Press Release Structure Template

What it is

A structured template following industry-standard press release format—the format journalists, PR professionals, and media databases expect. Press releases serve two distinct audiences: journalists looking for newsworthy stories, and search engines indexing company announcements.

This template ensures your announcement includes the information media need (who, what, when, where, why, how), quoted perspectives, and sufficient background to be published without additional reporting. Following the inverted pyramid structure (most important information first) ensures editors can cut from the bottom without losing critical facts.

Press releases work best for genuinely newsworthy announcements: product launches, partnerships, funding rounds, research findings, or significant company milestones.

When to use it

Use when:

• You have a genuinely newsworthy announcement (product launch, partnership, funding, etc.)
• You want media coverage and are distributing to journalists
• You’re publishing to press release distribution networks (PRWeb, Cision, etc.)
• Your announcement impacts customers, industry, or investors
• You need a formal record of an announcement for regulatory or archival purposes

Don’t use when:

• The announcement isn’t newsworthy (minor feature updates, routine hires)
• You’re only publishing to your own channels (use a blog post instead)
• Your audience is internal only (use internal memo format)
• The news is confidential or embargoed before official channels
• You’re targeting paid advertising (use ad copy, not press release format)

Inputs needed

Before starting, gather:

1. Core news: What’s the announcement and why does it matter?
2. Key facts: Figures, dates, features, and specific details
3. Stakeholder quotes: 2-4 quotes from executives, partners, or beneficiaries
4. Supporting information: Background on product/service, market context
5. Company boilerplate: Standard company description (2-3 sentences)
6. Media contacts: Journalist contact info, distribution list, embargo info

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The template

HEADLINE

[Specific, newsworthy statement that answers “what is this?”] Maximum 10-12 words, all caps NOT required but common.

Examples:

• “TechCorp Acquires InnovateLabs to Expand AI Capabilities”
• “New Study: Remote Workers Are 34% More Productive Than Expected”
• “GlobalBank Partners with FinTech Startup to Revolutionise SME Lending”

SUBHEADING (optional but recommended)

[One-line expansion of headline with supporting detail]

Examples:

• “Strategic acquisition strengthens product roadmap and talent bench”
• “Research challenges conventional wisdom on workplace productivity”
• “Partnership launches Q2 with new product offering”

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DATELINE

[CITY, STATE/COUNTRY] – [DATE] –

Example: NEW YORK, NY – January 30, 2026 –

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OPENING PARAGRAPH (Lede / Lead)

[The “why this matters” paragraph—answer WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE in opening 2-3 sentences]

Structure:

• Sentence 1: Main announcement in clearest possible terms
• Sentence 2: Why it matters or what it enables
• Sentence 3: Key fact, figure, or supporting detail

Length: 2-3 sentences, 40-60 words Tone: Objective, news-focused, no hype No quotes in lede: Quotes come after establishing facts

Example opening: “Global software company TechCorp today announced the acquisition of InnovateLabs, a privately held AI research firm. The strategic acquisition strengthens TechCorp’s machine learning capabilities and accelerates the development of its next-generation analytics platform. InnovateLabs’ 42-person team will join TechCorp’s R&D division effective February 15, 2026.”

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BODY PARAGRAPHS (supporting facts)

[2-4 paragraphs expanding on the announcement with details, context, and quotes]

Paragraph structure:

• Paragraph 1: Why this happened / business context
• Paragraph 2: Key quote from executive or beneficiary
• Paragraph 3: How it works / what happens next / supporting details
• Paragraph 4: Second quote or additional context

Length per paragraph: 50-100 words Quotes: Place quotes after relevant facts they support Format quotes: Use quotation marks, include speaker name and title

Example paragraph with quote: “The acquisition reflects TechCorp’s commitment to democratising AI. InnovateLabs’ research team has published 23 peer-reviewed papers in machine learning and developed proprietary algorithms for pattern recognition that outperform existing industry standards.

‘This acquisition accelerates our product roadmap by 18 months,’ said Sarah Chen, CTO of TechCorp. ‘InnovateLabs’ talent and technology will enable us to ship features our customers have requested for two years.’”

