September 2, 2026 · Jordan Lee
Press Release Format: Complete Structure, Template & Examples
Table of ContentsShow
A press release format is the standard order used to present an official announcement to journalists, editors, customers, investors, and other interested readers. It normally starts with the release status and headline, followed by a dated opening paragraph, supporting details, a quote, company information, and media contact details.
There is no single legal format that every organization must follow. However, using a familiar structure helps journalists find the main facts quickly. It also makes your announcement easier to verify, edit, quote, and publish.
This guide focuses on the structure and presentation of a press release. If you need help finding a news angle or developing your first draft, read our guide on how to write a press release.
What Is the Correct Press Release Format?
A standard press release usually follows this order:
- Release timing
- Headline
- Optional subheadline
- Dateline and opening paragraph
- Supporting information
- Relevant quote
- Evidence, availability details, or useful link
- Company boilerplate
- Media contact information
- End mark
Most business announcements can communicate their message in about 400 to 600 words. However, you should not remove necessary facts just to meet a fixed length. A short release with missing information is less useful than a slightly longer release that answers the reader’s main questions.
Press Release Format at a Glance
| Section | Is It Required? | Main Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Release status | Recommended | States whether the news can be published immediately or after an agreed time |
| Headline | Yes | Summarizes the announcement in one clear line |
| Subheadline | Optional | Adds context that does not fit naturally in the headline |
| Dateline | Yes | Identifies the location and release date |
| Lead paragraph | Yes | Explains the main news and why it matters |
| Supporting body | Yes | Provides facts, background, dates, figures, and conditions |
| Quote | Optional | Adds explanation or a relevant human perspective |
| Action or resource link | Optional | Directs readers to official details, registration, or supporting material |
| Boilerplate | Recommended | Describes the organization making the announcement |
| Media contact | Yes for media outreach | Gives journalists a person to contact for questions |
| End mark | Optional | Shows that the press release has ended |
The Complete Structure of a Press Release
1. Release Timing
Place the release timing at the top of the document. It tells journalists when they may publish the information.
Use one of these formats:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Use this when journalists can publish the announcement as soon as they receive it.
EMBARGOED UNTIL: September 18, 2026, 9:00 a.m. ET
Use an embargo only when a journalist or publication has agreed to it. Writing an embargo date in a document does not automatically create a binding agreement.
If the announcement contains private financial, legal, or market-sensitive information, confirm the release time with the appropriate legal or compliance team.
2. Headline
The headline should explain the announcement in one direct sentence. A journalist should understand the basic news without reading the rest of the release.
A useful headline normally includes:
- The name of the organization
- The main action or announcement
- A specific product, event, report, appointment, or result
Avoid exaggerated terms such as “revolutionary,” “world-changing,” “unmatched,” or “the best” unless you can prove the claim through reliable evidence.
Weak headline:
New Platform Set to Completely Transform the Business World
Better headline:
LumenDesk Launches Customer-Request Tracking Platform for Small Teams
The second headline identifies the company, product category, and intended audience. It makes a clear statement without making an unsupported promise.
3. Optional Subheadline
A subheadline gives the reader one more useful detail. It should expand the headline rather than repeat it.
For example:
Headline: LumenDesk Launches Customer-Request Tracking Platform for Small Teams
Subheadline: SignalBoard brings requests from email and website forms into one shared workspace
Do not add a subheadline simply to make the press release look longer. Remove it if the headline already communicates enough information.
4. Dateline and Lead Paragraph
Start the first paragraph with a dateline. A common format is:
DENVER, September 18, 2026 —
You can change the date style to suit your country or publication. Use the same style throughout the document.
The opening paragraph should answer most of these questions:
- Who is making the announcement?
- What happened or will happen?
- When will it happen?
- Where will it happen?
- Who will it affect?
- Why is it important now?
The lead should present the announcement before company history, promotional statements, or executive comments.
Example:
DENVER, September 18, 2026 — LumenDesk today announced the launch of SignalBoard, a cloud-based workspace that helps small teams collect and organize customer requests from email and website forms. The platform will become available to customers in the United States and Canada on October 1, 2026.
This paragraph gives readers the company name, product, function, audience, availability date, and initial market.
5. Supporting Body
The body explains the announcement in greater detail. Arrange the information from most important to least important. Journalists often call this the inverted-pyramid structure.
