24Presse practical guide
A press release is an official, factual and news-oriented statement issued by an organisation to communicate a specific announcement to journalists and media outlets.
It gives reporters the essential facts, context, quotations and contact information they need to assess a story. A good release is not an advertisement: it presents verifiable information in a clear editorial format.
Quick answer: a press release usually announces one newsworthy development, answers who, what, when, where, why and how, and provides a named media contact. It can support media relations, an official company newsroom and online discoverability, but it cannot guarantee coverage, backlinks or search rankings.
What is a press release?
A press release—also called a news release or media release—is an official statement supplied to journalists, editors, broadcasters and specialist media so they can evaluate a news story.
It normally communicates one defined development: a launch, appointment, event, partnership, study, investment, expansion, award, public statement or other update with potential editorial relevance.
The release is written in a recognisable journalistic structure. The headline identifies the development, the opening paragraph supplies the essential facts, the body adds context and evidence, and the final section gives company and media-contact information.
A press release is source material, not independent coverage. The issuing organisation controls the release, while journalists remain free to verify, rewrite, quote, ignore or challenge the information.
What a press release is not
Not an advertisement
Advertising purchases exposure and controls the promotional message. A press release proposes information for editorial consideration and should avoid unsupported superlatives.
Not a guaranteed article
Distribution makes information available to journalists. It does not oblige a newsroom to publish, quote or link to the announcement.
Not a company brochure
A release should focus on one timely development, not provide an exhaustive history of the organisation or catalogue of services.
Not an SEO shortcut
A release can support discoverability and earn mentions when the news is useful, but mass publication or keyword repetition does not guarantee rankings.
What is the purpose of a press release?
The main purpose is to make an organisation’s news understandable, verifiable and easy to evaluate. Within a broader communication plan, a press release can serve several objectives.
Give journalists a concise summary, exact facts, quotations and a reliable contact.
Propose a story that may lead to an article, interview, brief, review or broadcast mention.
Publish a dated statement that customers, partners, investors and other stakeholders can consult.
Provide approved names, figures, dates and quotations to reduce ambiguity or factual errors.
Demonstrate consistent expertise through useful announcements, original data and named sources.
Help search engines and AI systems discover clear, attributable information about a real development.
When should an organisation issue a press release?
Not every internal update deserves a media announcement. The strongest criterion is newsworthiness: the development should be timely, specific, verifiable and relevant to an identifiable audience.
| Suitable announcement | What makes it potentially newsworthy | Evidence to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Product or service launch | A clear innovation, availability date, use case or market consequence | Specifications, pricing, visuals, launch date and spokesperson |
| Company milestone | Measurable growth, anniversary, investment, funding or expansion | Verified figures, dates, locations and context |
| Partnership or acquisition | A defined strategic or public impact | Named parties, scope, effective date and approved quotations |
| Research or survey | Original findings relevant to a sector or public debate | Methodology, sample, dates, limitations and full report |
| Executive appointment | A senior role with strategic importance | Biography, responsibilities, start date and photograph |
| Event announcement | A clear programme, audience, date, location or public benefit | Schedule, speakers, registration details and media access |
| Award or recognition | Independent recognition with meaningful criteria | Awarding body, category, date and selection process |
| Crisis or official statement | A material issue requiring accurate and timely information | Confirmed facts, responsible spokesperson and update procedure |
Newsworthiness test: what changed, why now, who is affected, what proves the claim and why would a publication’s audience care?
The standard structure of a press release
A standard structure helps a journalist scan the document quickly. The inverted-pyramid principle places the most important information first and supporting detail later.
State the main development clearly. Avoid vague promises, clickbait and unnecessary capital letters.
Optional context that explains the audience, consequence, scale or timing of the announcement.
Identify the city and publication date where that information is useful and accurate.
Answer who, what, when, where, why and how in the first two or three sentences.
Add data, background, examples, context, methodology and practical implications.
Provide interpretation or accountable expert insight rather than repeating the headline.
Summarise the organisation’s activity, location, history and official website.
Give a monitored email address, telephone number, name and role for follow-up questions.
A simple press release outline
Headline
Specific development, audience and timing
Lead
[Organisation] announced [development] on [date], affecting [audience or market] through [main consequence].
Supporting facts
Evidence, data, methodology, background and relevant limitations.
Quotation
A named spokesperson explains why the development matters.
Boilerplate and contact
Official organisation summary, website and media-contact details.
Many releases fall within a working range of roughly 400 to 800 words, but relevance and clarity matter more than an arbitrary length. A complex regulated announcement may need more detail; a simple appointment may need less.
Writing style and editorial tone
A press release should sound like a reliable source document. It must be professional, accessible and specific enough to verify.
- Lead with the news: do not begin with a long company history.
- Use exact facts: name people, organisations, dates, places and quantities.
- Attribute claims: identify the source of data, opinions and projections.
