The most effective method of announcing your company’s product or service to your customers is marketing. Although marketing has different methods, it is important for journalists to also promote your products or services.

According to Cision’s report, 74% of journalists want to access information about new products and services through press releases.

Cision's PR report

With press releases, you can increase your company’s profitability and introduce your product or service to a larger customer base by sharing the right information with the right people at the right time. If you don’t know how to write a press release, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

In this article, we’ll explore what a press release is and explain step-by-step how to write one!

Ready?

Let’s dive in!

TL; DR

  • A press release is the official statement your business uses to make announcements.
  • A press release has different types that you can use for different purposes.
  • A press release increases your brand awareness while helping you reach potential customers.
  • A press release consists of 8 sections: headline, date & location, introduction, lead paragraph, supporting quotes, company info, CTA, and contact details.
  • If you want to simplify your press release writing process and create press release templates for various scenarios, ZenoChat is designed for you.
  • With ZenoChat and its features such as knowledge bases, web search and multiple LLMs, you can complete any task of your company, including press releases, quickly and with high quality.

What is a Press Release?

A press release is an official statement that your business uses to make an announcement for public release. Your announcement can be about a product update, an upcoming event, hiring a new employee, an award, or anything related to your business. Press releases are essential for improving your company’s public relationships. You can attract your customers’ attention and increase their trust by providing them with positive information and news about your company. For this reason, you should use an informative and formal tone of voice when writing a press release.

What is a Press Release?

Types of Press Releases

Press releases have different types because they can be used for different announcements and purposes. A business can write a press release for different purposes, from awards to product updates. Some of the most popular press release types include:

  • New Product Launch Press Release
  • Product Update Press Release
  • Events Press Release
  • Mergers and Acquisitions Press Release
  • Rebranding Press Release
  • Grand Opening Press Release
  • Awards Press Release
  • New Partnership Press Release
  • New Hire Press Release
  • Charitable Initiatives Press Release

Benefits of Press Releases

Press releases have various benefits for all organizations, from small businesses to large businesses. Small businesses can gain brand awareness with press releases, and large businesses can increase customer loyalty. Let’s take a look at the benefits of press releases:

  • Affordable and Effective: Press releases are a budget-friendly and effective method of advertising.
  • Increased Web Traffic: Allows potential customers to discover your product and website.
  • Proactive Reputation: You can break the prejudice about your company and introduce your products or services to your customers.
  • Effective Marketing: With SEO-friendly press releases, you can enable new customers to discover your product or service.

How to Write a Press Release?

If this is your first time, writing a press release may seem like a long and tiring process. However, if you outline the eight parts of a press release, you will find that writing it is easy and fast. Moreover, you can speed up the process and craft high-quality press releases by integrating AI assistants like ZenoChat into your press release writing process.

How to Write a Press Release?

Headline

Arguably, the most crucial element of your press release is its headline. As the first thing a reader encounters, headlines play a pivotal role in capturing attention. A compelling headline significantly increases the likelihood that readers will engage with the rest of the content. When crafting a headline, your primary objective is twofold: to grab the reader's attention and to persuade them to delve into the full press release.

Here are a few tips for writing headlines for a press release:

  • Keep it short
  • Add statistics
  • Use action verbs to elicit emotions
  • Use title case
  • Avoid clickbait headlines
  • Use a formal and informative tone of voice
  • Avoid punctuations

Date and Location

Write the date, state, and city in the first line of a press release. The dateline of your press release should include the date you published it, not the date you wrote it.

Introduction

The introduction section of your press release should explain its main purpose. This way, readers can learn about what your company is announcing or providing. If this section is of interest to the reader, they will continue reading the press release, so the introduction of the press release should be informative.

Lead Paragraph

The lead paragraph of your press release should contain critical information about the rest of the content. When readers review this section, they should be able to answer the 5 Ws of your press release.

Supporting Quotes

To increase the credibility of your press release, you can quote sentences made by your company partners, customers, or department heads. In this way, readers will be sure of the credibility of your press release and will examine it seriously.

Company Info (boilerplate)

A boilerplate section is a 100-word about us paragraph that focuses on the company’s history and what it does. The boilerplate is usually separated from the main press release copy using a separate header. 

The boilerplate section of your press release should focus on your company’s history, work culture, brand identity, and investors. A sentence or two should be enough to introduce your business. After you’ve provided the basics, you can introduce what your company does and what it contributes to the industry.

Call to Action (CTA)

Depending on the purpose of your press release, you can use a call to action (CTA) in your final sentences. For example, if your press release is about a new hire, you can add links in the last paragraph where readers can apply and invite them to apply. If your press release is about a product update, you can add blog posts or webpages at the end of your press release where users can get information about new features.

Contact Details

At the end of your press release, you should include the contact details of the person responsible for distributing it, so that readers can use this information when they need to reach your company about any topic.

Free Press Release Templates (Created by ZenoChat)

ZenoChat is an AI co-pilot developed by TextCortex that offers a variety of features for both individual and enterprise users. ZenoChat offers features such as multiple LLMs, web search, text generation (including press releases), image generation, translation, and paraphraser to boost your company's productivity. See the results from one of our case studies:

  • TextCortex was implemented for Kemény Boehme Consultants as a solution to tackle these challenges and today employees report increased efficiency and productivity (saving 3 work days per month per employee on average).
  • AICX, an ecosystem partner of TextCortex, was integral to the onboarding and helped achieve a 70% activation rate of the team within the first weeks.
  • Employee confidence in using and working with AI increased by 60%.‍
  • The implementation results in a 28x return on investment (ROI).

