What is the standard structure of a press release?

A headline, an optional subhead, a dateline (city plus date), a lead paragraph answering who-what-when-where-why, two or three body paragraphs with a quote, a company boilerplate, media contact details, and three hash marks to signal the end. This builder follows that exact order.

How long should a press release be?

One page is ideal — roughly 400 to 500 words. Journalists are busy, so the most important news goes in the headline and first paragraph, with supporting detail after. If it runs past one page, cut the least essential paragraph.

What does the ### at the end mean?

Three hash marks, or the word END, centered below the last line, is the traditional signal that the release is complete. It tells an editor there is no missing page. It is a long-standing newsroom convention.

Why include a boilerplate?

The boilerplate is a short, reusable paragraph describing your company — what it does, when it was founded and a link. It gives reporters instant context and saves them research, which makes them more likely to cover you.

Is my announcement stored anywhere?

No. The release is built entirely in your browser from your inputs. Nothing you type is uploaded or saved on a server.

Press Release Builder

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Press release builder

A press release has a strict, time-tested format, and journalists notice immediately when it is wrong. The headline and first paragraph must carry the whole story, because that is often all an editor reads. This builder assembles a clean AP-style release — dateline, inverted-pyramid lead, supporting body with a quote, boilerplate and media contact — so your announcement looks professional and lands in a format reporters can use without rewriting.

How it works

The builder follows the inverted-pyramid structure newsrooms expect. The dateline combines your city and the release date. The lead paragraph is framed to answer the five Ws — who, what, when, where and why — up front. Body paragraphs add context and house the executive quote, since a strong quote is what reporters most often lift. The boilerplate gives instant company context, the media contact block tells editors who to call, and the release closes with the conventional three hash marks that signal the end.

Tips and example

Lead with the news, not the company: Acme launches one-tap storefronts for small retailers beats Acme is proud to announce. Keep the headline under about 12 words and active. Put the single most newsworthy fact in the first sentence and assume the reader stops after it. Use a quote to add opinion or vision — facts belong in the body, not the quote. Avoid hype words like revolutionary; let the news speak. End with a clear media contact so a reporter on deadline can reach you in seconds.