Free tool
Press release generator
A press release follows a fixed shape: headline, dateline, a lead paragraph with the news, a quote, supporting facts, a boilerplate About section, a media contact and ### at the end. Fill in the fields and this tool assembles the release in that order and flags anything a journalist would trip over.
Your release
Format check
How to write a press release journalists will use
- Lead with the news, not the company. "Margin launches free citation tracking for students" tells a reporter the story. "Margin is excited to announce" does not.
- Answer the five Ws in the first paragraph. Many reporters read only the lead. If the story isn't there, they move on.
- Use one real quote. It should say something the facts can't: why it matters, what changed, an opinion. Skip "we're thrilled".
- Back it with a number or a fact they can check. Survey results, prices, dates and availability get copied into stories. Adjectives don't.
- Keep the boilerplate the same every time. It's where journalists check what your company does and how to spell it.
The release is the reference; the pitch gets the coverage
Sending a release to a wire service rarely produces links that count: most wire links are nofollow, and the copies on syndication sites carry little weight. Coverage, and the editorial links that come with it, usually starts with a short personal email to a reporter who already covers the topic. Write that email with the media pitch template, link the release in it, and if a journalist publishes, confirm the link with the nofollow checker. For the bigger picture, see digital PR for SaaS.
Questions people ask
What is the standard press release format?
Headline, optional subheadline, a dateline (city and date) that starts the first paragraph, a lead paragraph covering who, what, when, where and why, supporting paragraphs with a quote, an About section (the boilerplate), a media contact, and ### to mark the end. Most releases run 300 to 500 words.
What is a press release boilerplate?
It's the short About paragraph at the bottom that describes the company in the same words every time: what it does, for whom, when it was founded and where to learn more. Journalists lift facts from it, so keep it accurate, under about 100 words, and free of slogans.
Do press releases still help with backlinks?
Not on their own. Links inside paid wire distribution are usually nofollow and Google treats them as advertising. The value comes when a journalist reads the release and writes their own story. That's why pairing a release with a short, personal pitch to a few relevant reporters works better than distribution alone.
How long should a press release be?
Usually 300 to 500 words, about one printed page. If you need more, the extra detail belongs in a linked fact sheet or blog post. The generator counts words and flags a release that runs long or a headline that runs past roughly 90 characters.
Is anything I type sent anywhere?
No. The release is assembled in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded or stored.
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