Most press releases are rejected before anyone reads the second paragraph. Not because the news is bad, but because the release is written like an advertisement instead of like news. This guide covers the structure editors actually expect, a complete template you can copy, a worked example, and the mistakes that get releases spiked.
What a press release is for
A press release exists to hand a journalist a story they can use with minimal work. That is the whole job. Everything in the format follows from it: the headline states the news, the first paragraph answers the obvious questions, the quote adds a human voice, and the boilerplate saves them looking your company up.
If your release requires the reader to hunt for what actually happened, it has failed, regardless of how well written it is.
Do you actually have news?
Before writing anything, check that something happened. These are news:
- A launch — product, service, location, market
- Funding, acquisition or merger
- A senior appointment or board change
- An award, certification or accreditation
- A partnership with a named counterparty
- Original research or data you are publishing
- A milestone with a number attached — 10,000th customer, 50th location
These are not news, and no amount of writing will make them so: a redesigned website, a general opinion about your industry, a seasonal greeting, or the fact that your service exists and is good.
The structure, section by section
1. Headline
One line, under about 12 words, stating what happened. Use the company name and an active verb. No adjectives you would not defend in court.
Weak: Exciting New Solution Set to Revolutionise the Industry
Working: Meridian Logistics Opens Second Warehouse in Manchester
2. Dateline and lead paragraph
Open with city, country and date, then answer who, what, when, where and why in one paragraph of two or three sentences. A reader who stops here should still know the story.
3. Body — two or three paragraphs
Context and detail, in descending order of importance. Numbers belong here: square footage, headcount, investment amount, percentage growth. Every claim that can be checked should be checkable.
4. Quote
One quote, attributed by full name and title. A quote should say something a person would actually say. If it contains the phrase “we are excited to announce”, rewrite it.
Weak: “We are thrilled to announce this exciting milestone in our journey.”
Working: “We were turning away contracts because we had no room. This site adds 40,000 square feet, so we can stop saying no.”
5. Boilerplate
Three or four sentences about the company: what it does, since when, where, and scale. Write it once, reuse it on every release.
6. Contact details
A named person, an email address that is monitored, and a phone number. Not “info@”.
Press release template
Copy this and replace the bracketed sections:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [HEADLINE: Company Name + Active Verb + What Happened] [Optional subheading: one line of supporting detail] [CITY, Country] — [Date] — [Company Name], [one-clause description of the company], today announced [what happened]. [One sentence on why it matters or what changes as a result.] [Body paragraph 1: the detail. Numbers, dates, locations, scale.] [Body paragraph 2: context. Why now, what preceded this, what happens next.] “[Quote that sounds like a human being said it, ideally containing a specific fact or a candid admission],” said [Full Name], [Title] at [Company Name]. “[Second sentence of the quote, forward looking.]” [Optional third body paragraph: additional detail, secondary quote, or availability and pricing.] About [Company Name] [Three to four sentences: what the company does, since when, where it operates, and its scale in customers, staff or revenue.] Media Contact [Full Name] [Title] [Monitored email address] [Phone number] [Website URL] ###
The three hashes at the end are a print convention meaning the release ends there. It is optional, but it signals you know the format.
A worked example
Here is the template filled in for a fictional company, so you can see the tone:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Meridian Logistics Opens Second Warehouse in Manchester The 40,000 sq ft site doubles the company’s northern capacity MANCHESTER, United Kingdom — 14 March 2026 — Meridian Logistics, a third-party fulfilment provider for e-commerce retailers, today opened its second UK warehouse in Trafford Park. The site doubles the company’s northern storage capacity and adds 26 jobs. The 40,000 square foot facility brings Meridian’s total UK footprint to approximately 75,000 square feet. The company handled 1.2 million outbound orders in 2025, a 34% increase on the previous year, and had been operating its existing Salford site at close to full capacity since September. The new warehouse is fitted for temperature-controlled storage, which Meridian has not previously offered. The company expects the site to be at half capacity by the end of Q3 2026. “We were turning away contracts because we had no room,” said Priya Raghavan, Managing Director at Meridian Logistics. “This site adds 40,000 square feet, so we can stop saying no. Temperature control also opens up food and cosmetics clients we could not previously take on.” About Meridian Logistics Meridian Logistics is a third-party fulfilment provider serving UK e-commerce retailers. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Salford, the company operates two warehouses in Greater Manchester and employs 94 staff. Media Contact Daniel Okafor Head of Communications daniel.okafor@example.com +44 161 496 0142 https://example.com ###
Note what it does not do. It does not call the warehouse state of the art. It does not say the company is a leading provider. It gives square footage, order volume, growth rate, headcount and a date, and lets the reader draw conclusions.
Mistakes that get releases rejected
- Superlatives with no evidence. “Leading”, “world-class” and “revolutionary” are the fastest way to signal that there is nothing to report.
- Burying the news. If the actual announcement is in paragraph four, move it up.
- Writing in the first person. A release is third person throughout, except inside quotes.
- Unsourced statistics. If you cite market size or growth, name the source.
- No contactable human. A release with no named contact reads as automated.
- Too long. Between 400 and 600 words is the working range. Over 800 and it stops being a release.
- Keyword stuffing. Writing for search engines rather than readers is visible immediately, and it fails at both.
Before you send it
- Read the headline alone. Does it tell someone what happened?
- Read only the first paragraph. Does it stand as a complete story?
- Check every number has a source or is your own verified data.
- Delete every adjective you cannot evidence.
- Confirm the contact email is monitored by a real person.
- Read the quote aloud. If nobody would say it, rewrite it.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a press release be?
Between 400 and 600 words is the working range for most announcements. Under 300 words usually means the detail is missing. Over 800 words and editors stop reading, because a release that long is generally padding around a small piece of news.
Should a press release be written in first or third person?
Third person throughout, except inside direct quotes. Write “the company announced” rather than “we announced”. Quotes are the only place where first person belongs.
Do I need a quote in a press release?
Yes, one quote from a named person with their full title. It is the part journalists most often lift verbatim, so it is worth writing properly. A quote that only expresses enthusiasm adds nothing; a quote that explains a decision or admits a constraint is usable.
What does FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE mean?
It tells the recipient there is no embargo and they may publish as soon as they receive it. If you need coverage held until a specific date, replace it with “EMBARGOED UNTIL” and the date and time, including the time zone.
Can I include links in a press release?
Yes, but sparingly and relevantly. One link to your website and one to a supporting resource is normal. A release stuffed with links reads as a link-building exercise rather than an announcement, and most editors will strip them or reject the piece.
Once it is written
A well-written release still needs somewhere to be published. Concierge Wire reviews and publishes press releases on a permanent, indexed URL, with distribution to news sites and a backlink to your website. See the plans or submit your release.