Depending on the announcement, the body may include:
- Product features and availability
- Event dates, location, and registration details
- Partnership responsibilities
- Funding amount and intended use
- Research method and important findings
- Appointment date and professional background
- Eligibility requirements or limitations
- Pricing, service areas, or rollout schedule
Each paragraph should have a clear purpose. Do not repeat the headline or lead in different words.
Use precise information wherever possible. Instead of saying that a product will arrive “soon,” give the planned date. Instead of describing attendance as “massive,” provide a verified number or capacity.
A useful editing test is to remove the final paragraph and check whether the release still makes sense. If removing it hides an essential fact, move that fact higher.
6. Quote
A quote should add meaning that factual paragraphs cannot provide. It can explain a decision, describe the problem behind the announcement, or state what the organization expects to happen next.
Weak quote:
“We are extremely excited about this amazing launch,” said Maya Chen, chief executive officer of LumenDesk.
Better quote:
“Small teams often receive useful customer feedback through several disconnected channels,” said Maya Chen, chief executive officer of LumenDesk. “We built SignalBoard to give those teams one place to review requests and decide what needs attention.”
The better quote explains the reason behind the product. It also sounds natural enough for a journalist to use.
Confirm every quote with the named speaker before publishing the release. Check the spelling of the person’s name and their current job title.
7. Evidence and Important Details
Support the announcement with facts that readers can verify. Depending on the topic, this might include:
- A product specification
- A survey sample size
- A pilot-program result
- A confirmed funding figure
- An event capacity
- An official filing
- A published report
- An eligibility condition
- A rollout schedule
State where figures came from and explain important limitations. For example, do not present the results of a small customer survey as proof of a wider industry trend.
If you mention a report, product, event, or registration page, link to the most relevant official page. Avoid filling the release with repeated promotional links.
8. Call to Action or Resource Link
A press release can include one clear next action. The action should match the announcement.
Examples include:
- View the complete research report
- Register for the event
- Review product specifications
- Download approved media assets
- Read the official company statement
- Apply for the announced program
A media-assets folder should include descriptive file names, image captions, credits, and usage information. Journalists should not have to ask who appears in an image or whether they may publish it.
9. Company Boilerplate
The boilerplate is a short description of the organization issuing the release. Place it near the end under a heading such as “About LumenDesk.”
A boilerplate normally includes:
- The organization’s full name
- Its main service, product, or purpose
- The audience or area it serves
- Its headquarters, if relevant
- One official website link
Keep the description factual. Avoid turning the boilerplate into a long sales pitch.
Example:
About LumenDesk
LumenDesk develops workflow software for small customer-support and product teams. The company provides tools for collecting, organizing, and reviewing customer requests from shared communication channels. LumenDesk is based in Denver, Colorado.
10. Media Contact Information
Give journalists a real person who can answer questions or arrange an interview.
Include:
- Full name
- Job title or department
- Organization
- Professional email address
- Phone number, when appropriate
- Country code for international distribution
- Time zone, when response hours may matter
Some organizations place media contact details at the top. Others put them at the end. Either position can work as long as the information is easy to find.
Avoid using an unattended email address. A press contact should know about the announcement and have access to approved information.
11. End Mark
Many organizations place three hash marks at the end of the release:
###
The mark tells the reader that no additional press-release content follows. It remains a common convention, but digital newsroom pages do not always require it.
How Should a Press Release Look?
A professional press release should resemble a clear news document, not an advertisement.
Follow these presentation practices:
- Use a readable font and standard text size.
- Keep paragraphs short and focused.
- Leave enough spacing between sections.
- Avoid decorative fonts, bright backgrounds, and excessive brand graphics.
- Use bold text only where it improves scanning.
- Check how the release looks on both desktop and mobile screens.
- Give the file a descriptive name, such as
lumendesk-signalboard-launch-2026.docx. - Include alt text, captions, and credits for visual material.
- Provide the release as accessible text in the email or on a web page.
- Attach a PDF or document only when the recipient requests it or needs a printable copy.
Do not force a complex announcement onto one page by reducing the font size. Remove repetition first. Keep the facts that readers need to understand and verify the announcement.
Copy-and-Paste Press Release Template
Replace every bracketed instruction with confirmed information. Delete optional sections that do not add value.
