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/backgrounderStep 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) 987-6543Step 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