![The template open in Strokes: a banner picture of paper planes gliding over a city skyline at sunrise, above the title “[Headline]”.](/_next/image?url=%2F_next%2Fstatic%2Fmedia%2Fhero-light.252a4ac3.webp&w=3840&q=75)
![The template open in Strokes: a banner picture of paper planes gliding over a city skyline at sunrise, above the title “[Headline]”.](/_next/image?url=%2F_next%2Fstatic%2Fmedia%2Fhero-dark.e50dd76f.webp&w=3840&q=75)
When to use it
- Product launches and major feature releases
- Funding rounds, acquisitions and partnerships
- Executive hires and board appointments
- Events, awards and research you want journalists to cover
- Company milestones such as a rebrand, a new office or an anniversary
How to use this template
- Decide whether it is news
A press release announces something that happened or is about to happen: a launch, a deal, a hire, a result. If a journalist who has never heard of you would not care, write a blog post instead. The blog post outline template is the better home for opinion and background.
- Write the lead, then the headline
Fill in the dateline and the first paragraph before anything else; the placeholder above spells out what the lead has to carry. The headline is the lead compressed to one line, so it is easier to write once the lead exists.
- Add the quote, the boilerplate and the contact
Get the quote approved by the person it is attributed to. Paste the boilerplate from your last release so it stays consistent. The media contact is a person with a direct email, not a shared inbox.
- Cut to one page and check every fact
Names, titles, dates, prices and figures are the parts that get quoted, so they are the parts that must be right. Then send it as the body of an email or a PDF, with the headline as the subject line.
The inverted pyramid
A press release is written in the inverted pyramid: the most important facts first, then detail in descending order, with the least essential material at the end. The format exists for two readers. An editor cuts from the bottom to fit the space, and nothing important should be lost when they do. A busy reader stops after the first paragraph, and they should still have the story.
In practice that means the lead carries the five Ws, the second paragraph carries the supporting facts, and context, background and the second quote come after. Resist opening with history. "Founded in 2015, Acme has always believed…" is background, and it goes near the end if it goes anywhere.
Example lead
AUSTIN, Texas — March 3, 2026 — Acme today released Acme Ledger, a bookkeeping app for freelancers that files quarterly tax estimates automatically. It is available now for Mac and Windows at $9 a month.Keep the sentences short and the vocabulary ordinary. Journalists skim many releases a day and will not work to decode yours. Checking the readability of the first two paragraphs is worth a minute; if a sentence needs a second read, split it.
Writing the quote
Everything in a press release is fact except the quote. That makes it the one place for perspective: why the news matters, what it makes possible, what the company set out to do. It should sound like a person speaking, not a brochure. "We are thrilled to announce" is not something anyone says out loud, and reporters cut it on sight.
Attribute the quote to a named person with a title, and have them read it before it goes out. If your company has a defined tone of voice, the quote is where it shows. A second quote from a customer or partner adds credibility, but only with their written permission and in their words.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a press release be?
One page. Aim for 300 to 500 words: a headline, a subhead, four or five short paragraphs, one or two quotes, the boilerplate and a contact. If it runs longer, move the detail to a fact sheet or a link.
What do the dateline and the release line mean?
The release line at the top says when the news may be published: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, or EMBARGOED UNTIL a specific date and time. The dateline opens the first paragraph with the city and the date, so a reader knows where and when the news comes from.
Is there a Word version of this press release template?
Yes. Download the .docx for a file that opens in Word or Google Docs with proper headings and the placeholders highlighted. Download the .md if your releases live in a newsroom page, a repository or a plain-text editor. Both come from the same template.
Should the release end with ###?
Three hash marks, or -30-, mark the end of a release so an editor knows nothing follows. The convention comes from the days of wire copy. It is optional; if you include it, put it on its own line after the media contact.
