How Do You Write a Press Release Journalists Actually Want to Read?
By Jordan Baker, Founder of Fair Public Relations and former UK national journalist
A press release is not an article, and it is not a brochure.
I think that distinction explains a lot of the problems businesses have when they try to write one.
When I was working as a journalist, I did not open a press release hoping to admire how beautifully the company had described itself. I was trying to work something out very quickly: what are you pitching me, why is it relevant to me, and what exactly are you offering?
Is this a story?
Is there somebody I can interview?
Are you offering an expert who can comment on a subject I cover?
Is there a product available for review?
Is this a venue or experience I can visit?
If I cannot answer those questions quickly, the press release is already making my job harder than it needs to be.
That is why I do not believe there is one perfect press-release template that every business should follow. The structure should depend on what you are trying to give the journalist. A product-review opportunity needs different information from a real-life story. Expert commentary should not be packaged in exactly the same way as a company announcement. A restaurant or travel review opportunity needs practical details that would be irrelevant in a business release.
The principle underneath all of them is the same: give the journalist the building blocks they need to decide whether there is something worth pursuing.
What is a press release actually for?
A press release is a media resource.
Its job is to communicate enough accurate, useful information for a journalist to understand the editorial opportunity and, where appropriate, start developing it into their own piece of journalism.
That is slightly different from the way businesses often think about press releases.
Companies naturally want to talk about themselves. They want to explain their mission, their history, their values, the brilliance of the founder and why the new product represents an exciting new chapter.
Those things may all matter to the business.
They are not automatically what matters to the journalist.
A journalist is primarily interested in the material you can contribute to their publication, audience, programme or article.
If you are offering expertise, the journalist needs to know what the person can talk about and why they are qualified.
If it is a product, they need to know what it is, the price, availability, relevant features, imagery and whether they can actually review it.
If it is a real-life story, they need to understand who the person is, what happened, why it is interesting and what that person is prepared to talk about.
If it is business news, the journalist needs to understand what changed and why anybody outside the company should care.
The company sits around that story. It should not bury it.
Do journalists still use press releases?
Yes, but I think businesses sometimes misunderstand what "use" means.
A journalist does not necessarily copy the press release into their publication. Nor should they.
They may use it to understand the story, check facts, identify somebody to interview, find a useful quote or establish what supporting material is available.
They might take one small part of a release and build a completely different article around it.
They may call the spokesperson and never use the original quotes at all.
They may ask for additional evidence.
They could decide that the product is suitable for a roundup rather than the standalone review you originally imagined.
Or they may decide it is not relevant and do nothing.
That is normal.
A useful press release facilitates journalism. It does not dictate the final article.
Does your announcement actually need a press release?
Not everything does.
Sometimes a short email is better.
If I have a client who is a fantastic employment lawyer and a journalist is writing about a new workplace ruling, I may simply pitch the expert directly with their credentials and the point they can contribute.
I do not necessarily need a formal three-page press release.
Likewise, if I am introducing one product for a very specific shopping roundup, a concise product briefing may be far more useful than a traditional company announcement.
A press release earns its place when there is enough material to organise.
That could be a launch, substantial company development, new research, a real-life story, a product review opportunity or another piece of information that benefits from having facts, quotes, assets and background collected in one clear document.
The mistake is starting with the thought, "We need a press release", rather than asking, "What do we actually have to give journalists?"
The first things I looked at as a journalist
My thought process was fairly straightforward.
First, I saw the subject line.
Then the headline.
Then the opening.
Then I wanted to understand what was being offered and whether it had anything to do with me.
Imagery was also useful, particularly if it was immediately obvious what was available and how it should be credited.
The company name itself mattered much less unless I already had a reason to recognise it.
That is worth remembering because businesses often give the brand enormous prominence.
If Apple announces a new product, "Apple" is part of the story because the company itself is famous.
If an unknown consultancy launches a new service, the consultancy's name is probably not the reason a journalist opens the email.
Lead with what is interesting.
