Content marketing and public relations are important aspects of any business. A press release template is a supportive tool that provides you with a formula for writing about a newsworthy event. This can include anything from an exciting partnership with a famous person or business entity to the announcement of a product launch. You can also use a press release to deliver the news of a special event, like a charity, auction, or grand opening.
A simple press release template gives you the structure you need to create a press release for any event. Below, we include the details that make up a good press release template and detail the reasons why having a professional press release template in your arsenal is a good idea.
Here’s a sample Press Release template that can be easily customized and adapted to meet your requirements. It’s free to download and use, so you can do a launch press release quickly and easily.
What Is a Press Release Template?
A press release template is a document that helps you share important news with your audience. Press releases are also commonly referred to as news releases because they are run through media outlets. These documents should always be concise and compelling because they’re meant to attract the interest of a journalist who then uses his or her platform to send your announcement off to the greater public. It’s beneficial to look at a press release sample to help you get a good idea of its structure.
These printed statements are then revised by the journalist and printed in a journalistic style. Once they are printed, they read just like a news story does, and incorporate all the information included in your original press release document. With clever use of the written word, press release template sharing becomes appealing to journalists, which helps you get the word of your event out faster every time.
What Details Should a Press Release Template Contain?
A press release should contain the answers to the following questions:
Who?
Your press release should include your contact information, including your name, email address, phone number, and company website. You should also include your company logo. The writing process here will differ based on what the purpose is. For example, an event press release might contain all the contact details of the attendees for your upcoming event.
What?
The content of your press release should be neatly summarized into a headline that includes the important details of your newsworthy pronouncement. This is an especially critical part of your press release, as it’s what the journalist will read first. It should be exciting and intriguing to generate the journalist’s interest. It should include the company description and all the key details about the event that may be of interest to potential customers and journalists.
When?
Since a press release closely mimics the appearance of news stories in print, they should include the date the press release is written and include any other dates pertaining to your overall announcement.
Where?
Listed along with the date of your press release, you should also include the location of your business or event. A successful press release needs to include the location.
Why?
Following up with the question of “what?” you should explain why. This is another opportunity to clearly explain, in an alluring manner, why the journalist should pick your story to rewrite and publish. For example, acquisition press releases tell the journalist that they should be interested in who purchased something because of the company background.
How?
This is where you incorporate your call-to-action (CTA), as every well-crafted press release should have one. You can explain how customers can participate with your event, purchase a new product you just launched, or learn more about an organizational shift, like the hiring of a new Chief Operating Officer.
With all of these questions answered upfront in your press release, the journalist can create a story that is packed with all the essential information related to your exciting message.
Why is a press release template important?
Having a press release template is important because it helps you organize your message in a clear, concise, and enticing manner. Good press releases immediately grab the attention of your audience and pique their curiosity, so they are moved to learn more about what you’re offering or sharing. Below we list four of the main reasons a press release is an important document for your business:
1. Increases brand awareness
Because media outlets and journalists who work alongside them have a wide reach, an effective press release allows you to use their platform to get the word out about your business’ exciting ventures. It establishes you as the industry leader in front of your customer base and the wider public.
2. Promotes business networking
A press release offers you the opportunity to connect with journalists and provide them with something they’re always in need of: stories for the press. When you find a good journalist, hold on to them – they have the platform you need, and you have the ongoing stories they need. This creates a mutually beneficial business partnership.
A connection you build once can strengthen over time and they'll support you every time you have positive news, upcoming products to promote, a new leadership position to write about and more.
3. Complements your SEO strategy
Incorporate keywords carefully into your press release and let the search engines work their algorithmic magic. Plus, if a journalist signs up to take your story, your press release can set up backlinks, which work wonders for SEO. Always ask for the backlink if it’s not initially offered and ensure you set up your anchor text correctly.
4. Puts you in control of your brand’s image
A good press release lets you present your business to the public in the manner you dictate. Share important information that allows the public to view you in the best light. This is especially helpful if you have recently received negative consumer feedback or have been caught up in a news story that doesn’t present your brand in the best light in the body paragraphs of the press relase.
When should you write a press release?
There are many newsworthy events that occur throughout the life of your company. Since the most important part of deciding whether to write a press release is determining if your event is worth making it to print, we include some example events below that call for a press release.
Special events, including celebratory events
A grand opening is the perfect event for a press release, as is any other event open to the public. You may be holding a public lecture or a charity event to assist with fundraising objectives. Networking events and more upscale events, like galas, deserve the attention gained from a published press release.
A new hire press release is also a popular format, especially if the hire is a senior-level position such as a CEO.
A product launch
Launching a new product is always an exciting event and requires all the awareness you can get. Use a press release to highlight the details of your new product or product line to get the word out and increase public anticipation. A product press release can help you share the essential details about the new product with direct quotes from relevant stakeholders, establishing you as an industry expert.
Interesting company developments
If your company is expanding to a new city or state, this is definitely a newsworthy event. Similarly, changes to the internal operations structure of your company can be announced to the public. A change in CEO, a finalized legal settlement, and acquisitions can be shared with the public via a press release.
Special achievements
If your company has received an award or a company team member has reached an important milestone, a press release can help inform the public of your organization’s progress. This keeps your company at the forefront of your audience’s mind and encourages them to engage in business with you.
You can include a wide range of additional details to spice things up here.
New research findings
When your company has new research findings to share, a press release should be your go-to for increasing public awareness. This not only informs your audience of your forward momentum, but also serves to keep them informed about your company’s advancements.
A press release should not read in a salesy tone, rather in an excited and informative style. Write it in a format that is easy to understand and skip past the use of technical jargon that is likely to confuse or bore your reader. Incorporate a creative angle that highlights the details of your event in a manner that increases the likelihood of shares on social media.
With a good template and a solid brainstorming session, your press release writing abilities will become your newest expertise. Keep it brief and exciting, and be sure to follow the guidelines above to create a press release that journalists will snatch up in a heartbeat.