- Write plainly: prefer short sentences and explain specialist terminology.
- Avoid promotional exaggeration: replace “revolutionary” with evidence of what changed.
- Use active constructions: make it clear who did what and when.
- Check consistency: figures, names and dates must match across the release and supporting documents.
- Prepare assets: provide accessible images, reports, biographies or technical documents when relevant.
“A journalist should be able to identify the news, verify the principal facts and contact a responsible source without searching through promotional language.” — 24Presse editorial principle
Press release vs. other communication formats
| Format | Primary purpose | Typical control | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press release | Propose official news for editorial consideration | The organisation controls the source document; the media controls coverage | Factual, dated and news-focused |
| Advertisement | Purchase promotional exposure | The advertiser controls the paid message | Commercial and explicitly promotional |
| Blog post | Educate, explain or express a viewpoint | The publisher controls the full content | More flexible, conversational and evergreen |
| Press kit | Provide a collection of background materials | The organisation controls supplied assets | Contains biographies, images, fact sheets and documents |
| Media pitch | Persuade a specific journalist to consider an angle | The sender controls the outreach message | Short, personalised and addressed to one contact |
| Social post | Communicate directly with a platform audience | The account controls the original post | Brief, interactive and platform-dependent |
How is a press release distributed?
Writing and distribution are separate stages. Distribution determines which journalists, publications and public audiences can discover the announcement.
Direct media outreach
Send the release to carefully selected journalists whose beat, location and audience match the announcement.
Distribution platform
Use a professional service to organise editorial review, targeting, approval and distribution across relevant media categories.
Company newsroom
Publish the final version on an official press or news page as an accessible, dated source.
Owned channels
Share the official announcement through newsletters and social media without presenting it as independent journalism.
Read the complete 24Presse press release distribution process and the guide on how to send a press release.
How do journalists use press releases?
A journalist may use a release as a starting point for verification, a source of quotations, a timeline, a reference for names and figures, or a signal that a broader story is developing.
| Journalist’s question | What the release should provide |
|---|---|
| Is this relevant to my audience? | A clear consequence for a defined public, sector, place or market |
| What is genuinely new? | A specific change, result, date or announcement |
| Can I verify it? | Named sources, documents, methodology, links and accountable contacts |
| Is there a story beyond the organisation? | Context, impact, comparison, public value or sector implications |
| Can I obtain an interview or additional material? | A responsive spokesperson and organised media assets |
For detailed outreach guidance, see How to Contact Journalists and the Media: 15 Practical Tips.
Can a press release improve SEO or AI visibility?
A press release is primarily a public-relations document. Its search and AI visibility benefits are indirect and depend on the usefulness, originality, attribution and distribution of the information.
| Helpful practice | Why it helps | Practice to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Use exact names, dates, locations and roles | Creates clear entities and verifiable facts | Repeating keywords unnaturally |
| Publish original data with methodology | Gives media and AI systems attributable evidence | Invented or unattributed statistics |
| Link to official supporting documents | Helps users verify the announcement | Adding unrelated links for ranking purposes |
| Use descriptive headings and tables | Makes the page easier to scan and extract accurately | Duplicating the same article across several URLs |
| Show the author, reviewer and organisation | Strengthens accountability and source transparency | Anonymous promotional content |
| Update the page only after meaningful changes | Keeps freshness signals credible | Changing dates without revising the information |
Realistic expectation: useful news may generate citations, branded searches, referral traffic, journalist coverage or authoritative mentions. A press release does not guarantee a backlink, ranking position or inclusion in an AI-generated answer.
For search compliance, consult Google’s official guidance on helpful, reliable, people-first content and spam policies.
Common press release mistakes
| Mistake | Why it weakens the release | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| No real news angle | The announcement provides no reason for editorial coverage | Identify what changed, why now and who is affected |
| Promotional headline | It resembles advertising and hides the factual development | State the announcement in precise language |
| Long company introduction | The key information arrives too late | Place the news in the first paragraph |
| Unsupported superlatives | Claims such as “best” or “revolutionary” are difficult to verify | Replace adjectives with evidence, comparisons or methodology |
| Weak or artificial quotation | The quote repeats marketing copy without adding insight | Explain a consequence, decision or expert interpretation |
| Missing dates or figures | The story becomes vague and harder to report accurately | Supply exact facts and identify their sources |
| Wrong journalists | Irrelevant distribution damages credibility | Target by beat, audience, geography and recent coverage |
| No media contact | A journalist cannot obtain clarification or an interview | Add a named, monitored contact |
| Large unsolicited attachments | They create inbox and security problems | Use accessible links to organised assets |
| Guaranteeing results | Editorial decisions remain independent | Describe the distribution process without promising coverage |
How should press release results be measured?
The number of emails sent or pages reproducing a release does not, by itself, demonstrate quality. Measurement should connect the announcement to communication objectives.