What should a press release include?
| Element | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Headline | Makes the actual editorial proposition clear |
| Opening summary | Explains what happened and why it matters |
| Essential facts | Gives the who, what, where, when and relevant practical information |
| Supporting context | Explains the significance, evidence or wider background |
| Useful quotations | Gives the journalist attributable human insight |
| Evidence and sources | Supports important factual claims |
| Images and assets | Gives the journalist usable visual material where appropriate |
| Interview or review availability | Makes clear what additional access is being offered |
| Media contact | Allows the journalist to obtain more information quickly |
| Company background | Gives concise context, usually after the actual story rather than before it |
The order should reflect importance.
Do not begin with the company history if the news is halfway down the page.
How should you write the headline?
Make the story obvious.
That sounds less glamorous than inventing a clever headline, but clarity is more useful.
One mistake I see frequently is leading with the name of a company or spokesperson who is not actually famous.
For example:
Jordan Smith of Smith Coaching Reveals His Top Five Tips for Workplace Happiness
If nobody knows who Jordan Smith is, you have spent the most valuable part of the headline telling the journalist something that means very little to them.
A stronger version could be:
Life coach reveals five workplace habits making employees more miserable
Now I understand the content.
If Jordan Smith is a household name, that calculation changes.
"Oprah Winfrey says..." has editorial value because the name itself attracts interest.
For most small businesses, founders and experts, the story should lead.
Before and after: a weak headline
Before:
Innovative UK company ABC Solutions launches revolutionary new service
It sounds like marketing copy and gives almost no useful information.
After:
New service lets independent retailers offer same-day local delivery without running their own driver fleet
Now I know what has changed and why somebody might potentially care.
The second headline does not guarantee coverage. It simply gives the journalist something concrete to assess.
How should the opening paragraph work?
The opening should quickly explain the most important part of the story.
A good way to test it is to imagine the journalist reads only that paragraph.
Would they understand what you are offering?
For a straightforward announcement, the opening may answer several of the classic questions: who, what, where, when and why.
It does not have to cram every fact into one sentence.
It does need to prioritise.
Consider this:
ABC Solutions, an innovative and dynamic technology company committed to transforming the retail landscape, is delighted to announce the launch of its latest groundbreaking service as part of its ongoing mission to empower small businesses.
That is a lot of language without much information.
A stronger opening might be:
Independent retailers in Manchester and Leeds can now offer same-day local delivery without employing their own drivers through a new service launching this month.
Then we can tell the journalist who created it, what it costs, how it works and why it might matter.
What belongs in the main body?
Once the journalist understands the basic proposition, give them the supporting information they are likely to need.
That could include numbers.
Dates.
Locations.
Prices.
Evidence.
How something works.
Who is affected.
What prompted the development.
Relevant history.
Comparisons.
Examples.
The order should remain logical.
Press releases often become bloated because every internal stakeholder wants their favourite paragraph included.
The founder wants the company origin story.
Marketing wants the brand mission.
Sales wants a list of benefits.
A partner wants a quote.
Somebody else wants the award history.
Eventually, the useful story disappears underneath all of it.
Ask whether each paragraph helps the journalist understand, verify or develop the story.
If it does not, consider removing it.
What makes a press-release quote useful?
A quote should give the journalist something they cannot communicate as effectively in plain factual copy.
That might be opinion.
Emotion.
Explanation.
Experience.
A genuinely strong point of view.
What it should not do is repeat the announcement using less natural language.
A bad corporate quote might look like this:
"We are absolutely delighted to announce this exciting new service and incredibly proud of our fantastic team, who continue to work tirelessly to deliver innovative solutions for our valued customers."
Nobody talks like that.
And more importantly, there is very little information in it.
A stronger fictional quote might be:
"Independent retailers are being compared with Amazon on delivery speed, but most simply cannot justify employing drivers all day. We built this because several shop owners told us they were losing local customers at the final stage of checkout when delivery took three or four days."
Now the quote adds context.
It gives the journalist a problem, an observation and a reason the company acted.
For expert-led material, quotes can be stronger again when the person has a clear, defensible opinion.
Short, concise and specific usually beats lengthy and diplomatic.