You can also organize your announcement using the free AI press release generator, but always verify generated names, dates, figures, quotes, and links before publishing.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
or
EMBARGOED UNTIL: [Date, time and time zone]
[Clear Headline That States the Main Announcement]
[Optional subheadline that adds one useful detail]
[CITY, State/Country, Month Day, Year] — [Organization name] today announced [main news]. [Explain who is affected, when the change or event will happen, where it applies, and why it matters.]
[Add the most important supporting details. Include confirmed dates, availability, pricing, locations, eligibility requirements, features, results, or conditions.]
“[Add a quote that explains the reason, impact, or next step],” said [full name], [correct job title] at [organization].
[Provide additional evidence, context, background, or limitations. Attribute statistics and explain where the information came from.]
[State one clear action, such as viewing the report, registering for the event, or visiting the official product page.]
About [Organization Name]
[Write a short, factual description of the organization, what it does, who it serves, and where it operates.]
Media Contact
[Full name]
[Job title or department]
[Organization]
[Email address]
[Phone number with country code]
[Website, if needed]
###
How to Adapt the Format for Different Announcements
The basic structure remains similar, but the information that deserves priority changes with the type of announcement.
| Announcement Type | Put This in the Lead | Supporting Information to Include |
|---|---|---|
| Product launch | Product name, purpose, audience, and availability date | Features, pricing, markets, limitations, demonstrations, and media assets |
| Partnership | Names of the organizations and the shared objective | Responsibilities, timeline, affected customers, funding, and expected output |
| Event | Event name, date, location, and purpose | Schedule, speakers, registration, capacity, cost, and accessibility |
| Funding | Confirmed amount, funding round, and intended use | Named investors, previous funding, hiring plans, and expansion details |
| Executive appointment | Person’s name, new role, and effective date | Relevant experience, responsibilities, predecessor details, and approved quotes |
| Research report | Main verified finding and research scope | Method, sample size, dates, limitations, and link to the complete report |
| Service disruption or correction | What happened and who is affected | Current status, confirmed cause, safety guidance, next update, and contact route |
Press Release Example 1: Product Launch
The following examples use fictional organizations, people, figures, and contact details.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LumenDesk Launches SignalBoard to Help Small Teams Organize Customer Requests
New workspace brings requests from email and website forms into one review queue
DENVER, September 18, 2026 — LumenDesk today announced the launch of SignalBoard, a cloud-based workspace designed to help small teams collect and review customer requests. The platform will become available in the United States and Canada on October 1, 2026.
SignalBoard connects with shared email accounts and website forms. It allows authorized team members to label requests, assign owners, add internal notes, and track whether the team has reviewed an issue. The first release will support teams of up to 50 users.
“Small teams often receive useful feedback through several disconnected channels,” said Maya Chen, chief executive officer of LumenDesk. “We designed SignalBoard to give those teams a shared record of what customers have requested and what the team has decided to review.”
LumenDesk tested the platform with 25 small businesses between May and August 2026. Feedback from the pilot helped the company simplify the request-labeling system and add weekly summary emails. The pilot was designed to improve product usability and did not measure the platform’s effect on revenue or customer retention.
Monthly plans will start at $29 for up to five users. Product specifications and demonstration requests are available at [official product-page URL].
About LumenDesk
LumenDesk develops workflow software for small customer-support and product teams. The company provides tools for collecting, organizing, and reviewing customer requests from shared communication channels. LumenDesk is based in Denver, Colorado.
Media Contact
Elena Brooks
Communications Manager
LumenDesk
press@lumendesk.example
+1 555 010 2410
Press Release Example 2: Partnership Announcement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cedar Grove Food Network and LoopCart Announce Grocery-Delivery Partnership
Six-month program will serve eligible residents across 12 neighborhoods
PORTLAND, October 2, 2026 — Cedar Grove Food Network and LoopCart today announced a six-month delivery program for residents who receive weekly grocery support through the network. The program will begin on October 19, 2026, and initially cover 12 Portland neighborhoods.
Under the partnership, Cedar Grove Food Network will prepare grocery packages at its three distribution centers. LoopCart will provide scheduled deliveries on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Eligible residents can request delivery through their existing Cedar Grove case coordinator.
“Transportation remains a practical barrier for some of the households we serve,” said Nina Patel, program director at Cedar Grove Food Network. “This program will help us understand where scheduled delivery can improve access without reducing our in-person services.”
The partners expect to complete up to 600 deliveries each month. Cedar Grove will review delivery numbers, missed deliveries, resident feedback, and operating costs before deciding whether to extend the program.
