How to Write a Press Release for Your Startup
The complete guide to writing press releases that journalists actually read. Learn the exact format, see real examples, and use our templates to announce your startup's news.
Do Press Releases Still Matter?
Short answer: yes, but not in the way you might think.
Press releases are no longer the primary way to get coverage. Most journalists prefer a quick pitch email over a formal press release. However, press releases still serve important purposes:
When to Write a Press Release
- Major funding announcements - Series A and beyond, or notable seed rounds
- Significant product launches - New products, major features, platform releases
- Strategic partnerships - With recognizable companies
- Major milestones - IPO, acquisition, significant user milestones
- Executive hires - C-level executives with notable backgrounds
When NOT to Write a Press Release
- Minor feature updates
- Small team hires
- Office moves or basic company updates
- Anything that wouldn't interest people outside your company
Press Release vs Pitch Email
The press release provides the official record and full details. The pitch email gets the journalist interested. You need both: pitch first, press release as backup documentation.
Press Release Anatomy
Every press release follows the same structure. Here's each component:
Press Release Structure
- Headline - The news in 60-80 characters
- Subheadline - Supporting detail (optional)
- Dateline - City, State - Date
- Lead paragraph - Who, what, when, where, why
- Body paragraphs - Supporting details, context
- Quote 1 - From company spokesperson
- Additional details - Features, data, background
- Quote 2 - From partner, customer, or investor (optional)
- Boilerplate - About the company
- Contact information - Media contact details
Writing the Perfect Headline
Your headline determines whether anyone reads further. Most journalists decide within 3 seconds whether a press release is worth their time.
Headline Guidelines
- Length: 60-80 characters (displays fully in email)
- Start with action verb: Launches, Raises, Announces, Reveals
- Include the news: What happened and why it matters
- Be specific: "$10M Series A" not "Significant Funding"
- Avoid jargon: If your mom wouldn't understand it, simplify
Headline Examples
Good Headlines
- "Acme Raises $15M Series A to Bring AI to Small Business Accounting"
- "Widget Co. Launches Free Tool That Cuts Design Time by 80%"
- "Startup X Reaches 1 Million Users in 6 Months"
Bad Headlines
- "Acme Announces Funding" (too vague)
- "Revolutionary New Paradigm-Shifting Solution Transforms Industry" (jargon)
- "Acme, Inc., a Delaware Corporation, Today Announced..." (boring, too formal)
Crafting the Lead Paragraph
The lead paragraph contains all the essential information. A journalist should be able to write a story from this paragraph alone.
The Inverted Pyramid
News writing follows the inverted pyramid: most important information first, supporting details later. Your lead paragraph answers the 5 Ws:
- Who - Your company name
- What - The announcement/news
- When - Today, or specific date
- Where - Relevant location if applicable
- Why - Why this matters
Lead Paragraph Template
[Company], [brief descriptor], today announced [news]. The [product/funding/partnership] will [key benefit/impact], enabling [target audience] to [outcome].
Example: "Acme, an AI-powered accounting platform for small businesses, today announced it has raised $15 million in Series A funding led by Sequoia Capital. The funding will accelerate product development and expand the team, enabling more small businesses to automate their bookkeeping and focus on growth."
Body Content Best Practices
Paragraph 2-3: Supporting Details
Expand on the news with relevant context:
- Specific features or capabilities
- Key data points and statistics
- Problem being solved
- Market context
Using Data Effectively
Numbers make your announcement concrete and credible:
- User/customer numbers
- Revenue or growth metrics (if shareable)
- Time or cost savings
- Market size data
Good: "Since launching 6 months ago, Acme has grown to 50,000 active users and processed over $10 million in transactions."
Weak: "Acme has experienced significant growth since launch."
Providing Context
Help journalists understand why this matters:
- Industry trends that make this relevant
- Problems in the market you're addressing
- How this compares to alternatives
Writing Great Quotes
Quotes are your chance to add personality and perspective. They should sound like something a human would actually say—not corporate speak.
Who Should Be Quoted
- CEO/Founder - For company vision and significance
- Lead Investor - For funding announcements
- Partner Executive - For partnership announcements
- Customer - For product launches (with permission)
What Makes a Good Quote
- Provides opinion or perspective, not facts
- Sounds natural and conversational
- Adds something the facts don't convey
- Is quotable—journalists might use it
Good Quote Examples
"Small business owners didn't get into business to do bookkeeping. We're giving them their weekends back." — CEO
"The Acme team has built something we haven't seen before—AI that actually understands how small businesses work." — Investor
Bad Quote Examples
"We are excited to announce this funding round." (says nothing)
"This strategic partnership leverages synergies to deliver value." (corporate jargon)
Quote Templates
Vision quote: "[Problem statement]. [Company] is [how you're solving it differently]. [Outcome for users]."
Investor quote: "What impressed us about [Company] is [specific differentiator]. [Why this matters for the market]."
Milestone quote: "Reaching [milestone] proves that [validation]. We're just getting started with [future vision]."
The Boilerplate
The boilerplate is your standard "About [Company]" paragraph. It appears at the end of every press release and should be consistent across all communications.