- Relevant media mentions: coverage in publications that reach the intended audience.
- Coverage quality: accuracy, prominence, message inclusion and editorial context.
- Journalist responses: requests for interviews, documents, images or clarification.
- Referral traffic: visits from publications, newsletters, search engines or social posts.
- Branded search activity: increased searches for the organisation, product or spokesperson.
- Qualified actions: enquiries, registrations, applications, downloads or sales where attribution is credible.
- Long-term relationships: journalists returning to the organisation as a reliable source.
- Corrections and learning: factual issues, failed angles and targeting insights used to improve future releases.
Media monitoring can help collect mentions and evaluate outcomes. Learn more about media monitoring cost and professional press review pricing.
What 24Presse checks before a press release is distributed
24Presse has worked with press releases and media distribution since 2009. The following editorial checks reflect practical release preparation rather than a promise of publication.
The news is identifiable
The headline and first paragraph describe a specific development instead of a general company presentation.
The claims can be supported
Names, dates, statistics, quotations and technical statements have an identifiable source.
The target media make sense
The selected categories match the subject, location, sector and intended audience.
The contact can respond
A journalist can reach a responsible person who understands the announcement.
The assets are usable
Images, reports, biographies and links are labelled, accessible and relevant to the story.
The final version is approved
The issuing organisation confirms the text before distribution to reduce avoidable errors.
ExperienceEditorial reviewMedia targetingFinal approvalDistributionMonitoring
Video: how to send a press release
This 24Presse video introduces the practical preparation and sending process.
Related 24Presse resources
Press Release Writing Guide
Detailed guidance on the headline, lead, body, quotations, boilerplate and media contact.
Press Release Examples and Templates
Review practical examples before preparing an announcement.
Press Kit Examples
Prepare images, biographies, fact sheets and background material for journalists.
How to Send Press Releases
Understand preparation, approval, targeting, sending and follow-up.
Professional Press Release Writing
Ask an experienced professional to draft or improve the release.
Press Release Distribution Service
Discover the five stages used to prepare and distribute an approved announcement.
How to Contact Journalists
Learn how to research reporters, write a pitch and follow up professionally.
Distribution Prices
Compare the available writing and distribution options.
Frequently asked questions about press releases
What is a press release?
A press release is an official, factual statement issued by an organisation to announce news to journalists and media outlets. It usually contains a headline, lead paragraph, supporting facts, quotations, a company description and media-contact information.
What is the main purpose of a press release?
Its main purpose is to make a newsworthy development easy for journalists to understand and verify. It can also create an official public record and support broader communication objectives.
What makes a press release newsworthy?
Newsworthiness usually comes from timeliness, novelty, public or sector impact, proximity, credible evidence, recognised people or organisations, and clear relevance to a publication’s audience.
How long should a press release be?
Many professional releases are roughly 400 to 800 words, but there is no mandatory length. The document should be long enough to establish the facts and short enough to remain easy to scan.
What should a press release include?
Include a factual headline, an opening answering who, what, when, where, why and how, supporting evidence, useful quotations, a boilerplate and complete media-contact details.
Is a press release an advertisement?
No. An advertisement is paid promotional content. A press release is source material offered for editorial consideration and should be written in a factual rather than sales-oriented tone.
Are press releases still useful in 2026?
Yes, when they communicate genuine news, provide verifiable information and reach relevant audiences. They remain useful to journalists, company newsrooms, stakeholders and online information systems.
Can a press release guarantee media coverage?
No. Journalists and editors make independent decisions. Professional writing and targeting can improve relevance, but no legitimate service can guarantee that a newsroom will publish a story.
Can a press release improve SEO?
It can support online visibility through discoverable official information, earned mentions, referral traffic and branded searches. It does not guarantee rankings or backlinks, and it should not be written primarily to manipulate search results.
What is the difference between a press release and a press kit?
A press release announces one specific development. A press kit is a collection of supporting materials such as biographies, photographs, fact sheets, logos, reports and background information.
How do journalists receive press releases?
They may receive releases through direct email, PR agencies, professional distribution platforms, newsroom pages, media databases or established source relationships.
Should a press release include quotations?
Usually yes, when the quotation adds interpretation, responsibility or expert insight. A useful quote should not merely repeat the headline or use exaggerated marketing language.
When should a company issue a press release?
Issue one when the organisation has a specific, timely and verifiable announcement that matters to an external audience—for example a launch, study, appointment, investment, partnership, event or official statement.
Can a small business use press releases?
Yes. A small business can attract local or specialist media attention when its announcement has genuine community, customer or industry relevance.
How often should press releases be published?
There is no required frequency. Publish when there is meaningful news. Relevance and accuracy are more valuable than issuing releases merely to maintain volume.
Professional press release support
Prepare and distribute a credible announcement
24Presse can help with writing, editorial review, media targeting, final approval and distribution.