Most press releases are not rejected because the news is weak. They are rejected because the writing makes an editor work too hard. A newsroom decides in about ten seconds whether a release is usable, and that decision is made almost entirely on the headline and the first paragraph.
Here is the structure editors expect, why each part exists, and a template you can fill in.
The structure, in order
1. Headline
One line, under about 90 characters, written as a statement of fact rather than a claim. "Mumbai fintech Arc raises ₹40 crore Series A" works. "Arc announces exciting milestone in its growth journey" does not, because it contains no information.
2. Dateline
City and date, then straight into the text. It tells the editor where the news is from, which decides whether it is relevant to their readers at all.
3. The lead paragraph
This is the part that matters most. It must answer who, what, when, where and why in two or three sentences. Assume the reader stops after this paragraph, because most will.
4. Supporting detail
Two or three paragraphs of context: the numbers, the market, what changes as a result. This is where specifics belong. Vague scale claims read as filler and get cut.
5. A quote that says something
One quote, from one named person, with their full title. The test is simple: if the quote could have come from any company in any industry, it is not worth including. "We are thrilled" is not a quote. A sentence explaining why the decision was made is.
6. Boilerplate
Three or four lines about the company: what it does, when it was founded, where it operates, and the website. Write it once and reuse it.
7. Contact details
A real name, a real email and a real phone number. Releases with a generic info@ address and no name get deprioritised.
A template you can fill in
HEADLINE: [Company] [does what] [key number or detail]
CITY, DATE — [Company], [one-line description of what it does], today [announced what happened]. [What it means in one sentence.]
[Paragraph of supporting detail: the numbers, the timeline, who is involved.]
[Paragraph of context: why this matters in the market.]
"[A quote explaining the reasoning behind the decision, not an emotion]," said [Full Name], [Title] at [Company].
About [Company]
[Three lines. What it does, when founded, where based, website.]Media contact: [Name], [email], [phone]
Five mistakes that get releases ignored
- Burying the news. If the actual announcement is in paragraph four, it will not be read.
- Adjectives instead of facts. "Leading", "innovative" and "world-class" are invisible to editors. Numbers are not.
- No date or location. Without a dateline an editor cannot judge relevance.
- Writing it as an advertisement. A release is news copy. If it reads like a brochure it will be treated as one.
- Too long. Four hundred to six hundred words is the working range. Anything longer gets skimmed.
Length, tone and formatting
Write in third person and in plain past tense. Keep paragraphs to two or three sentences. Avoid bold and colour in the body. Spell out numbers under ten and use digits above, and be consistent with currency formatting throughout.
What happens after the writing
A well-written release still needs somewhere to go, and choosing where is its own decision. With 01Wire, the release is written and formatted by our editorial team if you would rather not draft it yourself, published on the outlet you choose, and the live article URL is sent to you once it goes live. Typical turnaround is three to five working days from the point you approve the draft.
Headline formulas that consistently work
Almost every publishable headline follows one of a handful of shapes. Each puts the news first and the company second:
- [Company] raises [amount] from [investor] — funding.
- [Company] launches [product] for [audience] — product.
- [Company] appoints [name] as [role] — people.
- [Company] partners with [company] to [outcome] — partnership.
- [Company] expands to [place] with [number] [thing] — growth.
If your headline does not fit one of these, it is worth asking whether you have news or an update.
A worked example
Before: "Leading logistics innovator announces exciting new milestone in its growth journey as it continues to revolutionise the industry"
No company named, no number, no event, no date. An editor cannot tell what happened.
After: "Pune logistics firm Freightly raises ₹22 crore to expand into tier-2 cities"
Who, what, how much, where, and why it matters, in eleven words. The second version is publishable as written; the first requires the editor to do the work of finding the story.
Four formats, in brief
Funding announcement
Lead with amount, round and lead investor. Include what the money is for. Quote the founder on the decision, not the emotion. Investors are usually quoted second, if at all.
Product launch
Lead with what the product does and who it is for. Availability and price belong in paragraph two. Avoid feature lists longer than three items.
Appointment
Lead with the name, the role and where they came from. One paragraph of their track record is enough.
Partnership
Lead with what the two organisations will do together and what changes for customers. Partnerships without an outcome rarely get covered.
Before you send it
- Read the headline alone and ask whether it contains a fact.
- Cut every adjective that is not load-bearing.
- Check every number twice, and that currency and units are consistent.
- Confirm names, titles and spellings with the people quoted.
- Make sure the contact is a person who will answer within a day.
After it publishes
The placement is the beginning, not the end. Add the live URL to your press page, send it to customers and investors in your next update, and reference it in sales conversations. A published article that nobody is pointed to does very little work.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a press release be?
Four hundred to six hundred words is the practical range. Long enough to carry the detail, short enough to be read in full.
Should I include images?
Where the outlet supports it, yes. One strong image or logo is enough; a gallery is not necessary.
Can I write it myself?
Yes. If you would rather not, our editorial team writes and formats it as part of the placement.