Good press release ideas start with a real event, not a wish to be seen. A press release works when it announces something new, timely and relevant to a specific audience, such as a product launch, a partnership, a new location, an executive hire, a verifiable award, a research report, an event, a funding round or a milestone. If your only idea is a sales message, a release is the wrong tool, and reporters are unlikely to treat it as news. Here is how to find a real angle, structure the release, and know what distribution can and cannot do.
What counts as a press release idea?
Start with an announcement you can document. Common subjects include:
- A product or service launch, or a meaningful update to one
- A partnership with a clear output, such as a shared program or joint offer
- A new location, market or key hire
- An award or certification you can verify
- An original report or survey, with its method explained
- A community program or event with a date and place
- A funding round or measurable milestone you are permitted to disclose
If the only idea is that you are great, rewrite it around a fact a stranger could check. Forcing a weak angle usually produces a release that reads like an advertisement.
What is a press release, and what makes one good?
A press release is a formal, factual announcement sent to journalists and other stakeholders about a newsworthy development. The Rutgers Press Release Basics guide describes its purpose as showing an editor or reporter why a person, event, service or product is newsworthy. ContentGrip's guide adds that it is not a guaranteed ticket to coverage.
Three qualities matter most. It is timely, so the news is happening now and has a date. It is accurate, so every figure, name and quote can be checked. It is relevant, so it speaks to the audience of a particular outlet. ContentGrip's guide puts it as timely, accurate, relevant and ready to use. Cision's 2026 State of the Media research, as reported by ContentGrip, found that 66% of journalists rely on PR-provided content for story ideas, while 72% said fewer than a quarter of the pitches they receive are relevant.
How do you write a press release for an event?
Answer the five Ws in the first paragraph. The Rutgers guide lists who, what, where, when and how, and asks for a lead sentence that tells the whole story. For an event, build it in this order:
- Headline names the organizer and the event, for example: ‘Organization to host event name in city on date.'
- Lead says who is hosting, what happens, where, when, and how people attend or register.
- Body gives the agenda, speakers, cost or free entry, accessibility details and who it is for, most important first.
- Quote from the organizer explains why the event matters. It should not repeat the headline.
- Boilerplate, then a centered ### , then the media contact, with a registration or press-kit link.
What is a press release template, and what goes in it?
A workable template has the same parts every time. This table follows the structure in ContentGrip's guide.
| Part | What it does |
|---|---|
| Headline | States the company and the news in plain language |
| Subheadline (optional) | Adds the most important consequence, amount, market or date |
| Dateline and lead | Gives location and date, then answers the 5Ws and how |
| Body | Adds proof, context, details, availability or next steps |
| Quote | Explains why the news matters, from a named person |
| Boilerplate | Two or three factual sentences about the organization |
| Media contact | Name, email, phone, and press-kit link if you have one |
For a fill-in version, use our Press Release Template guide, which walks through each part.
How long should a press release be?
ContentGrip says many straightforward releases run about 300 to 500 words. Rutgers recommends keeping a release to one or two pages. Put long specifications, biographies or data tables in linked documents, and keep the news at the top.
What is a boilerplate in a press release?
A boilerplate is the standard ‘about' text at the end of a release. Rutgers describes it as the standard information included in every release from the same organization. ContentGrip suggests two or three sentences: what the company does and its core value, where its headquarters or relevant office is, and a link to its website or newsroom. Keep it short; it is not a sales deck. For wording, see Press Release Boilerplate: Definition, Examples and Template.
What does ### mean in journalism?
A centered ### marks the end of the release, so the reporter knows the story is over. The contact information follows it, as Rutgers lists it. If you see a different end mark, ask the newsroom or wire service what it means before you copy it into your own release.
What should you avoid in a press release?
- No clear news angle, so the release reads as business as usual
- Promotional language and marketing slogans
- A vague headline such as ‘redefines the future of innovation'
- A lead that leaves out who, what, where, when or how
- Claims with no data behind them, or proof you cannot document
- A generic quote that says the launch is exciting
- No local relevance and no media contact
- Attachments too large to email, instead of a press-kit link
- The same pitch sent to every journalist
- Any invented fact, milestone, customer or quote
Health and science announcements need extra care. A 2021 review of trial results released by press release, indexed by PubMed from the U.S. National Library of Medicine, noted that trust has to be placed in investigators releasing data before peer review, and that readers should keep a healthy skepticism. The same caution applies to any claim in your release.
Can ChatGPT write a press release?
It can help you draft one, but only from facts you have approved. ContentGrip's guide says a tool can help draft and edit a release when given approved facts, context, audience, tone and quotations. A person still has to verify every figure, get approval for every quote, protect confidential information and make the news call. Never publish invented facts or made-up quotations as real.
What does a good press release title look like?
A good title says what happened, with the company and the specific news in one line. Some patterns to adapt:
- [Company] opens [specific location] in [city] to serve [who]
- [Company] launches [product] to help [audience] [do a specific task]
- [Organization] to host [event name] in [city] on [date]
- [Company] appoints [name] as [title] to lead [specific area]
ContentGrip's example of the right level is a headline that names the product and the audience, rather than one that promises to redefine an industry.
Press release example for students, and sample PDFs
A good practice exercise is a fictional local business with one real-sounding event, such as a new location opening on a set date. Write it in about 400 words, then cut it to 300. For a PDF, finish and approve the text first, save that approved version as a PDF, and keep the editable copy. For a fuller example, see our Press Release Example guide.
Where do press releases go, and what can distribution do?
Rutgers suggests calling local newspapers and regional magazines to ask for the right reporter, their deadlines and their preferred method. Build a target list, and keep a log of who received the release, when, and whether it led to coverage. ContentGrip says a release works best sent to relevant journalists rather than to every contact, and that Tuesday to Thursday mornings between 9 and 11 a.m. local time tend to perform best.
A wire service puts your release into publisher networks. ContentGrip notes that a wire fits when broad syndication or a public record serves your goal, while a direct pitch fits when you want relevant earned coverage. Distribution cannot guarantee that a journalist writes about the release, that any outlet picks it up or links to it, or that it brings traffic, leads or sales. What it does provide is a published, dated URL you can share.
If you want us to handle the wire part, Marketing By Kevin's managed distribution service covers submission and publisher communication, and its service page lists the routes.
Before you send: a checklist
- Confirm every fact, date and figure against a source you can share.
- Get written approval of each quote from the person quoted.
- Check that the release has a valid media-contact email and working links.
- Read the current content guidelines of the wire or outlet you plan to use, since they can change.
- Save the exact approved version so you know what was sent.
- Keep a log of reporters contacted, responses and published links.
Start with one real announcement, write it in plain facts, and let the news do the work.
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