Should quotes ever be controversial?
They can be, provided the opinion is genuine and defensible.
A journalist is often more interested in an expert who actually thinks something than one who has sanitised every opinion until it becomes meaningless.
That does not mean inventing controversy for attention.
If an experienced interior designer genuinely believes a popular kitchen trend is impractical, say why.
If a recruitment specialist thinks businesses are misunderstanding why candidates turn down jobs, explain it.
If a dermatologist disagrees with a widespread skincare claim, and can responsibly explain the evidence, that may be useful.
Strong opinions work when expertise sits underneath them.
Different stories need different press-release formats
This is where I disagree with the idea that every press release should follow exactly the same template.
At Fair PR, we use different structures depending on what we are pitching.
Product review opportunity
For a product, I want the information to feel almost like a very good ecommerce listing because that is close to what the journalist needs when deciding whether to consider it.
I would include:
Product name
Clear review opportunity
Price
Short description
What makes it different
Stockists
Relevant product page
Several good images
Sample availability
Essential specifications
Media contact
The journalist may be considering ten products for the same feature.
Make comparison easy.
Real-life story
A real-person story needs a completely different structure.
I would want:
A strong editorial headline
Subject's name
Age
Location
Short explanation of the story
Why it is interesting now
Then I like quotes and information organised under useful themes.
For example:
How Sarah first realised something was wrong
Why she made the decision to leave her career
What happened next
How she feels about it now
What she plans to do next
That structure comes partly from my own background in journalism. When I worked at the Daily Mail, this was essentially how we would communicate stories internally to editors. We were giving them the building blocks so they could understand what the story contained and what could be done with it.
Expert commentary
For an expert, the release may be much shorter.
The important information is:
Who is the expert?
Why are they credible?
What is their position or insight?
What can they discuss?
Are they available for interview?
If the journalist only needs a quote for a live story, a full press release may not even be necessary.
Business news
Business news normally needs the development itself upfront, followed by the scale, significance and relevant context.
Do not begin with three paragraphs describing the company.
Tell the journalist what happened.
Then establish why the development matters.
A complete practical press-release template
Here is a flexible structure a small business can adapt.
HEADLINE
[Lead with the actual story, not an unknown company name]
OPTIONAL SUBHEADING
One sentence adding an important fact, figure, location or explanation.
OPENING
[What has happened? Who is affected? Where and when is it happening? Why is this potentially relevant?]
KEY INFORMATION
[Explain how the development works.]
[Add important figures, price, dates, locations, availability or evidence.]
[Explain what makes it unusual or relevant.]
QUOTE
[Name], [relevant title/credential], said:
"[Useful, concise quote adding opinion, explanation or first-hand insight.]"
FURTHER CONTEXT
[Add supporting background that helps explain the story without turning into a company brochure.]
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
[State whether interviews, samples, review opportunities, additional case studies or further information are available.]
IMAGES
[Link to relevant high-resolution images.]
[Include captions and required photography credits.]
MEDIA CONTACT
Name\
Email\
Telephone, where appropriate
ABOUT THE COMPANY
[Very short factual description of the business. Avoid sales copy.]
---
That is a framework, not a law.
If you are pitching a product, I would reorganise it around product information.
If you are pitching a person, I would build it around that person's story.
The point is usefulness.
Worked example: turning a company announcement into usable press material
Here is an explicitly fictional example.
Imagine a small technology company has developed a service that allows independent retailers to provide same-day delivery through local courier networks.
The internal company announcement might begin like this:
ABC Solutions announces exciting new delivery innovation
ABC Solutions, a leading innovator in the retail technology sector, is delighted to announce the launch of ABC Express, its revolutionary new delivery platform that will transform the way independent businesses connect with customers.
That reads like corporate marketing.
Let us rebuild it.
—
Independent shops can now offer same-day delivery without employing their own drivers
New service launching in Manchester and Leeds connects local retailers with existing courier networks, with plans to expand to further UK cities.
Independent retailers in Manchester and Leeds will be able to offer customers same-day home delivery without employing their own drivers through a new service launching on 15th November.
