How to Write a Press Release (Step by Step)
Writing a press release is mostly about order and discipline: put the news first, back it with facts and one strong quote, and cut everything that sounds like an ad. Here is the exact process our editors follow, with a worked example.
Before you start, have these ready: the one-sentence version of your news, the date it happens, the city you're based in, a named person to quote, and a contact email. If you want to skip the blank page, copy our free press release template and fill it in as you go.
Step 1: Find the news angle
Ask: what changed, and why would a stranger care? "We're a great bakery" is not news. "Local bakery opens second location and adds 12 jobs" is. Good angles are concrete: a launch, a number, a first, a new person, a date.
Write the whole announcement as one sentence. If you can't, you probably have two releases, or none yet.
Step 2: Write the headline
- State the news plainly: who did what.
- Keep it under about 100 characters so it isn't cut off in search results.
- Use a strong verb ("Launches", "Opens", "Names", "Raises").
- Include the company name and, where natural, the words people would search for.
| Weak | Better |
|---|---|
| Exciting News From Ridgeway! | Ridgeway Apps Launches Budget Tracker Built for Freelancers |
| A New Chapter Begins | Summit HVAC Names Industry Veteran Rachel Kim as CEO |
Step 3: Add a subheadline (optional)
One sentence that adds the most interesting detail the headline couldn't fit, for example: "Free app automatically sets aside tax from each client payment."
Step 4: Write the dateline
The dateline opens the first paragraph: city, state, date and a dash. News style abbreviates most months and states: AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 23, 2026 —. Our AP style dateline guide covers the exact rules.
Step 5: Write the lead paragraph
This is the most important paragraph. In two or three sentences it must answer who, what, when, where and why. Many sites that republish releases show only the first paragraph, so it has to stand on its own.
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 23, 2026 — Ridgeway Apps today launched Ridgeway Budget, a free iPhone and Android app that automatically sets aside income tax from each payment a freelancer receives, so they aren't caught short at tax time.
Step 6: Write the body
Use two to four short paragraphs, most important first (the "inverted pyramid"). Add the details a reporter would ask for: numbers, prices, availability, how it works, and background. Write in the third person ("the company", not "we"). Cut adjectives you can't prove.
Step 7: Add a quote
Include one or two quotes from a named person with their title. A good quote gives opinion or motivation, which the facts can't. Avoid quotes like "We're thrilled to announce…"; say why it matters instead.
"Most freelancers don't fail at taxes because they're careless. They fail because the money was spent before the bill arrived," said Priya Nair, founder of Ridgeway Apps.
Step 8: Add the boilerplate
The boilerplate is a standard two-to-four-sentence "About [Company]" paragraph: what you do, since when, where, and your website. Write it once and reuse it on every release.
Step 9: Add the media contact and end mark
Finish with a name, email and phone number for press questions, then ### centered on its own line to show the release is complete.
The finished example
Ridgeway Apps Launches Budget Tracker Built for Freelancers
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 23, 2026 — Ridgeway Apps today launched Ridgeway Budget, a free iPhone and Android app that automatically sets aside income tax from each payment a freelancer receives, so they aren't caught short at tax time.
Users connect their bank account and choose a tax rate. Each time a client payment arrives, the app moves that share into a separate savings "tax pot" and shows how much is safe to spend. A premium plan, at $4.99 a month, adds quarterly estimated-tax reminders.
"Most freelancers don't fail at taxes because they're careless. They fail because the money was spent before the bill arrived," said Priya Nair, founder of Ridgeway Apps.
Ridgeway Budget is available now on the App Store and Google Play.
About Ridgeway Apps
Ridgeway Apps is an Austin-based software company founded in 2021 that builds money tools for self-employed workers.
Media contact: Sam Cole, press@ridgewayapps.example, (512) 555-0190
###
Fictional company, shown for illustration.
Press release checklist
- ☐ Headline states the news in under ~100 characters
- ☐ Dateline with city, state and date
- ☐ First paragraph answers who, what, when, where, why
- ☐ At least one quote from a named person with a title
- ☐ Every claim is a fact you can back up
- ☐ Third person throughout, 300–600 words
- ☐ Boilerplate, media contact, and ###
- ☐ Proofread names, dates, prices and links
Common mistakes
- Burying the news below company history.
- Sales language: "revolutionary", "best-in-class", "act now".
- No real person quoted, or a quote that adds nothing.
- Too long. If it runs past a page, cut background, not facts.
- Missing contact details, so nobody can follow up.
Want to check the layout? See press release format, or browse finished press release samples.
Our editors write your press release, publish it across our network of news sites, and send you a report with every live link. One-time price, live within 5 business days.
Start My Order — From $195 See pricing »FAQ
How long does it take to write a press release?
With the facts in hand, a first draft takes one to two hours; allow time for someone else to check names, numbers and quotes.
Should a press release be written in first person?
No. Use third person ("the company said"). First person only appears inside quotes.
Can I use AI to write a press release?
AI can produce a first draft, but check every fact, and replace generic quotes with something the person actually said. Editors spot vague, padded releases quickly.