What a press release is, and when to send one
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A press release is an official written statement you send to journalists to announce news, formatted with a headline, dateline, lead, body, boilerplate and a media contact. Send one only when you have real news a reader outside your company would care about, such as funding, a launch, a major hire or original data.
What a press release actually is
A press release is a short, official document an organization sends to journalists to announce something new. It is written in the third person, formatted in a way every reporter recognizes, and built to be quoted or turned into an article in minutes. It is not an ad and not a blog post. Its single job is to hand a journalist a ready-to-use story.
The term news release means the same thing. It is the more modern label, since the press is no longer only print, but the format and the purpose are identical. You will see both used interchangeably.
The six parts of a press release
Every standard release has the same six parts. Chapter 2 covers how to write each one.
- Headline. The news in one line, written like a journalist would write it.
- Dateline. The city and date, so the news is anchored in time and place.
- Lead. The first sentence, carrying the who, what and why in plain language.
- Body. Two or three short paragraphs with the details, context and a quote.
- Boilerplate. A fixed paragraph describing the company.
- Contact. A name and email so a reporter can follow up.
Press release vs blog post vs pitch
These three are often confused, which is why so many releases miss. A blog post is for your own audience and can be any length or tone. A pitch is a short personal email to one journalist suggesting a story. A press release is the official, quotable artifact that a pitch points to. You usually pitch a journalist and attach or link the release.
| Format | Audience | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Press release | Journalists | Be quoted, earn coverage |
| Blog post | Your own readers | Inform, rank, convert |
| Pitch | One journalist | Spark interest in the story |
When a press release is worth sending
Send a release when you have something a reader outside your bubble would genuinely care about. The reliable triggers are consistent across industries:
- A funding round, a fundraise or a bootstrapped revenue milestone.
- A product launch, a major feature or a bold redesign.
- A senior hire, a board appointment or a notable advisor.
- A partnership, an integration or an acquisition.
- A meaningful milestone (first 10,000 users, a new market, a record quarter).
- Original data or a report pulled from your own product or research.
- An award, a certification or a regulatory approval.
If the only people who would care about the news work at your company, it is not a press release. It is a blog post.The newsworthiness test
When to skip it
Skip the release when there is no real news: a minor update, a routine hire, a vanity metric, or an announcement written to make the founder feel busy. A press release with no news trains journalists to ignore your name, which costs you the next time you have a real story. Quality and restraint protect your credibility.
The 30-second newsworthiness test
Before you write anything, answer these three questions honestly:
- Is it new? Has this not been announced before, in this form?
- Is it relevant to a specific beat? Can you name the type of journalist who covers this?
- Would a stranger care? Does it change, help or interest someone outside your company?
If you cannot answer yes to all three, hold the release and keep building. When you can, move to chapter 2, how to write a press release, and turn the news into a journalist-ready document. When you are ready to send, PressPilot writes, targets and distributes it in one place, from 30 EUR for 100 journalist credits. See the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a press release?
- A press release is an official written statement that an organization sends to journalists to announce news. It follows a fixed format (headline, dateline, lead, body, boilerplate, contact) and is written in the third person so a reporter can quote it or build a story from it quickly.
- What is the difference between a press release and a news release?
- There is no real difference. News release is simply the more modern term for the same document. Both describe an official, journalist-ready announcement. Some teams prefer news release because press now covers far more than print, but the format and purpose are identical.
- When should a company send a press release?
- Send a press release when you have genuine news a reader outside your company would care about: a funding round, a product launch, a major hire, a partnership, a meaningful milestone, an acquisition, or original data. If the only audience that cares is your own team, it is not a press release, it is a blog post.
- Do press releases still work in 2026?
- Yes, when they are targeted and newsworthy. A generic blast to thousands of journalists does not work and never really did. A specific, well-timed release sent to reporters who cover your exact beat still earns coverage, as the Carimmat case study in this course shows.
- How long should a press release be?
- Around 300 to 400 words, one page. A journalist skims it in under a minute, so the news belongs in the headline and the first sentence. Chapter 2 of this course covers the exact structure and gives a worked example.