How to Write a Press Release Journalists Actually Read

By: Daisy Raudales, Founder, DRPR Inc.

Let me tell you something most PR guides won't say out loud: the majority of press releases get deleted within 3 seconds of landing in a journalist's inbox.

Not because the news isn't interesting. Not because the company isn't worth covering. But because the press release itself doesn't follow the structure that journalists need to do their job.

I've written dozens of press releases over the past 8 years from product launches to event announcements, funding rounds, nonprofit campaigns, and everything in between. Some have landed coverage in Men's Health, Yahoo, Financial Post, and dozens of other major outlets. Others, especially early in my career disappeared into the void.

The difference wasn't luck. It was structure.

Here's the exact framework I use with every DRPR client, and the one I'm sharing with you today.

The Golden Rule: Write for the Journalist, Not for Yourself

Before we get into the structure, this is the mindset shift that changes everything.

A press release is not a marketing document. It's not a blog post. It's not a sales pitch. It's a professional communication to a journalist that says: "Here is a newsworthy story. Here are the facts. Here's everything you need to cover it."

Every sentence should pass this test: "Would a journalist copy-paste this into their article?" If the answer is no, rewrite it or cut it.

The Structure (Section by Section)

1. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This goes at the very top. It tells the journalist that the information is cleared for publication right now. If your news is embargoed (not to be published until a specific date), you'd write "EMBARGOED UNTIL [date]" instead.

2. Headline

Your headline is essentially your email subject line. It needs to state the news clearly in one sentence. No clever wordplay, no puns, no vague teasers.

Keep it under 100 characters so it works as an email subject line too. Use active voice: "[Company] Launches [Thing]" — not "New [Thing] Is Launched by [Company]."

If there's a number that tells the story, use it. If there's a name people recognize, include it. Specificity wins. Including strong keywords is also essential to help you increase your SEO.

3. Subheadline (Optional)

One sentence that adds context or highlights the key benefit. Think of it as the supporting detail that makes the headline click. Not every release needs one, but for complex announcements, it helps.

4. Dateline & Lead Paragraph

This is the most important part of your entire press release. Format it as:

[CITY, Province/State] — [Full Date] — Then your opening paragraph.

The lead paragraph must answer WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, and WHY in the first 2–3 sentences. A journalist should be able to read this paragraph alone and understand the full story. If they have to keep reading to figure out what the news is, you've already lost them.

5. Body Paragraph 1: The "So What"

Expand on the news. Why does this matter? What problem does it solve? Who does it impact? If you have a relevant data point or statistic, this is where it goes.

Keep it to 2–3 sentences. Short paragraphs are essential. Journalists scan press releases, they don't read them like novels.

6. Quote from Key Spokesperson

This is where you add a human voice to the announcement. The quote should come from your CEO, founder, or the most relevant spokesperson.

Here's the key: journalists pull quotes directly from press releases and print them verbatim. So write the quote the way you'd want to see it in the article. Make it sound natural, confident, and quotable, not corporate or generic.

Avoid quotes that just repeat the facts ("We're excited to announce..."). Instead, use the quote to express significance, vision, or impact: why this matters on a human level.

7. Body Paragraph 2: Supporting Details

Add context: timeline, availability, partnerships, additional features, community impact, or relevant background. This is where you can go deeper without cluttering the lead.

8. Optional: Second Quote

If you have a partner, client, or industry figure who can validate the news, include their quote here. External validation is powerful because it signals to the journalist that this announcement matters beyond your own company.

9. Call to Action

What should the reader do next? Visit a website? Register for an event? Download something? Include one clear CTA with a URL.

10. Boilerplate ("About [Company Name]")

A 2–3 sentence description of your company: what you do, who you serve, and what makes you unique. This stays the same across all your releases.

11. Media Contact

Full name, title, company, email, phone, and website. Make it ridiculously easy for a journalist to reach you. If they can't find your contact info in 5 seconds, the story dies.

12. Ending

Three hash marks centered at the bottom. This is standard journalism convention, it signals the end of the press release. Every journalist knows what it means.

The 6 Signals That Make Your News Newsworthy

Your release needs at least one of these. The best releases combine 2–3.

Timeliness — Is this happening now or about to happen? Journalists cover what's current.

Impact — Does this affect a significant number of people? The bigger the impact, the bigger the story.

Novelty — Is this a first, a record, or something unusual? "First of its kind" angles are inherently newsworthy.

Human Interest — Is there a personal story that makes people feel something? Emotion drives coverage.

Local Relevance — Does this matter to a specific community? Local outlets especially care about this.

Data — Do you have a compelling number that tells a story? "40% increase" is more newsworthy than "significant growth."

5 Mistakes That Kill a Press Release

1. Writing it like a sales pitch. Journalists can smell marketing language from the subject line. No superlatives ("best-in-class"), no hype ("revolutionary"), no empty claims. Be specific, not impressive.

2. Burying the news. If your company bio is in the first paragraph and the actual news is in paragraph three, you've lost the journalist. Lead with the story, not yourself.

3. Making it too long. A press release should be one page (400 to 600 words max). If you can't say it in one page, you haven't found your angle yet.

4. Forgetting the media contact. If a journalist wants to follow up and can't find a name, email, or phone number, the story is dead. This happens more often than you'd think.

5. Sending it as a PDF attachment. Journalists don't open attachments from people they don't know. Paste the press release in the body of your email. Attach the PDF only as a secondary option.

Your Pre-Send Checklist

Before you hit send, run through this:

• Headline is under 100 characters and states the news clearly

• Lead paragraph answers WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY

• Total length is under 600 words / 1 page

• Quote sounds natural and quotable (not corporate)

• Boilerplate is at the bottom, not the top

• Media contact info is complete (name, email, phone)

• No jargon, superlatives, or marketing language

• Ends with ###

• Proofread by a second pair of eyes

Want the Template?

We've turned this entire framework into a free, fillable press release template, the same structure behind the media placements we've earned for our clients in Men's Health, Yahoo, Financial Post, and more.

It includes the fillable template, section-by-section guidance, pro tips on making your quotes quotable, the 6 newsworthiness signals, a pre-send checklist, and common mistakes to avoid.

Download the Free Press Release Template →

Need a Partner, Not Just a Template?

Templates are a great starting point. But if you want a PR partner who handles the strategy, the pitching, and the media relationships for you, we should talk.

Daisy Raudales is the founder of DRPR, a public relations and content marketing agency helping CEOs and founders build visible, trusted brands that drive growth. Based in Durham Region, Ontario, serving clients across Canada and North America.