The press release is often considered an outdated tool, we often hear the question of whether it is even needed anymore. But in fact, today it plays an even more important role.
Not only the media, but also search engines and artificial intelligence (AI) tools use press releases as a reliable source of information to create news, responses and summaries.
In this article, we'll take a step-by-step look at each of the key steps that make up a press release, as well as common mistakes and how the release fits into the content marketing in the strategy, looking at:
- Creating a headline – how to get it noticed and understood?
- The main part of the content and message – how to present the essentials clearly and structured?
- Conclusion and contact information – how to make the release useful for journalists and the audience?
What is a press release?
Press release (English: press release) is an official announcement to the media about important news – company achievements, new products or services, events, investments or other significant changes. It is structured, concise and fact-rich information that serves as a reliable source for journalists and the public.
The press release still retains its importance. It is one of the forms that media and journalists use as a reliable source to select the most valuable news.
If a message is well written, it can end up not only in the media, but also in Google results and AI responses, meaning that a press release can be a springboard for much broader publicity.
Why do companies need a press release in the AI era?
Companies primarily need a press release because it is no longer considered just a classic PR tool. Today, it also serves as an authoritative and structured source of information, used by artificial intelligence search engines and generative systems to obtain reliable information.
This means that a well-prepared press release can also become a direct source in AI answers, such as ChatGPT or Google AI Overview, which people are increasingly using to search for information.
Based on PR Newswire, AI systems prefer content that is clearly structured and verifiable. This is exactly the format of a press release – with a headline, introduction, facts, quotes and official details. This allows algorithms to quickly identify the most important and select releases as reliable sources.
Additionally, press releases also help with SEO visibility. Strategically crafted releases that use the right keywords, metadata, and localized content appear more often not only in Google searches, but also in AI-overview sections and generative answers.
At the same time, experts warn that a simple, AI-generated release without a human perspective, precise details, quality quotes, and contact information may not fulfill its purpose. AI tools prefer content that is authentic, verifiable, and has real human-generated value.
Press release structure step by step
The structure of a press release should reflect the essentials, and the most important things should be said right away, in the so-called “inverted pyramid principle”.
How to create a press release headline?
The headline of a press release is the first point of contact with the reader – it either grabs attention or gets ignored. For a headline to work, there are a few key principles to follow:
- The optimal length of the headline is 5-7 words. Short, but expressive enough to convey the essence of the message.
- The title should be appealing and related to the content of the release. It is necessary that the title clearly indicates what is new and what the story is about.
- The headline should be strong enough to grab attention quickly.
- It is essential that the headline is accurate regarding the content of the post and free from unnecessary generalizations.
Press release content and main body of the news
The introduction should be concise – ideally no more than 50 words. This is where you say the most important thing in the press release. This is followed by the body text, which details the information, provides background information, and explains why this news is important.
To prevent your release from sounding like a dry list of facts, it's important to include quotes. For example, they can be from a company executive, expert, or partner. Quotes add a human perspective and allow you to express emotions or opinions that you wouldn't put in a dry facts section.
It is important that quotes are not formal. “We are pleased…”, but would provide additional value to the reader, for example, “With this product, we want to reduce customer costs by 30%…”
The text should be simple and clear. Avoid bureaucratic sentences and empty clichés. The main goal of the release should be to inform, not to sell, and it should be understood that advertising language repels the media.
6 most common mistakes in writing press releases
- Too long and complicated text. If a release is longer than one page or consists of long, bureaucratic sentences, journalists are unlikely to finish reading it.
- Verbosity and clichés. Phrases like “unique solution”, “world-class product”, “added value” sounds like an advertisement, not a message.
- Inappropriate visual materials. The press release should be accompanied by horizontal, high-quality photo media for use.
- Spelling, typographical, and punctuation errors
- “I” and “we” form. The press release should be written in the third person: “the company launched a new product”, not "we discovered".
- Unprofessional sending. The release should not be sent without a cover text or with a subject “Press release” – The subject line should indicate the essence of the message, and the email should include a short introduction.
Press release as part of a content marketing strategy
A press release can be reused across multiple channels related to content marketing:
- publish in the “News” section of the website,
- convert into a blog post,
- adapt to social media,
- use in email marketing.
It becomes the basis for several communication activities and strengthens the brand's reputation in the long term, serving as documented evidence of the company's activities and achievements.
Remember, a press release is not just about delivering news, but also about building relationships with the people for whom the news is important.
