Press Release Boilerplate: Definition, Examples and Template

A press release boilerplate is the short, standard paragraph at the end of a release that tells a reader who the company is and what it does. You write it once, keep it accurate, and reuse it on every announcement. Aim for roughly 100 words in a factual, third-person voice, with a website and a media contact right after it.

What is a boilerplate on a press release?

PR Newswire defines it as a standardized paragraph at the end of a press release that gives key information about your organization: a brief overview, mission, core products or services, and contact details. Mailchimp describes it as the “about us” section that gives journalists context about the company behind the news.

Think of it as your company's ID card. The headline and body cover the news. The boilerplate answers the question a journalist asks next: who are these people, and why should I care about this announcement?

What does “boilerplate” mean, and what are other words for it?

In general, boilerplate means standard, reusable text that gets copied from one document to the next. Mailchimp notes it shows up in articles, press releases and contracts. In everyday use it can also carry a slightly dismissive tone, meaning generic wording nobody thought hard about. That is the trap to avoid: Mailchimp warns that a company boilerplate should not read like a template that could apply to any business.

Other names you will see for the same thing in a press release:

• “About [Company]” paragraph
• Company description or company overview
• Company boilerplate or boilerplate statement
• Company bio (Prowly calls it a digital bio)

Where does the boilerplate go on a press release?

At the end, after the body and any quotes. PR Newswire and Prowly both say it closes the release so readers get the news first and the background second.

The one thing sources disagree on is the media contact. PRLab places the boilerplate after the main body and before the media contact block. PR Newswire describes contact details as typically concluding the boilerplate. Prowly says some releases put contact information before the boilerplate. Any of these works as long as both pieces are present and easy to find. Pick one order and use it every time.

What should a boilerplate include?

Across the sources, the core is the same. PRLab's minimum list is the official company name, business category, main product or capability, intended audience, relevant geography and official website.

Prowly adds optional items such as a tagline, a stock ticker symbol if you have one, and what sets you apart. Propllr found that boilerplates which worked best combined an aspiration, the benefits, the products or services, and size if it is impressive. That is one editor's opinion rather than a rule.

How long should it be?

PR Newswire, Prowly and PRLab all point to around 100 words. PRLab adds that clarity beats hitting an exact count. Jaffe PR, writing for professional-services firms, recommends one paragraph of about five sentences. If yours runs several paragraphs, cut half the words and see what is left.

Press release boilerplate template you can fill in

Here is a structure you can copy. It follows the logic of PRLab's template: category, audience, capability, one proof point, website.

[Company name] is a [accurate category] for [audience] that [main capability or outcome]. Founded in [year] and based in [location], the company [one or two verified facts: number of customers, locations, certifications, or a recent award]. For more information, visit [website].

Media contact: [Name, business email, phone].

Here is an invented example to show the shape:

Harbor & Pine Roofing is a family-owned roofing contractor serving homeowners in the Fox Valley area of Illinois. Founded in 2011, the company installs and repairs residential roofs and employs 24 people. For more information, visit harborandpine.example.

It says what the company is, where it works, how big it is and where to learn more, with no “leading” or “best-in-class.” If you want a PDF, paste the template into a document, fill it in, and have the person who owns your company facts approve it. You are saving one approved paragraph, not a formatted file.

Company boilerplate examples worth studying

PR Newswire pulled boilerplates from recent releases. Here is what each one does well, in our words:

Our press release example guide shows where each of these sits in a complete release.

What are the 5 W's in a press release?

Who, what, when, where and why. They belong in the headline and the first two sentences of the release, not in the boilerplate. The boilerplate only covers the “who” in more depth. When we build a fact sheet before drafting, we record the who, what, when, where, why it matters, the source for each claim, the approved spokesperson, the company description, the contact and the destination URL. If a release has the five W's up top and a clean boilerplate at the bottom, the reader has everything they need.

How do you write a good one?

1. Gather approved facts first. Pull from your About page, product pages and any earlier boilerplate. Confirm the official name and the evidence behind any claim.
2. Write in third person. Jaffe PR notes that third person suits the factual purpose, first person can sound opinionated, and second person can read like advertising. Don't switch between them.
3. Replace adjectives with facts. If you say “largest,” give the number that justifies it and expect to update it.
4. Test it on a stranger. PRLab suggests asking someone with no background to explain what you do and who you serve.
5. Have it approved. Regulated claims such as health claims, guarantees or certifications need legal or compliance review before they go in.

Our guide to reviewing a draft for unsupported claims covers the claims check in more detail.

Mistakes that make a boilerplate weak

• Generic wording. Mailchimp calls this out as the most common problem.
• Never updating it. PRLab found a company whose regional newsroom pages showed figures from two different fiscal years. Review yours on a schedule, such as quarterly or yearly.
• Overstuffing it. Propllr flags product catalogs, corporate history and too many calls to action. Save the quote, hires and announcement details for the body.
• Inconsistency. PRLab advises that the facts match your About page and newsroom, even if the wording differs.
• Stale contact details. A reporter with a question and a dead email address moves on.

Does a boilerplate help SEO?

Only a little. PR Newswire says a boilerplate has a very small impact on rankings, and it makes sense to include relevant keywords only when they make the paragraph more descriptive. PRLab says clear, consistent company wording can help search engines and AI systems understand what you are, but it does not guarantee rankings, AI visibility or citations. Mailchimp is more bullish on keyword placement, so treat that as one view, not a promise.

If you add a link to your site, make it a useful one for readers. Google's spam policies cover paid links that pass ranking credit, so don't treat a link in paid distribution as a ranking lever. Google also tells site owners to create helpful, reliable, people-first content, which is a good test for any boilerplate you reuse on your About page. Our guide on reusing a release on your own site covers that setup.

Boilerplate code and contract boilerplate: are they the same thing?

Same idea, different field. Mailchimp explains that boilerplate code in programming is standardized code reused across websites or apps, and a boilerplate clause in contract law is a standard provision covering routine matters. If your boilerplate sits in a contract or includes legal disclaimers, Mailchimp recommends legal help, especially in regulated industries like finance, healthcare and insurance.

What does distribution cost, and what can it do?

Writing a boilerplate takes time and approvals, but the listed service costs begin when you produce and distribute the release. We sell press release distribution and writing, so weigh this section accordingly. Our prices as of September 23, 2026; confirm at checkout:

Our release production add-on is $395 and covers a 500–700 word release, headline, subhead, company boilerplate, one authorized quote and reasonable same-scope revisions in a 30-day window. Our terms say that if a publisher declines customer-supplied copy, you can revise and resubmit or take a full refund of the distribution charge, and our site says there is no distribution charge without publication.

Here is what distribution cannot do. Publishers control acceptance, and downstream pickup, indexing, rankings, backlinks, traffic, leads and sales are not guaranteed by anyone. A newswire submission is also not a pitch to a reporter; our comparison of distribution versus journalist pitching explains the difference. The standard ACCESS route also requires real, timely company news in an objective tone, not a sales article, so a boilerplate full of hype can slow you down.

When you have a real announcement and want help with the release, the boilerplate, and managed submission, see our press release writing and distribution service. Eligibility is checked before you pay.

Before you publish

• Is every fact in the boilerplate current, and who approved it?
• Does the media contact still work?
• Does it match your About page and newsroom?
• Is it in third person with no unsupported superlatives?
• Have you gathered the details you need? See what to gather before ordering distribution.
• Does the chosen publisher's current content guideline allow what you plan to say?

By the Marketing By Kevin Team