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PRODUCT/COMPANY DESCRIPTION

[One clear paragraph describing what the product/service is and what it does]

Content:

• What is it?
• Who uses it?
• What problem does it solve?
• Key differentiator

Length: 75-100 words

Example: “TechCorp’s Analytics Platform helps mid-market companies understand customer behaviour through machine-learning-powered insights. Used by 1,200+ companies across 35 industries, the platform processes 4 billion data points daily and has helped customers increase ROI by an average of 34%. Built for non-technical users, the platform requires no data science expertise to identify trends and act on insights.”

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PARTNER/BENEFICIARY DESCRIPTION (if applicable)

[One paragraph about the other organisation or beneficiary]

Content:

• Who are they?
• What do they do?
• Why are they relevant to this announcement?

Length: 75-100 words

Example: “InnovateLabs is an AI research firm founded in 2019 by three MIT researchers. Specialising in natural language processing and computer vision, the company has secured $12 million in funding and serves enterprise customers including three Fortune 500 companies. InnovateLabs’ research has been cited in 500+ academic papers and their engineers have spoken at international conferences including NeurIPS and ICML.”

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AVAILABILITY / TIMING

[When will this be available to customers or how does it work?]

Content:

• Availability date or timeline
• Pricing (if applicable)
• How to access/purchase
• Key milestones

Length: 2-3 sentences

Example: “The enhanced Analytics Platform with InnovateLabs’ AI features will be available to all customers at no additional cost beginning Q3 2026. Free trial accounts can access the features at [LINK]. Enterprise customers will receive dedicated implementation support.”

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ADDITIONAL QUOTES (optional)

[1-2 additional quotes from stakeholders, customers, or partners]

Structure:

• Quote from another executive or customer
• Include speaker name, title, and organisation

Example: “This partnership addresses a real gap in the market,” said Marcus Johnson, Chief Data Officer at Fortune 500 client Acme Corp. “We’ve been waiting for analytics that our team can actually use without hiring data scientists. This is a game-changer for us.”

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SUPPORTING DETAILS / FACTS

[Key metrics, figures, or supporting facts that reinforce the announcement]

Format as simple statements, 1-2 sentences each:

• [FACT/STAT]
• [FACT/STAT]
• [FACT/STAT]
• [FACT/STAT]

Examples:

• The acquisition includes an undisclosed purchase price; TechCorp expects the deal to be accretive to earnings beginning Q1 2027.
• InnovateLabs’ technology will be integrated into TechCorp’s core platform by end of Q2 2026.
• All InnovateLabs employees will join TechCorp; founder Dr. James Liu will become VP of AI Research at TechCorp.

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CALL TO ACTION / NEXT STEPS

[How should journalists, customers, or interested parties take action?]

Content:

• Learn more: [LINK to product page, blog post, or resources]
• Try it: [LINK to free trial or demo]
• Read the full analysis: [LINK to backgrounder, whitepaper, or research]
• Download assets: [Media kit, product screenshots, executive photos]

Example: “Interested in trying the new features? Start a free trial at [LINK]. Journalists interested in interviewing leadership or accessing product screenshots, visit our media kit at [LINK].”

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COMPANY BOILERPLATE

[Standard company description used in all press releases]

Requirements:

• 2-3 sentences maximum
• Describe what company does
• Include founding date or key milestone
• Founded/Headquartered location
• Optional: Website URL

Keep consistent across all releases

Example boilerplate: “TechCorp is a global software company founded in 2012 that makes analytics and insights accessible to every team. Headquartered in San Francisco with offices in London and Singapore, TechCorp serves over 1,200 customers across 35 industries. Learn more at www.techcorp.io”

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MEDIA CONTACT

[How journalists should reach out]

Format:

[Name]
[Title]
[Company]
[Phone]
[Email]
[Website]

Example:

Rachel Martinez
Head of Communications
TechCorp
+1 (415) 123-4567
press@techcorp.io
www.techcorp.io/media

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ADDITIONAL CONTACT (for product/technical questions, optional)

[If journalists have technical questions]

[Name]
[Title]
[Email]

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[Three hash marks below contact indicates end of release]

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AI prompt

Base prompt

You are a PR specialist. Create a press release for the following announcement:

