HOW TO WRITE A PRESS RELEASE — THE SHORT VERSION
To write a press release, follow the inverted pyramid: most important facts first, supporting detail second, background last. The standard press release format has nine required elements — from release date to end notation (###) — and should stay between 400 and 600 words. In 2026, knowing how to write a press release also means optimizing for AI citation, not just journalist pickup.
72%
400–600
10s
5×
What Is a Press Release?
In short: knowing how to write a press release starts with understanding what it is and is not. A press release is a formal, factual document sent to journalists and editors to announce newsworthy information. It is not an advertisement, a blog post, or a marketing email.
Definition
Press Release
A structured, factual document distributed to journalists, wire services, and editors to announce newsworthy information from a company or organization. A press release follows a standardized press release format that journalists recognize immediately — and that AI engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews extract and cite as authoritative source material. The moment a press release reads like an advertisement, it gets deleted.
According to the Cision 2025 State of the Media report, 72% of journalists still cite press releases as a primary source for company news. Press releases have not been replaced by social media or content marketing.
They serve a distinct function that no other format replicates: official, documented, distributable news announcements that simultaneously reach journalists, generate SEO backlinks, and feed AI citation systems.
Citation-Ready Fact
A press release is the only brand-controlled content format that simultaneously reaches journalists, indexes in Google News, generates high-authority backlinks, and is cited by AI search engines — all from a single document distributed via wire service.
The Press Release Format: 9 Required Elements
The standard press release format has remained consistent across professional PR for decades. Each element serves a specific function. Learning how to write a press release professionally means mastering all nine elements in the correct order.
- Release DateFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE at the top signals the content is ready to publish now. For embargoed releases, write EMBARGOED UNTIL [Date, Time, Time Zone]. Never omit this line — it tells journalists exactly when they can publish the announcement.
- Headline60 to 80 characters. Company or primary entity name plus the news fact. Active voice. Specific numbers over vague descriptions. “Company X Raises $15M to Expand AI Platform Across MENA” beats “Company X Announces Major Funding Round.” The press release headline framework is covered in Section 04.
- Subheadline (Optional)One sentence adding a supporting data point or context not captured in the headline. Useful for complex announcements. Not required for simple announcements where the headline stands alone.
- DatelineCITY, Date — Company Name. Example: CAIRO, June 20, 2026 — Mi Gazette. The dateline grounds the story geographically and chronologically. Editors use it to assess geographic relevance to their audience instantly.
- Lead ParagraphThe most important paragraph in any press release. Must answer Who, What, When, Where, and Why in 3 to 4 sentences. This is what journalists read first and what AI engines extract as the primary citation target. The full lead paragraph framework is in Section 05.
- Body Paragraphs2 to 3 paragraphs expanding on the lead with supporting facts, statistics, and context. Each paragraph should add new information — never repeat the lead. Include at least one verifiable statistic with a named source and year.
- Executive QuoteOne direct quote from a named company executive or relevant expert. Must make an independent factual claim, not just express enthusiasm. “This reduces invoice processing time by 40% for SMBs under 50 employees” is quotable. “We are excited to announce this” is not.
- Boilerplate3 to 5 sentences describing the company: name, founding year, primary product or service category, a key metric, and website URL. Use identical boilerplate language across every release to build consistent AI entity recognition for long-term citation visibility.
- Media Contact + End NotationContact name, job title, email, and phone number below the boilerplate. End the release with ### (US standard) or ENDS (UK standard). Everything below the end marker is off the record unless explicitly labeled otherwise.
The Inverted Pyramid Structure
The inverted pyramid is the foundational press release structure used by professional communicators for over a century. It places the most newsworthy information first, supporting detail second, and background context last.
This press release structure exists for a practical reason: editors cut from the bottom. If a journalist can extract the full story from the first three paragraphs, the release survives editing. HubSpot’s press release writing guide confirms that releases burying key news in paragraph four or five are routinely ignored.
The inverted pyramid also serves AI citation. AI engines extract opening content first. A press release structure that leads with the key fact produces a citation-ready first paragraph that AI systems can extract directly without additional processing.
Level 1: The News (Lead)
Who, What, When, Where, Why — in 3 to 4 sentences. The entire story compressed into its most essential form. If a journalist reads nothing else, they should fully understand the announcement.
Level 2: Supporting Detail
Statistics, methodology, additional facts, product specifications, timeline details. Each paragraph adds one new layer of information. Never repeat the lead — expand it with evidence.
Level 3: Executive Quote
The human voice of the announcement. Must make an independent factual claim that adds to the story. Journalists extract quotes that stand alone as verifiable evidence, not expressions of excitement.
Level 4: Background Context
Company history, market context, additional spokesperson detail. This is the content most likely to be cut — so it should only contain information that adds value without being essential to the core story.
“If the critical information is in the first three paragraphs, it survives. If not, it gets cut — and no one reads what was cut.”