ABC Express connects shop orders with participating local courier networks, allowing retailers to request a collection when an order is ready rather than maintaining an in-house delivery fleet.
The service will initially be available to independent retailers operating within selected Manchester and Leeds postcodes. Participating businesses will pay £[verified fee], with deliveries priced from £[verified amount] depending on distance.
The company behind the platform says it developed the service after speaking with independent retailers that wanted to compete with faster online delivery without taking on the fixed cost of employing their own drivers.
Jane Smith, founder of ABC Solutions, said:
"Several shop owners told us customers were abandoning purchases after discovering delivery would take three or four days. They knew faster delivery could help, but keeping a driver available all day simply did not make financial sense for a lot of independent stores."
Smith said the company intends to expand into further cities in 2027 if the first phase demonstrates sufficient retailer and courier demand.
Interview availability
Jane Smith is available to discuss the development of the platform, the delivery challenges facing independent retailers and the company's expansion plans.
Images
High-resolution images of the platform and Jane Smith are available here: [verified media link]
Photography credit: [verified credit]
Media enquiries
[Name]\
[Email]\
[Telephone]
About ABC Solutions
ABC Solutions is a UK retail technology business based in Manchester. [Add only verified factual company information.]
---
That is still only a hypothetical release.
The prices, claims, expansion plans, photographs and quotations would all need checking before publication.
But the format makes the editorial proposition much clearer.
What is the difference between a press release, pitch, expert quote and media kit?
They are often treated as interchangeable, but I think it is useful to distinguish them.
| Resource | Best used for | What it contains |
|---|---|---|
| Press release | A developed story or announcement | Headline, facts, context, quotes, assets and contact information |
| Short journalist pitch | Introducing an opportunity quickly | A concise explanation of what is being offered and why it fits |
| Expert quotation | Responding to a specific article or request | A direct, attributable expert answer plus credentials |
| Media kit | Supporting ongoing media interest | Bios, images, company facts, product information and reusable assets |
A media kit is not a replacement for a pitch.
The journalist should not have to open a folder containing 26 files to work out what you want.
Likewise, a short pitch does not always need a formal press release behind it.
Choose the tool according to the opportunity.
How long should a press release be?
As long as necessary to communicate the useful information, and no longer.
I do not think an arbitrary universal word count is particularly helpful.
A simple product opportunity may need relatively little copy.
A complicated business story involving data may require more context.
A real-life story might contain substantial interview material because the person's experiences are the story.
The useful test is whether the length reflects the information available or whether the company is padding the release.
If the important story could be communicated clearly in 600 words, making it 1,200 words does not make it more authoritative.
If the story genuinely needs more context, cutting it simply to satisfy an internet rule about "the perfect press-release length" is equally unhelpful.
How important are photographs?
Very.
For some types of PR, they are essential.
A product pitch without usable product photography is immediately more difficult.
An interiors feature obviously depends heavily on imagery.
A real-life story is much easier to assess when there are strong photographs of the subject.
A restaurant or travel story benefits from visual material showing the place or experience.
But do not just have the photographs.
Organise them.
The journalist should know what each image shows and who should receive the credit.
If a photographer must be credited, say so clearly.
If people appear in the image, make sure you have appropriate permission to supply it.
If the photograph cannot be published in certain contexts, communicate that before publication rather than afterwards.
Product brands should have more than one type of image
For consumer products, I normally want good packshots as well as lifestyle imagery.
The packshot shows the product clearly and can be placed into shopping layouts.
Lifestyle images show it in context.
If the product comes in several colours or variants, provide enough imagery for the journalist to understand them.
Again, these assets support the release.
Do not bury the actual product information underneath twelve pages explaining the photoshoot.
What other supporting material should be ready?
Think about what the journalist might reasonably ask for next.
If this is an expert story, is the spokesperson available for interview?
Do we have their relevant credentials?
If this is a product, can we send a sample?
Is it actually in stock?
If we are making a data-led claim, where did the data come from?
Can the methodology be explained?
If this is a real-life story, is the subject genuinely comfortable being interviewed?