Announcement details:
- News: [WHAT'S HAPPENING]
- Company: [COMPANY NAME]
- Date: [ANNOUNCEMENT DATE]
- Key facts/figures: [FACTS]
- Who's involved: [PARTNERS, STAKEHOLDERS]
- Why it matters: [SIGNIFICANCE]

Available information:
- Executive quotes: [QUOTES OR PEOPLE WHO CAN PROVIDE QUOTES]
- Supporting assets: [IMAGES, VIDEOS, BACKGROUNDERS AVAILABLE]
- Target audience: [WHO SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS]

Create a journalist-ready press release that:
1. Follows standard PR format (headline, dateline, lede, body, boilerplate, contact)
2. Includes newsworthiness in first paragraph (why journalists should care)
3. Provides sufficient detail that journalists can publish without additional reporting
4. Uses objective, professional language without hype or marketing speak
5. Includes 3-4 strategic quotes from relevant stakeholders

Structure it for easy scanning by busy journalists and editors.

Prompt variations

Variation 1: Product launch

Create a press release announcing the launch of [PRODUCT NAME] by [COMPANY]. Key features: [FEATURES]. Target market: [MARKET]. Differentiation: [WHY IT'S DIFFERENT]. Include quotes from the product leader and a potential customer. Emphasise problem it solves and availability.

Variation 2: Partnership/acquisition

Create a press release announcing [COMPANY A] and [COMPANY B] partnering/merging. Strategic rationale: [RATIONALE]. What it enables: [BENEFITS]. Timing: [WHEN]. Include quotes from both organisations explaining why this matters.

Variation 3: Research/findings

Create a press release sharing results from [RESEARCH PROJECT/STUDY]. Key finding: [FINDING]. Data: [STATISTICS]. Significance: [IMPLICATIONS]. Include quote from researcher and industry expert comment. Make the finding newsworthy for journalists.

Variation 4: Company milestone

Create a press release announcing [MILESTONE: funding, growth metric, expansion]. Details: [SPECIFICS]. What this enables: [IMPACT]. Vision: [FUTURE DIRECTION]. Include founder/CEO quote and context on what this means for the market.

Variation 5: Thought leadership/statement

Create a press release where [EXECUTIVE] comments on [INDUSTRY TREND/NEWS]. Perspective: [VIEWPOINT]. Why it matters: [SIGNIFICANCE]. Call to action: [WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN]. Position as expert commentary suitable for news outlets covering the trend.

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Human review checklist

• Headline is newsworthy: Would journalists view this as news worth covering?
• Lede answers WHO/WHAT/WHEN: First paragraph provides essential facts without hype?
• Inverted pyramid structure: Most important info first, least important last?
• Quotes are substantial: Are quotes more than one-liners? Do they add perspective?
• No marketing language: Are you using “revolutionary” or hype terms? Edit these out.
• Facts are specific: Are claims supported with numbers, dates, and concrete details?
• Easy to scan: Could a busy journalist understand the news in 30 seconds?
• Contact clear: Is media contact information complete and accurate?
• Boilerplate consistent: Does company description match other releases?
• Newsworthy enough: Would major publications in your industry cover this?

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Example output

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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TechCorp Acquires InnovateLabs, Strengthening AI and Machine Learning Capabilities

Strategic acquisition accelerates product roadmap and expands team of elite researchers

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – January 30, 2026 – TechCorp, a global software company making analytics accessible to every team, today announced the acquisition of InnovateLabs, a privately held artificial intelligence research firm. The strategic acquisition strengthens TechCorp’s machine learning capabilities and accelerates development of its next-generation analytics platform. InnovateLabs’ 42-person team, led by founder Dr. James Liu, will join TechCorp effective February 15, 2026.

InnovateLabs specialises in natural language processing and computer vision, with published research cited in 500+ academic papers. The firm’s proprietary algorithms have outperformed existing industry benchmarks by 23% on standard datasets. The acquisition reflects TechCorp’s commitment to embedding advanced AI into products that non-technical teams can actually use.

“This acquisition accelerates our product roadmap by 18 months,” said Sarah Chen, Chief Technology Officer at TechCorp. “InnovateLabs’ research team has solved problems we’ve been working on for years. Their talent and technology will enable us to ship features customers have requested since 2024.”