— Green Flag Digital, Press Release Best Practices, 2026
How to Write a Press Release Headline
The press release headline is the most read element of any release. Journalists decide to read or delete in under 10 seconds (Muck Rack, 2024). A strong press release headline must simultaneously capture a journalist’s attention and satisfy an AI engine’s keyword extraction.
Headline Test
Would this headline appear unchanged in Reuters or the BBC? If not, it needs revision. A good press release headline is already a finished news headline — it should not need rewriting by the journalist.
The Lead Paragraph: Writing the 5Ws
The lead paragraph is where most press releases fail. It must answer Who, What, When, Where, and Why in 3 to 4 sentences — without padding, promotional language, or burying the most important fact after context-setting.
According to Prowly’s press release writing guide, the lead sentence should compress the entire story into one clear statement of 25 to 40 words. Everything that follows in the press release body expands on what the lead establishes.
For AI citation, the lead paragraph is the highest-priority extraction target. ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini extract opening content first. A lead paragraph that directly answers the primary news question produces an AI-ready citation without additional processing.
Lead Paragraph: Include and Avoid
- Include the company name in the first sentence — not “the company” or “it”
- State the news fact directly — not the context that preceded the announcement
- Include at least one specific number: funding amount, date, market size, or user count
- State why this matters to the journalist’s audience in the final sentence
- Avoid adjectives: “leading,” “innovative,” “cutting-edge” add nothing and signal marketing copy
- Avoid throat-clearing openers: “Today, Company X is pleased to announce…”
- Keep sentences short — 15 to 25 words per sentence reads fastest
- Write in third person — press releases are not first-person documents
Common Press Release Writing Mistakes
Knowing how to write a press release means knowing what to avoid. The most common press release writing mistakes fall into two categories: structural errors that signal inexperience, and content errors that eliminate newsworthiness.
Writing an Advertisement, Not a News Document
The most common mistake when learning how to write a press release. Promotional language — “revolutionary,” “game-changing,” “best-in-class” — triggers immediate deletion. Write as if Reuters is covering the story, not your marketing team.
Burying the News
Opening with company history or market context before stating the announcement. Journalists stop reading when the news does not appear in the first paragraph. The most important fact belongs in the first sentence of every press release structure.
No Genuine News Value
According to Empathy First Media’s 2025 benchmark, 71% of press releases fail to generate coverage because they announce routine updates rather than genuinely newsworthy information. A website redesign rarely qualifies.
Too Long
Releases over 700 words generate 30% less journalist engagement than those in the 400-500 word range (PR Newswire, 2024). If an announcement requires more detail, link to a full report or press kit rather than padding the press release itself.
Weak Executive Quote
A quote saying “We are excited to announce” adds nothing to the press release structure. The executive quote must make an independent factual claim. It is the human evidence layer — the one element journalists can attribute to a named source directly.
Inconsistent Boilerplate
A missing or inconsistent boilerplate prevents journalists from finding follow-up information and prevents AI engines from building a reliable brand entity. Use identical boilerplate language across every press release for consistent AI citation recognition.
Distribution: Where to Send Your Press Release
Knowing how to write a press release is only half the task. Distribution determines which journalists receive it, which domains index it, and which AI engines can cite it. The right press release format delivered to the wrong audience produces no results.
A press release in 2026 is doing more jobs than it ever has. It is a media pitch, an SEO asset, an AI citation signal, and a credibility marker — all in one document. The press release format has not changed. What has changed is how many systems are now reading it.
— TS Newswire, How to Write a Press Release: Complete Guide, 2026
Key Takeaways — What to Remember
How to Write a Press Release — Summary
- A press release follows the inverted pyramid: most important facts first, background last
- The standard press release format has 9 required elements from release date to end notation (###)
- 400 to 600 words is optimal — longer releases generate 30% less journalist engagement (PR Newswire, 2024)
- 72% of journalists cite press releases as a primary source for company news (Cision, 2025)
- Journalists decide to read or delete in under 10 seconds — the headline and lead make that decision
- Press release headlines: 60-80 characters, active voice, specific facts not marketing claims
- The lead paragraph must answer Who, What, When, Where, and Why in 3-4 sentences
- Executive quotes must make independent factual claims, not just express enthusiasm
- Consistent boilerplate across releases builds AI entity recognition for long-term citation visibility
- Press release citations in AI engines grew 5x between July and December 2025 (Muck Rack, 2025)
The Bottom Line
Knowing how to write a press release means mastering a standardized press release format with nine required elements, structured around the inverted pyramid: most important facts first, supporting detail second, background last. The optimal press release length is 400 to 600 words — releases in this range generate 30% more journalist engagement than longer documents (PR Newswire, 2024).
In 2026, press release writing requires optimization for two audiences: journalists who decide in under 10 seconds whether to cover the story, and AI engines whose citations grew fivefold between July and December 2025. The press release structure that serves both is identical: a direct lead paragraph, named statistics, a quotable executive statement, clear headings, and distribution on high-authority editorial domains.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Distribute Your Press Release?
Now that you know how to write a press release, companies can use specialized platforms (e.g., Mi Gazette) to distribute a single release — no annual contract, no minimum commitment.