Do we have their photographs?
If a company is making a significant factual claim, can we verify it?
I would rather prepare those things before pitching than scramble around after a journalist becomes interested.
Should the press release go in the email body?
There is no single rule every journalist follows.
Our own Fair PR approach is generally to keep the initial email relatively short.
The email functions as the covering pitch.
It tells the journalist what we are offering and why we think it is relevant.
We then tend to link to a Google Doc containing the fuller press material. That document can, in turn, include the supporting links to photographs and additional information.
One reason we like this arrangement is that the initial pitch remains very clean. From our practical experience, we also prefer not to fill first-contact emails with numerous separate links or large attachments where they are unnecessary.
Other PR teams work differently.
Some journalists may prefer the full release pasted underneath the pitch.
The broader principle matters more than the exact technology: do not make access to the information unnecessarily difficult.
Should you attach PDFs?
I generally would not make a big glossy PDF the primary way a journalist has to access the story.
Businesses often love PDFs because they look polished.
Journalists often need information they can quickly read, search, quote, copy, verify and share internally.
A large graphic-heavy PDF can create friction.
It can also encourage businesses to design a press release like a sales brochure.
If you have genuinely useful supporting documents, they can be provided where appropriate.
Just do not mistake visual polish for editorial value.
Do you need to write "PRESS RELEASE" or "EMBARGOED UNTIL"?
You do not need to decorate the document with terminology simply because you have seen it on another template.
An embargo has a real purpose when information is being supplied in advance on the understanding that it should not be published before an agreed date.
It should not be added automatically to make a release look professional.
Likewise, huge headings saying "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" do not suddenly make the underlying information more interesting.
This is one area where generic templates, including AI-generated press-release templates, can make everything look strangely ceremonial.
Journalists care much more about the content.
Can AI write a press release?
It can help.
I would be careful about what you allow it to invent.
If you have genuine source information, a transcript, verified figures and real quotes, AI can potentially help organise material, identify repetition or improve clarity.
What it should not do is make up facts.
It should not create a quote and attribute it to a founder who never said it.
It should not manufacture research.
And it should not turn an uninteresting announcement into a misleading one by exaggerating what happened.
The editorial judgement still needs to come from somebody who understands journalism.
A technically polished press release about nothing is still a press release about nothing.
Do you need a press-release distribution service?
Not necessarily.
Distribution and targeted journalist outreach are different things.
A distribution service can place information into a network or database and may have legitimate uses depending on what a business needs.
That is not the same as personally identifying relevant journalists and persuading them that the story is worth covering.
Businesses should also distinguish paid placement from earned editorial coverage.
Paying for something to appear somewhere does not automatically mean an independent journalist chose to report on it.
There is nothing inherently wrong with paid distribution or sponsored material when it is accurately described.
It just should not be confused with earned media.
At Fair PR, our focus is on journalist-led story development and targeted outreach rather than treating mass distribution as a substitute for editorial judgement.
What happens after you send the release?
Hopefully, the journalist asks for something.
That could be an interview.
More information.
A sample.
An additional quote.
Evidence.
A photograph.
Another case study.
They may ask whether the spokesperson can speak today.
Sometimes the journalist simply publishes using part of the supplied information.
Sometimes you hear nothing.
That is also normal.
Submitting a press release does not transfer editorial control to the company.
The journalist decides whether the story runs, what angle they take, which quotes they use, what the headline says and whether the company receives a link.
Those are editorial decisions.
Should you follow up?
As I explained in our guide to why journalists ignore PR pitches, our Fair PR approach is generally not to chase an unanswered initial pitch.
If a journalist has expressed interest, that is different.
Once a conversation has started, there may be entirely legitimate reasons to check whether they need anything else or confirm logistics.
But we do not generally send repeated emails asking whether somebody saw the original release.
I would rather develop another useful pitch, repackage the idea if there is another legitimate angle or bring them something new.
The biggest press-release mistakes
Most of the problems are surprisingly consistent.
The release is too long.
The useful information is buried.
The headline leads with an unknown company instead of the story.
