintain Consistent Entity Naming

Use your exact company name, product names, and executive titles identically every time they appear. If you refer to your company as "Press Elevate" in the headline but "PressElevate" in the body and simply "PE" in the boilerplate, AI systems may treat these as three different entities rather than one. Consistency helps AI build an accurate knowledge graph entry for your brand.

Include Structured Data Points

AI systems are more likely to cite content that includes clear, extractable facts. Present key data points in bulleted lists, include specific numbers and dates, and avoid vague or subjective claims. The more structured and factual your content, the more useful it is to AI systems building their knowledge base.

Consider Adding a Key Facts Summary

An emerging best practice is to include a brief "Key Facts" or "Key Points" section near the top of your release, just after the headline or subheadline. This is a short bulleted list (three to five items) summarizing the most important details. It gives AI systems a clean, concise summary to index and helps anyone scanning the release find the key information faster.

Formatting and Style Best Practices

Professional formatting signals credibility and makes your press release easier to read and process. Follow these guidelines:

• Font: Use a clean, professional font such as Arial or Times New Roman, in 10 to 12 point size
• Spacing: Use single or 1.5 line spacing with adequate white space between sections
• Length: Aim for 300 to 600 words, with one page being ideal
• Style guide: Follow AP Style for capitalization, abbreviations, numbers, and punctuation
• File format: If sending directly to media contacts, use PDF or Word document to preserve formatting
• Proofreading: Check for grammar, spelling, and factual accuracy before distributing. A single error can undermine your credibility with editors

When to Send Your Press Release

Timing affects how much attention your press release receives. Based on industry research:

• Best days: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday tend to receive the highest engagement
• Best time window: Between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM in your target audience's primary time zone
• Avoid Mondays: Inboxes are typically flooded from the weekend
• Avoid Fridays: Attention drops off as people head into the weekend, and your release is more likely to be buried

If your news is time-sensitive or tied to a specific event, distribute it early enough that media teams have time to write their own coverage. Sending a release at 4:00 PM about something that happened that morning reduces the chances of getting picked up.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced professionals make these mistakes. Avoid them to give your press release the best chance of getting picked up.

1. Writing a sales pitch instead of news: If your press release reads like a marketing brochure, it will get ignored. Focus on facts, not hype. Use objective language and let the news speak for itself.
2. Burying the lead: If the most important information is in paragraph three instead of paragraph one, many readers will never see it. Always front-load the key facts.
3. Using vague language: Words like "innovative," "cutting-edge," and "world-class" are meaningless without supporting evidence. Replace them with specific facts and data.
4. Skipping the boilerplate: Without a boilerplate, anyone reading your release has to research your company separately. Make it easy by including a consistent "About" section in every release.
5. Forgetting the media contact: If someone wants to follow up but cannot find contact information, they will move on. Always include a name, email, and phone number.
6. Neglecting proofreading: Grammar errors, misspelled names, and incorrect dates destroy credibility instantly. Have at least two people review the release before distribution.
7. Making it too long: A press release is not a white paper. If your release exceeds two pages, it almost certainly contains filler that should be cut.

What Happens After You Write It

Writing your press release is only the first half of the process. The second half is distribution, getting your release in front of the right audiences. A well-written release that sits on your company blog and nowhere else will not generate meaningful results.

Professional distribution services place your press release on high-authority news outlets, ensuring it reaches decision-makers, investors, and potential customers. At Press Elevate, we offer two distribution packages designed for different levels of reach:

• Core Coverage ($899): Guaranteed placement across our base network of trusted media outlets, including major financial and news platforms. Delivered within 4 to 5 business days.
• Global Coverage ($1,499): Everything in Core Coverage, plus AI platform indexing (ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Gemini, Google AI Mode, Perplexity, and Grok), distribution across 9 premium podcast platforms, and amplification across major social networks including LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

Both packages provide 100% guaranteed placements. Your press release is published on the outlets we specify, not sent to a list and left to chance.