Press Release Writer

When to use this skill

• User asks to write a press release

• User needs a media announcement

• User wants news release format

• User mentions PR distribution

• User needs journalist-ready content

Workflow

• Identify announcement type

• Gather key facts (5 W's)

• Write compelling headline

• Structure inverted pyramid

• Add quotes and context

• Include boilerplate and contact

Instructions

Step 1: Announcement Type

Press release categories:

Type Purpose Key Elements

Product Launch Announce new product/feature Features, availability, pricing

Company News Milestones, awards, leadership Achievement, impact, quotes

Partnership Strategic alliances Both parties, benefits, scope

Funding Investment rounds Amount, investors, use of funds

Event Conferences, webinars Date, location, speakers, registration

Research Studies, surveys, reports Key findings, methodology, data

Acquisition M&A announcements Terms, rationale, timeline

Crisis Issue response Facts, actions taken, commitment

Step 2: Gather Key Information

The 5 W's + H checklist:

Press Release Brief

What: [The announcement - what happened/is happening] Who: [Company, people, partners involved] When: [Date, time, timeline] Where: [Location, markets, availability] Why: [Significance, reason, benefit] How: [Process, next steps, how to access]

Newsworthiness:

• First/only in industry
• Significant milestone
• Notable partnership/person
• Trend/timing relevance
• Impact on customers/industry

Supporting Assets:

• Executive quote
• Partner/customer quote
• Statistics/data points
• Images/video available
• Fact sheet/backgrounder

Step 3: Headline Writing

Headline formula:

[Company] + [Action Verb] + [What] + [Benefit/Impact]

Headline examples by type:

Type Example

Product "Acme Launches AI-Powered Analytics Platform to Help SMBs Make Data-Driven Decisions"

Funding "TechStart Raises $25M Series B to Accelerate Global Expansion"

Partnership "Acme Partners with Microsoft to Bring Enterprise Solutions to Azure Marketplace"

Award "Acme Named to Forbes Cloud 100 for Third Consecutive Year"

Research "New Study Reveals 78% of Marketers Plan to Increase AI Investment in 2026"

Acquisition "Acme Acquires DataCorp to Strengthen Machine Learning Capabilities"

Headline rules:

Do Don't

Use active voice Use passive voice

Include company name Start with date

State the news clearly Be vague or teasing

Keep under 80 characters Use all caps

Use strong action verbs Use "announces" (weak)

Subheadline (optional):

Add context or secondary benefit:

[Primary Headline] [Supporting detail, additional context, or key statistic]

Step 4: Press Release Structure

Inverted pyramid format:

[HEADLINE]

[Subheadline - optional]

[CITY, State] – [Month Day, Year] – [Lead paragraph: Who did what, when, where, and why it matters. Most important information first. Should be able to stand alone as the entire story. 25-30 words.]

[Second paragraph: Expand on the lead. Add context, statistics, or the "how." Support the newsworthiness claim.]

[Quote from company executive: Provide perspective, vision, or significance. Make it sound human, not corporate.]

[Third/fourth paragraph: Additional details, features, availability, or technical information. Less critical info here.]

[Quote from partner, customer, or analyst - optional: Third-party validation adds credibility.]

[Final paragraph: Call to action, availability, where to learn more.]

About [Company Name]

[Boilerplate: 2-3 sentences describing the company, what it does, key stats, and website.]

Media Contact

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

Step 5: Lead Paragraph

Lead paragraph template:

[City, State] – [Month Day, Year] – [Company Name], [brief descriptor], today announced [the news], [key benefit or impact]. [Supporting detail or availability information].

Lead examples:

Product Launch:

SAN FRANCISCO – January 18, 2026 – Acme Software, a leader in business analytics, today launched DataPro 3.0, an AI-powered platform that reduces reporting time by 80%. The new version is available immediately for all enterprise customers.

Funding:

AUSTIN, Texas – January 18, 2026 – TechStart, the leading provider of developer tools, today announced it has raised $25 million in Series B funding led by Sequoia Capital. The investment will accelerate product development and international expansion.

Partnership:

NEW YORK – January 18, 2026 – Acme Corp and GlobalTech today announced a strategic partnership to deliver integrated supply chain solutions to enterprise customers worldwide. The collaboration combines Acme's logistics platform with GlobalTech's AI forecasting technology.

Step 6: Quote Guidelines

Executive quote formula:

"[Statement about significance/vision], [Company Name] + [action/commitment]. [Forward-looking statement or customer benefit]," said [Name], [Title] at [Company].

Quote examples:

Visionary:

"This launch represents a fundamental shift in how businesses approach data analytics," said Jane Smith, CEO of Acme Software. "We're giving every company the power to make decisions like a Fortune 500."

Customer-focused:

"Our customers asked for faster, more intuitive reporting, and DataPro 3.0 delivers exactly that," said John Doe, VP of Product at Acme. "We're excited to see how teams use these new capabilities."

