Press releases are dead. Dead useful.

A good press release does one thing brilliantly: it tells the story fast.

In the first few lines, a journalist should know exactly what’s happening, why it matters, and whether it’s something they want to cover. Everything else is supporting detail.

A press release isn’t written for the final reader, it’s written for the person who will decide whether your story gets told at all. Journalists, producers, editors, partners. You’re making their job easier by handing them the story clearly packaged and ready to use.

So, what makes a strong press release?

1. Lead with the essentials
Your first sentence should cover the who, what, and where. Your second sentence should explain why it matters — the relevance, the impact, the reason anyone should care.

2. Find the real story
Often the most interesting angle isn’t the one you’re first given. Step back and ask: What would make this meaningful to the audience? What would make someone stop scrolling? That’s usually where the real headline lives.

3. Use quotes strategically
Quotes aren’t filler — they’re the part of a release most likely to make it into the final coverage, and mostly intact. Use them to add perspective, insight, or emotion that can’t be captured in a factual sentence. Lead with the most important spokesperson, and keep quotes focused and concise.

4. Write for busy people
Inbox competition is fierce, so your headline needs to be clear, compelling, and easy to grasp in seconds. Journalists may change it later. But first it has to earn the open.

Yes, press releases are a little formulaic. That’s not a flaw; it’s a feature. The structure exists because it works. The most important information appears first, where it’s most likely to be read, used, and shared.

Could you learn to write them yourself? Of course.
But when the story really matters, shaping the right angle, and getting it in front of the right people, is where professiobnal support makes all the difference.