The language is full of jargon.
The document looks like a brochure.
Quotes say nothing.
Claims are unsupported.
The spokesperson's credentials are unclear.
Photographs do not exist.
Product samples are unavailable.
Important prices, dates or locations are missing.
The company assumes the journalist wants to promote the business rather than create useful content for an audience.
All of those problems ultimately come back to the same misunderstanding.
The press release was written for the company instead of the journalist.
When should a business use a PR professional?
When the difficult part is no longer physically writing the sentences.
Most businesses can put words into a document.
The harder questions are editorial.
Is there actually a story?
What is the strongest part?
Should this be a press release at all?
Which format fits?
What should the headline lead with?
What information is missing?
Is the quote good enough?
Do we have the evidence?
Who should receive it?
How should we pitch it?
What do we do if nobody responds?
That is where professional PR should add value.
At Fair PR, press-release writing sits within a much wider process of developing the story, preparing the materials, identifying relevant journalists, pitching them and handling the conversation afterwards.
The document is one tool.
It is not the strategy by itself.
So how do you write a press release journalists actually want to read?
Start with what you are offering them.
Not your mission statement.
Not your company history.
Not the fact that everybody internally is delighted.
Work out whether you are offering a story, interview, expert, review opportunity, product, service or experience.
Then give the journalist the information they need to evaluate it.
Lead with the most interesting part.
Keep the language clear.
Use quotes that contain actual opinions or insight.
Provide evidence where you make claims.
Prepare images properly.
Make interviews or samples genuinely available if you offer them.
Keep company background in proportion.
Most importantly, do not assume that getting the format right can rescue an uninteresting idea.
A press release is packaging.
It can make a good story much easier for a journalist to recognise and use.
It cannot make them want a story that is not there.
Frequently asked questions
Can AI write a press release?
AI can help structure, edit and refine verified information, but it should not invent facts, evidence or quotations. The underlying story and expertise still need to be real.
How many words should a press release be?
There is no universal ideal length. Use enough space to give the journalist the facts and supporting information they need without padding the document unnecessarily.
Should you put the full press release in the email body?
You can, but it is not the only approach. Fair PR generally uses a short covering pitch with a link to fuller press material. The priority is making the information easy and safe for the journalist to access.
Does a press release need a company quote?
Not automatically. Include a quote when it adds useful opinion, explanation or first-hand insight. A generic "we are delighted" quote can usually be removed without losing anything.
Should a press release include links and photographs?
Relevant photographs, source information and useful links can be extremely helpful. Keep them organised and make any required image credits clear.
Do journalists want PDF press releases?
Some may accept them, but I would not rely on a large designed PDF as the only way to access the story. Plain, accessible press material is often easier to work with.
Is paying for press-release distribution the same as getting press coverage?
No. Distribution, paid placement and independent earned editorial coverage are different things.
Can a small business write its own press release?
Absolutely. The biggest challenge is normally not the writing itself but judging whether the story is genuinely useful to journalists and presenting it from their perspective.
Should I include my company name in the headline?
If the company is well known enough that its name is part of the news, potentially. For most smaller businesses, the actual story is normally the stronger thing to lead with.
Do press releases guarantee media coverage?
No. A good press release makes the opportunity easier to assess. Journalists and editors still decide what they cover.
Need Help Turning Your News Into Something Journalists Can Use?
Fair Public Relations provides journalist-led story development, press-release writing and targeted media outreach as part of our wider Standard PR service.
We help clients work out what the actual story is, choose the right format, prepare the supporting material and take it to journalists for whom it is genuinely relevant.
We cannot guarantee that a journalist will publish a story simply because a press release exists.
We can make sure the material gives them a much better reason to consider it.
Read How to Get Press Coverage for Your Small Business
Written by Jordan Baker
Founder of Fair Public Relations and former UK national journalist
Jordan Baker is the founder of Fair Public Relations and a former UK national journalist with more than a decade of experience in journalism, PR and media relations. He writes about press releases, journalist outreach, earned media, media strategy and how businesses can turn their knowledge and developments into useful editorial opportunities.
