How to Write a Press Release That Gets Read

Most press releases are never read past the subject line, and the reason is almost always the same: they were written to flatter the business rather than to help the journalist. A press release is not a megaphone for your marketing. It is a working document handed to a busy reporter who has a deadline, a sceptical editor and a hundred other emails. Write it with that person in mind and your odds improve dramatically. This guide explains how.

What it is

A press release is a short, factual announcement written to give journalists the information they need to cover a story. It is not an advert, and it is not an opinion piece. Its purpose is to present something genuinely newsworthy — a launch, a milestone, an appointment, an event, a piece of original research — in a form a reporter can quickly understand, trust and use.

That distinction matters. An advert says "buy this". A press release says "here is something happening that your readers might find interesting, and here are the facts". The more it reads like news rather than promotion, the more likely it is to become actual coverage. Press releases are one tool within the wider craft covered in our guide to earned, owned and paid media, where coverage you earn from credible outlets carries more weight than anything you can buy.

Start with a real story

Before writing a word, ask the hardest question honestly: is this actually news? The most common mistake is sending a release about something only the business cares about. "We've redesigned our website" or "we now offer extended opening hours" rarely interests anyone outside the company.

Things that genuinely tend to make news include:

• A real first — a product, service or approach that is new to the market, not just to you.
• A response to a topical issue, where you can offer timely, credible comment.
• Original data or research that tells people something they did not know.
• A significant milestone, expansion or notable appointment.
• A local angle — jobs created, a community initiative, a regional impact a local paper would care about.
• A genuine human story behind the business.

If you cannot find an angle a stranger would care about, the answer is not to dress it up; it is to wait for a better story. A clear sense of your audience and message — the same thinking behind share of voice and being heard in your market — helps you judge what is genuinely worth announcing.

The standard structure

Journalists expect a recognisable format, and meeting that expectation makes their job easier. The guiding principle is the inverted pyramid: the most important information first, then supporting detail in descending order of importance, so the story still makes sense even if it is cut short.

Two parts deserve special care. The headline must be specific and honest — "Local bakery creates 12 jobs with new factory" beats "Exciting news from our bakery". And the opening paragraph must stand alone: a journalist who reads only those few sentences should still grasp the entire story and why it matters.

Write it the way journalists work

Style is not decoration here; it signals whether you understand the trade.

• Keep it to one page. Around 300 to 500 words. If you have more material — images, data, extra detail — offer it as additional resources rather than padding the release.
• Write in the third person, factually. "The company announced" rather than "We're thrilled to announce". Save adjectives like "revolutionary" and "world-leading" for the quote, where opinion belongs.
• Use a real quote. A good quote adds a human perspective the facts cannot. Attribute it clearly to a named person and their role, and make it sound like something a person would actually say.
• Get the facts right. Names, dates, figures and spellings must be correct. A single error makes a journalist distrust everything else in the release.
• Be honest. Any claim you make can be checked, and misleading statements can fall foul of the rules overseen by the Advertising Standards Authority as well as damaging your credibility. Accuracy is not just courtesy; it protects you.

Getting it read

A perfect release still fails if it lands in the wrong inbox. Distribution is half the job.

1. Target the right people. Research journalists who actually cover your sector or area and send to them individually where you can. A relevant story to ten right reporters beats a generic blast to a thousand.
2. Personalise the approach. A short, specific note explaining why this story suits their readers shows you have done your homework and respects their time.
3. Mind the timing. Send when the news is fresh and when journalists can act on it — generally earlier in the day and the week, and never the moment before a holiday.
4. Make follow-up easy. Name a real contact who can answer questions quickly. A reporter chasing a detail at 4pm will drop a story rather than wait.
5. Build relationships over time. Coverage rewards trust. Being a steady, useful source — much as the marketing consultancy CM Beyer keeps a regular stream of published news and insights rather than going quiet between announcements — makes journalists more receptive when you do have something to say.

The bottom line

A press release that gets read starts with a genuine story, leads with the news in the first paragraph, follows the familiar inverted-pyramid structure, and stays to roughly a page of clear, accurate, third-person writing with a real quote and proper contact details. Then it goes to the right journalists, personally and at the right moment. Remember the core shift in mindset: you are not promoting your business, you are doing a reporter's research for them. Make their job easy, tell the truth, and a humble one-page document can earn you the kind of credible coverage no advert can buy.