What to Include
- What your company does (one sentence)
- Key differentiator or approach
- Notable metrics or traction
- Founding date and headquarters
- Website URL
Boilerplate Template
About [Company]
[Company] is [what you do] that [key benefit]. Founded in [year], [Company] [notable achievement or traction]. Headquartered in [City], [Company] is backed by [notable investors if applicable]. Learn more at [website].
Example: "About Acme: Acme is an AI-powered accounting platform that automates bookkeeping for small businesses. Founded in 2023, Acme has helped over 50,000 businesses save an average of 10 hours per week on financial tasks. Headquartered in San Francisco, Acme is backed by Sequoia Capital and Y Combinator. Learn more at acme.com."
Formatting and Style
Length
Ideal press release length: 400-600 words. Longer releases get skimmed; shorter ones lack substance.
Style Guidelines
- Write in third person ("The company announced" not "We announced")
- Use AP Style for consistency
- One idea per paragraph
- Short sentences and paragraphs
- Avoid jargon and buzzwords
Format Options
- Email body: Plain text in the email itself (preferred by most journalists)
- PDF attachment: For formal documentation
- Press page: Published on your website
Multimedia Assets
Include links to (don't attach large files):
- High-resolution logo
- Founder headshots
- Product screenshots
- Media kit/press page
Press Release Templates
Template 1: Product Launch
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Company] Launches [Product Name] to [Key Benefit]
[City, State] - [Date] - [Company], [brief descriptor], today announced the launch of [Product Name], a [product type] that [key capability]. The new [product] enables [target users] to [primary benefit].
[Product Name] addresses [problem] by [solution approach]. Key features include:
- [Feature 1 and benefit]
- [Feature 2 and benefit]
- [Feature 3 and benefit]
"[Quote about why this product matters and vision]," said [Name], [Title] of [Company].
[Product Name] is available [pricing/availability info]. [Additional launch details].
[Optional: Customer or partner quote]
About [Company]
[Boilerplate]
Media Contact:
[Name]
[Email]
[Phone]
Template 2: Funding Announcement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Company] Raises $[Amount] [Round Type] to [Primary Use of Funds]
[City, State] - [Date] - [Company], [brief descriptor], today announced it has raised $[amount] in [Series X] funding led by [Lead Investor], with participation from [Other Investors]. The funding will be used to [primary use of funds].
[Company] has [key traction metrics] since [founding/last round]. The [product/platform] [key value proposition] for [target market].
"[Quote about company vision and what this funding enables]," said [Founder Name], [Title] of [Company].
"[Quote about why investor is excited]," said [Investor Name], [Title] at [Firm].
The funding round brings [Company]'s total funding to $[total]. [Any other relevant details about growth plans, hiring, expansion].
About [Company]
[Boilerplate]
Media Contact:
[Name]
[Email]
[Phone]
Template 3: Partnership Announcement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Company] Partners with [Partner] to [Joint Outcome]
[City, State] - [Date] - [Company], [brief descriptor], today announced a partnership with [Partner Company] to [partnership objective]. The collaboration will [key benefit for end users/market].
Through this partnership, [specific details of what the partnership enables]. [Company] customers will now be able to [benefit], while [Partner] users gain access to [benefit].
"[Quote about partnership value and vision]," said [Your Executive], [Title] of [Company].
"[Quote about why partner is excited]," said [Partner Executive], [Title] at [Partner Company].
[Additional details about availability, implementation, etc.]
About [Company]
[Boilerplate]
About [Partner Company]
[Partner boilerplate - brief]
Media Contact:
[Name]
[Email]
[Phone]
Template 4: Milestone Announcement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Company] Reaches [Milestone Number] [Milestone Type]
[City, State] - [Date] - [Company], [brief descriptor], today announced it has reached [milestone], [timeframe context]. The milestone represents [significance/growth rate].
Since [starting point], [Company] has [key growth stats]. The [product/platform] has [additional metrics that demonstrate traction].
"[Quote about what milestone means and future vision]," said [Founder Name], [Title] of [Company].
[Context about why this milestone matters for the industry/market]
[Optional: Customer quote about their experience]
[Details about what's next for the company]
About [Company]
[Boilerplate]
Media Contact:
[Name]
[Email]
[Phone]
Distribution Strategy
Wire Services
Services like PR Newswire and Business Wire distribute press releases broadly. Pros and cons:
Pros:
- Wide distribution to news databases
- SEO value from syndication
- Required for some public company disclosures
Cons:
- Expensive ($500-$2,000+ per release)
- Doesn't guarantee coverage
- Most journalists ignore wire releases
Recommendation: Skip the wire for most startup announcements. Spend the money on building journalist relationships instead.
Direct Outreach
The most effective approach: personal pitch emails to targeted journalists with the press release as supporting documentation.
Timing
- Distribute early morning (6-9 AM) for same-day coverage
- Tuesday-Thursday for best response rates
- Avoid Fridays, weekends, holidays
- Check for major competing news before sending
Embargo Strategy
An embargo lets journalists prepare their story before the official announcement. Use embargoes for:
- Major funding rounds
- Significant product launches
- News that benefits from coordinated coverage
For more on timing and embargoes, see our Launch Day PR Guide.