Press Release FAQ

A press release is a short, formatted announcement, sent to reporters, editors and sometimes the public, so they can report or reuse the news it contains. Below are answers to the questions people ask most often before writing or sending their first one.

What is a press release?

A press release is a formal, formatted announcement of a specific fact: a launch, a hire, a funding round, an event, a partnership. It is written so a reporter can quote from it directly or run it with light editing, which is why it follows a fixed structure rather than reading like a blog post or an email. See the standard format for the exact parts and their order.

How long should a press release be?

Most releases run 300 to 500 words, close to one printed page. That is enough room for a headline, a lead, two or three body paragraphs, a quote and a boilerplate, without asking a busy reader to work through pages of detail. If there is more to say, put the extra material in a linked press kit instead of stretching the release.

When should I send a press release?

Weekday mornings, in the recipient’s time zone, tend to work better than late in the day or right before a weekend, since that is when most editors are planning what to cover. Avoid a day already crowded with major news in your industry if you can help it, since your release will be competing for the same attention. Beyond that, the better rule is to send it when the news is actually confirmed and ready, not on a fixed calendar.

Who should I send it to?

Send it to the specific reporters and editors who cover your topic or industry, not the largest list of media contacts available. A short, targeted list of ten reporters who write about your subject usually gets better results than an unfiltered list of a thousand, because you can write a pitch that speaks to what each of them covers. Distribution services can put the release in front of a wider audience at the same time; see where to distribute for the free and paid options.

Do press releases still work?

Whether a press release leads to coverage varies by industry, outlet and how newsworthy the fact actually is. A release will not turn a minor internal update into a story a reporter wants to write, but it remains a standard way to put facts on the record, support a company’s own site, and give reporters, employees and investors a single accurate version of an announcement.

What is the difference between a press release and a pitch?

A press release is the announcement itself: formatted, quotable, and the same for every recipient. A pitch is the personal message sent alongside it, usually by email, explaining to one specific reporter why their readers or their beat would care about this particular story. The release states the facts; the pitch makes the case for why this reporter, specifically, should look at them.

Can I write my own press release?

Yes. The format is learnable: a release line, headline, dateline, lead, body, quote, boilerplate and contact details, in that order. See how to write a press release for a full walkthrough, and this site’s templates for a fill-in structure to start from directly. Reading a few best examples and bad examples side by side is often enough to see the difference before writing a first draft.

Do I need to pay to distribute a press release?

No, not necessarily. A short list of reporters who already cover your topic can be emailed directly at no cost, and a handful of free distribution options exist alongside paid services. Paid distribution mainly buys wider reach and placement on sites that pick up wire feeds, which matters more for some announcements than others. See where to distribute for a full comparison of the free and paid options before deciding which fits a given announcement.