Partnership:

"Combining our technologies creates something neither company could build alone," said Sarah Johnson, CEO of GlobalTech. "Together, we're setting a new standard for supply chain intelligence."

Quote rules:

Do Don't

Sound like a human speaking Use corporate jargon

Add perspective not in text Repeat the headline

Include forward-looking vision Be generic or bland

Keep to 2-3 sentences Write paragraph-length quotes

Step 7: Body Paragraphs

Information to include (in order of importance):

• Expansion of lead - More detail on the announcement

• Features/benefits - What's included, what it does

• Availability - When, where, pricing

• Context - Market need, problem solved

• Proof points - Stats, customer results, analyst quotes

• Technical details - Specs, requirements (if relevant)

• Future plans - Roadmap, next steps (brief)

Feature presentation:

Key features of [Product] include:

• [Feature Name]: [One-sentence benefit description]
• [Feature Name]: [One-sentence benefit description]
• [Feature Name]: [One-sentence benefit description]

Step 8: Boilerplate

Boilerplate template:

About [Company Name]

[Company Name] is [what it is/does] that helps [target audience] [achieve outcome]. [Founded in YEAR / Headquartered in CITY], the company [key achievement or scale metric]. [Customer stat or notable clients - optional]. For more information, visit [website].

Boilerplate examples:

B2B SaaS:

About Acme Software

Acme Software is the leading business analytics platform that helps growing companies make smarter decisions faster. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in San Francisco, the company serves over 5,000 customers across 40 countries. For more information, visit acme.com.

E-commerce:

About ShopBrand

ShopBrand is a sustainable fashion retailer committed to ethical manufacturing and timeless design. Since 2015, the company has prevented over 2 million garments from reaching landfills through its recycling program. Shop the collection at shopbrand.com.

Step 9: Media Contact

Contact block format:

Media Contact

[First Name] [Last Name] [Title] [Company Name] [Email] [Phone with country code]

Multiple contacts (if needed):

Media Contacts

Company PR: Jane Smith Director of Communications Acme Software jane@acme.com +1 (555) 123-4567

Agency Contact: John Doe Account Director PR Agency Name john@agency.com +1 (555) 987-6543

Step 10: Distribution Optimization

Wire service formatting:

Element Requirement

Length 400-600 words ideal

Paragraphs 2-3 sentences each

Headline Under 80 characters

Links 2-3 maximum

Multimedia Note if images/video available

SEO for online distribution:

• Include target keywords in headline and lead

• Use company name in first 100 words

• Add relevant industry terms naturally

• Include location for local SEO

• Link to landing page or newsroom

Multimedia note format:

Multimedia:

• High-resolution product images available at [link]
• Executive headshots available upon request
• Video demo: [link]

Step 11: Embargo and Timing

Embargo format (if applicable):

EMBARGOED UNTIL [Time] [Timezone], [Date]

[Press release content]

Timing considerations:

Day Best For

Tuesday General announcements

Wednesday Product launches

Thursday Financial news

Avoid Friday afternoon, weekends, holidays

Time Notes

6:00 AM ET Catches morning news cycle

8:00 AM ET Standard business hours

Market close Financial news

Output Format

[HEADLINE IN TITLE CASE]

[Subheadline if applicable]

[CITY, State] – [Month Day, Year] – [Lead paragraph with the complete story in 25-30 words.]

[Second paragraph expanding on the news with context and significance.]

"[Executive quote providing vision and perspective]," said [Name], [Title] at [Company].

[Body paragraph with features, benefits, or additional details.]

[Body paragraph with availability, pricing, or access information.]

"[Optional third-party quote for validation]," said [Name], [Title] at [Organization].

[Closing paragraph with call to action and where to learn more.]

About [Company Name]

[2-3 sentence boilerplate]

Media Contact

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

Word count: [XXX words] Multimedia: [Available/Not available] Embargo: [None/Date and time]

Validation

Before completing:

• Headline is clear, active, under 80 chars

• Lead paragraph answers who, what, when, where, why

• Inverted pyramid structure (most important first)

• At least one executive quote included

• Quotes sound human, not corporate

• Boilerplate is current and accurate

• Media contact information complete

• Length is 400-600 words

• No jargon or unexplained acronyms

Error Handling

• Unclear announcement: Ask for the single most important thing to communicate.

• No quote provided: Draft a quote template and ask for approval/modification.

• Missing company info: Request boilerplate or key company facts.

• Too much information: Prioritize by newsworthiness; move details to fact sheet.

• No clear news angle: Help identify what makes this announcement newsworthy now.

Resources

• AP Stylebook - Industry standard style guide

• PR Newswire Guidelines - Wire distribution best practices

• Business Wire - Press release distribution

• HARO - Journalist connection platform