How to Write a Press Release Journalists Will Actually Read

A journalist scanning their inbox decides whether to keep reading within the first sentence, sometimes the first few words of the headline. Most press releases lose them immediately by opening with company self-congratulation instead of the actual news.

The headline is doing 80% of the work

"Company X Announces Exciting New Partnership" tells a journalist nothing they can use. "Company X Partners With Y to Bring [Specific Outcome] to [Specific Audience]" gives them an actual angle. Write the headline like the story's first line, not a corporate announcement banner.

Lead with the news, not the backstory

The first paragraph should answer who, what, and why it matters — in that order. Company history, founding story, and mission statement belong further down, if at all. A journalist deciding whether to cover the story needs the news first; everything else is supporting material.

Quotes should say something, not just exist

"We're thrilled about this exciting opportunity" is a placeholder, not a quote. A real quote adds context, a number, or a perspective a journalist can actually use — if the quote could be deleted without losing information, it needs rewriting.

Give them something to verify

Specific numbers, named sources, and links to supporting data make a story easier to fact-check and more likely to get picked up. Vague claims ("rapidly growing," "industry-leading") require a journalist to either take your word for it or skip the story entirely.

Keep it to one page

If the release can't make its case in roughly 400 words, it's probably trying to cover too much. One clear story, one clear angle, with contact details and additional resources linked at the bottom for anyone who wants to dig deeper.