The enhanced TechCorp Analytics Platform will incorporate InnovateLabs’ machine learning models for automatic pattern recognition, anomaly detection, and predictive insights. All features will be available to TechCorp’s 1,200+ existing customers at no additional cost beginning Q3 2026.

Dr. James Liu, InnovateLabs founder and incoming VP of AI Research at TechCorp, said: “TechCorp shares our vision of democratising AI. Rather than building a standalone product, we’re excited to embed our research into a platform millions of teams already trust. This is where our work can have the greatest impact.”

Product & Availability

TechCorp’s Analytics Platform helps mid-market companies understand customer behaviour through machine-learning-powered insights. Used by 1,200+ companies across 35 industries, the platform processes 4 billion data points daily. The new AI-powered features will launch in Q3 2026 for all customers. Free trial accounts can access beta features beginning March 1 at [www.techcorp.io/ai-beta].

About InnovateLabs

InnovateLabs, founded in 2019 by three MIT researchers, is an AI research firm specialising in natural language processing and computer vision. The company has raised $12 million in funding and serves enterprise customers including three Fortune 500 companies. Learn more at www.innovatelabs.io.

About TechCorp

Founded in 2012, TechCorp is a global software company making analytics and insights accessible to every team. Headquartered in San Francisco with offices in London and Singapore, TechCorp serves over 1,200 customers across 35 industries. More information at www.techcorp.io.

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Media Contact: Rachel Martinez Head of Communications TechCorp +1 (415) 123-4567 press@techcorp.io www.techcorp.io/media

Technical Inquiries: Dr. Sarah Chen Chief Technology Officer TechCorp sarah.chen@techcorp.io

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Related templates

• Blog Post Outline Pack – Develop blog post expanding on press release announcement
• Social Post Variants – Create social media versions of press release announcement
• Email Sequence Template – Build email campaign announcing news to customers
• Content Calendar (Monthly) – Plan press release timing alongside other announcements
• Content Repurposing Matrix – Expand press release across multiple formats

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Tips for success

Prioritise newsworthiness over sales pitch Journalists are asking, “Will this interest my readers?” not “Is this good for TechCorp?” Lead with the news that matters to their audience, not your marketing benefits. If it’s not genuinely newsworthy, don’t issue a press release.

Make the first paragraph completely self-contained If an editor cuts everything after the first paragraph, readers should still understand what happened and why it matters. That’s your lede’s job. Test it: does the first paragraph answer who, what, when, where?

Distribute strategically, not to everyone Blasting press releases to 1,000 journalists gets ignored. Research who actually covers your industry/beat and has recently written about related topics. A targeted list of 30 relevant journalists outperforms a blast of 1,000.

Provide quotes, not platitudes “We’re excited about this partnership” is useless. Real quotes explain why this matters: “This reduces implementation time from 6 months to 2 weeks” or “We finally have the talent to tackle the problem.” Quotes should add perspective, not hype.

Embargo strategically if you need coverage coordination If you want a news story published simultaneously with your announcement, use an embargo: “FOR RELEASE January 30, 2026 at 6 AM PT.” This gives journalists time to prepare stories that publish when you announce. Without embargo, journalists might miss your story entirely.

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Common pitfalls

Writing marketing copy instead of news Press releases aren’t sales pitches. If you’re using words like “revolutionary,” “groundbreaking,” or “best-in-class,” you’re overselling. Journalists skip hype. Stick to facts and let the news speak for itself.

Burying the news in paragraph three Journalists and editors skim. If your most important information isn’t in the first paragraph, it won’t be read. The inverted pyramid isn’t optional—it’s how journalism works. Most important first.

Quotes that sound robotic Executive quotes that read like they were written by a committee (“I’m thrilled about our synergistic partnership”) get cut or attributed to “a company spokesperson.” Real quotes sound like humans, provide substance, and add perspective the facts alone don’t.

Missing or wrong contact information Nothing kills press release effectiveness like incorrect media contact details. Journalists can’t reach you = you get no coverage. Double-check email, phone, and time zones. Respond to media inquiries within 2 hours, not 2 days.

Announcing something that isn’t newsworthy “Company launches new feature” isn’t news. “Company’s new feature reduces customer support response time by 50%” might be. Ask yourself: would this interest readers of TechCrunch, industry publications, or business media? If not, it’s not press-release-worthy.