Also, with ZenoChat, you can generate press release templates on any topic and use these templates to quickly write high-quality press releases. Let's take a look at a few examples of press releases created by ZenoChat.

Press Release Template #1: Product Update Press Release

[Your Company Name] Announces Exciting Updates to [Product Name]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[City, State] – [Date]

[Company Name], [a brief description of your company], is thrilled to announce enhancements to its highly acclaimed product, [Product Name]. These updates are set to improve user experience, [specific benefit, e.g., speed, functionality, usability].

Highlighted features of the new update include:

  • [Feature 1]: [Describe the feature, its purpose, and its benefit]
  • [Feature 2]: [Describe the feature, its purpose, and its benefit]
  • [Feature 3]: [Describe the feature, its purpose, and its benefit]

[Quote from a company executive],” said [Executive Name], [Title] at [Company Name]. “[Additional commentary on the updates and their expected positive impact on users].”

[Product Name] is known for [briefly mention any accolades or user praise]. With the latest update, we aim to continue meeting and exceeding the expectations of our users. The update will be available to all users starting [date].

About [Company Name]:
[Company Name] is a [brief description of the company’s mission, history, and any notable achievements]. Our commitment to [specific value] drives us to continuously innovate and improve.

For additional information or inquiries, please contact:
[Name]
[Title]
[Email Address]
[Phone Number]
[Company Website]

Press Release Template #2: New Hire Press Release

[Company Name] Announces the Appointment of [New Hire's Full Name] as [New Position Title]

[City, State] – [Date] – [Company Name], a leader in [industry or field], is pleased to announce that [New Hire's Full Name] has joined the company as [New Position Title]. [New Hire's Last Name] brings a wealth of experience and expertise in [relevant field or industry], which will be instrumental in [specific company goals or initiatives].

[First Paragraph Details]:

In this new role, [New Hire's Last Name] will be responsible for [key tasks and responsibilities]. With a proven track record in [relevant previous experience and achievements], [New Hire's Last Name] is expected to play a crucial role in driving [specific goals or objectives related to the new hire’s position].

[Second Paragraph – Background Information]:

[New Hire's Last Name] joins [Company Name] from [Previous Company], where [he/she/they] served as [Previous Position Title] and was recognized for [specific achievements or contributions]. [He/She/They] hold[s] a [relevant degree or certification] from [Educational Institution] and brings an extensive background in [relevant field/industry].

[Quotes]:

“We are thrilled to welcome [New Hire's Full Name] to our team,” said [Executive's Full Name], [Executive's Position, e.g., CEO, President] of [Company Name]. “With [his/her/their] extensive experience and innovative approach, we are confident that [he/she/they] will be a tremendous asset to our [department/team/overall organization].”

“I am excited to join [Company Name] and look forward to contributing to [specific company goals or vision],” said [New Hire's Last Name]. “I am eager to work with such a talented team and be a part of [Company Name]’s continued success.”

[Closing Information]:

For more information about [Company Name] and its services, visit [Company Website] or contact [Contact Person’s Name], [Contact Person’s Title] at [Contact Phone Number] or [Contact Email Address].

About [Company Name]:

[Provide a brief company background, mission statement, and any other relevant information about the company.]

Media Contact:

[Your Full Name]
[Your Position]
[Company Name]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]
[Company Website]

Press Release Template #3: New Product Launch Press Release

[Your Company Logo]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[Today's Date]

Contact:
[Full Name]
[Title]
[Email Address]
[Phone Number]

[Your Company Name] Unveils Groundbreaking [Product Name]

[City, State] – [Today's Date] – [Your Company Name], a leading [industry description], proudly announces the launch of its innovative new product, [Product Name], designed to [briefly describe what the product does].

The [Product Name] is poised to transform the [industry/market], providing [key feature(s) or benefit(s)], such as [briefly describe notable features and benefits]. This product is a testament to [Your Company Name]'s commitment to [describe the company's values or mission related to the product].

"Quote from an executive or product manager about the product's significance, benefits, and company vision," said [Full Name], [Title] at [Your Company Name].

Key Features and Benefits:

  • Feature 1: [Description of feature 1 and its benefit]
  • Feature 2: [Description of feature 2 and its benefit]
  • Feature 3: [Description of feature 3 and its benefit]
  • Benefit 1: [Impact or advantage of the product]
  • Benefit 2: [Impact or advantage of the product]
  • Benefit 3: [Impact or advantage of the product]

[Additional information about the product, its development, why it stands out, etc.]

Availability and Pricing: [Product Name] will be available [release date] at a price of [price]. Customers can purchase [Product Name] via [sales channels such as company website, major retailers, online marketplaces, etc.].

About [Your Company Name]: [Briefly describe your company – its mission, history, major achievements, what it specializes in, etc.]

For More Information: Visit [Your Company Website URL] or contact [Contact Information].

Sample Media Contact:

[Full Name], [Title]
[Email Address]
[Phone Number]