The service does not change eligibility requirements for Cedar Grove’s existing grocery-support program. Current participants can obtain delivery information from their assigned coordinator.
About Cedar Grove Food Network
Cedar Grove Food Network is a fictional community organization used for this example. It coordinates grocery-support programs through local distribution centers and partner agencies.
About LoopCart
LoopCart is a fictional delivery company that provides scheduled local transport services for retailers and community organizations.
Media Contact
Daniel Reed
Community Relations Coordinator
Cedar Grove Food Network
media@cedargrove.example
+1 555 010 1842
Press Release Example 3: Event Announcement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Harborline Museum Opens Registration for Free Digital-History Workshop
October 24 program will teach participants how to organize and preserve family photographs
BOSTON, September 28, 2026 — Harborline Museum has opened registration for a free digital-history workshop scheduled for October 24, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET. The in-person program will take place at the museum’s Community Learning Room and will be limited to 40 participants.
The workshop will cover file naming, basic image scanning, backup planning, and the safe handling of older photographs. Participants may bring up to five personal photographs for a supervised scanning exercise. The museum will provide scanning equipment and temporary storage devices during the session.
“People often want to preserve family photographs but do not know how to begin,” said Olivia Grant, collections education manager at Harborline Museum. “The workshop will focus on simple practices that participants can continue using at home.”
Registration is required because of the room capacity and number of available scanners. The venue has step-free access, and participants can request large-print workshop material during registration. Attendees who need other accommodations should contact the museum by October 16.
The complete schedule and registration form are available at [official event-page URL].
About Harborline Museum
Harborline Museum is a fictional public-history museum created for this example. Its education programs focus on local records, photographs, and community storytelling.
Media Contact
Marcus Bell
Public Programs Office
Harborline Museum
press@harborline.example
+1 555 010 3275
Common Press Release Formatting Mistakes
Hiding the Announcement
Do not begin with the company’s history or broad industry commentary. Put the actual announcement in the headline and opening paragraph.
Writing an Advertisement Instead of News
Avoid sales language, repeated calls to action, and unsupported claims. A press release should give readers information they can examine and verify.
Using an Empty Quote
Statements such as “We are thrilled” rarely add much value. Use the quote to explain a decision, problem, expected impact, or next step.
Repeating the Same Information
The headline, subheadline, lead, and quote should each perform a different job. Repetition makes the document longer without making it more useful.
Leaving Out Conditions
State geographic restrictions, eligibility rules, costs, capacity limits, rollout stages, and other important conditions. A reader should not discover a major limitation only after visiting another page.
Including Unverified Figures
Confirm every number and identify its source. Explain the period, sample, or method behind survey and performance data.
Sending an Unapproved Quote
Never assume that a senior employee, customer, investor, or partner has approved a quotation. Obtain written approval before distribution.
Forgetting the Media Contact
Journalists may need confirmation, an interview, photographs, or additional data. Missing or unresponsive contact details can stop further coverage.
Using an Embargo Without Agreement
An embargo request only works when the recipient accepts it. Do not send confidential information and assume that a label will prevent publication.
Adding Too Many Links
Include links that help readers verify the news or take the next logical action. Do not repeat keyword-rich links throughout the release.
Final Press Release Review Checklist
Before publishing or distributing the announcement, confirm the following:
- The headline states the actual news.
- The lead explains who, what, when, where, and why.
- All names and job titles are correct.
- Dates include the year and, where needed, the time zone.
- Financial figures use the correct currency.
- Statistics identify a source, period, and relevant limitations.
- Every quotation has approval.
- Product, service, and event claims are accurate.
- Links open the intended pages.
- Images include captions, credits, and usage information.
- The boilerplate contains current company information.
- The media contact expects questions and can respond.
- The release does not contain unexplained jargon.
- The announcement does not use unsupported superlatives.
- A second person has reviewed the final copy.
The Alpine Press applies a fact-first approach through its Editorial Policy and documented content creation process. If a material error appears after publication, follow the site’s Corrections Policy instead of silently changing information that could affect the meaning of the announcement.
Final Takeaway
A strong press release format makes an announcement easy to understand, verify, and use. Start with the news, support it with confirmed details, include a meaningful quote, and give journalists a reliable contact.
The template should create consistency, but it should not force every announcement into identical wording. Remove sections that do not add information, expand sections that require necessary context, and review every fact before publication.
