Press release template
A free press release template you can fill in, copy or download as a Word file. Below it: the press release format explained part by part, a full sample, and templates for nine common kinds of news.
Free press release template
Fill in every part in [brackets], then delete the brackets. Cut any paragraph you do not need. The Word file has the same text, with each blank highlighted.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [Headline: Company + strong verb + the news, under 12 words] [Subheadline: one line on why it matters or who it helps] [City], [State], [Month Day, Year]: [Company], a [what you do] based in [City], today [announced / launched / opened / named] [the news]. [One more sentence with the most important detail: when, where, or for whom.] [Second paragraph: the details. What exactly is new, how it works, and who it is for. Use real numbers if you have them.] [Third paragraph: why it matters now. The need, the change, or the result you expect.] "[A quote that adds a view or a feeling a fact cannot]," said [Full name], [Job title] at [Company]. "[One more sentence with a concrete detail.]" [Fourth paragraph: what happens next and what the reader can do. Dates, prices, where to buy, sign up or learn more.] About [Company] [Company] [what you do] for [who] in [area]. Founded in [year], it [one more fact: team size, locations or customers]. Learn more at [web address]. Media contact [Name] [Email address] [Phone number] ###
Real releases written this way
- The Isaacs Group Expands Compliance and Risk Management Advisory in Tampa and PaceThe Isaacs Group, a cybersecurity consulting firm with offices in Tampa and Pace, Florida, is expanding its compliance and risk management advisory work.
- Bay Lux Limo raises $800K to build lead generation and AI platform for limo companiesBay Lux Limo has raised $800,000 to build a lead generation and AI automation platform for limousine companies.
- Filament Family 3D Printing launches wireless Canberra bus shelter lampFilament Family 3D Printing has launched a wireless Canberra bus shelter lamp, a true-scale replica with a rechargeable battery, sold online from AUD44.95.
Press release format, part by part
Every press release follows the same order. Editors expect it, and readers find the facts faster. Here is each part, what it is for and how to write it.
Release line
"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" at the top tells editors they can publish it now.
If the news must wait, write "EMBARGOED UNTIL [date and time, with time zone]" instead.
Headline
The news in one line. Most readers see only this.
Put your company name first, then a strong verb and the news. Keep it under 12 words. Skip words like "exciting" and "innovative".
Subheadline
An optional second line under the headline.
Add the detail that did not fit: who it helps, a number, or where it happens.
Dateline
The city and the date the news is released, at the start of the first paragraph.
Write the city, the state and the full date. Use the city where the news happens, or where your company is based.
Lead paragraph
The first one or two sentences. They answer who, what, where and when.
Write it so a reader who stops here still knows the whole story. Put the most important fact first.
Body
Two to four short paragraphs with the details.
Put the facts in order of importance. Use real numbers, dates and names. Keep each paragraph to two or three sentences.
Quote
A few words from a real person at your company, with their full name and job title.
Use it for the why, a view, or a feeling. Do not repeat facts from the paragraph above. Get the person's approval.
Call to action
What the reader can do next.
One clear action: visit, buy, sign up, attend, donate. Add the web address or the date.
About section
A short paragraph about your company, also called the boilerplate.
What you do, for whom, where, and since when. Write it once and reuse it on every release.
Media contact
Who reporters can reach for questions.
A name, an email address and a phone number that someone answers.
End mark
Three hash marks (###) centered below the release.
They tell editors the release is over. Anything after them is not part of it.
Format rules
- Length: 300 to 600 words. One page is enough for most news.
- Tone: plain and factual, like a news story. Write in the third person: "the company said", not "we".
- Paragraphs: short, two or three sentences each.
- Numbers and dates: real ones only. Write the full date, and the time zone for online events.
- Links: two or three at most, to pages that add something.
- Images: one clear photo, logo or product shot helps editors use your news.
Press release sample
Here is the template filled in for a small business opening a second shop. This sample is made up. The bakery and the people in it are not real.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Maple Lane Bakery opens a second shop in Riverside The new shop adds weekend baking classes for children and adults Riverside, Ohio, March 3, 2026: Maple Lane Bakery, a family bakery that has served Northfield since 2015, will open its second shop at 210 Main Street in Riverside on Saturday, March 14. The new shop sells the bakery's breads, pies and cakes, and adds a small kitchen for baking classes. Classes for children run on Saturday mornings. Classes for adults run on Sunday afternoons. Each class takes up to eight people. The bakery chose Riverside because many of its regular customers drive in from there. The new shop also brings six new jobs to the area. "Our customers kept asking us to teach them our recipes, so now we will," said Ana Ruiz, owner of Maple Lane Bakery. "The first class is cinnamon rolls, the most requested recipe we have." On opening day, the first 50 customers get a free loaf of bread. The shop is open Tuesday to Sunday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Classes can be booked at maplelanebakery.example. About Maple Lane Bakery Maple Lane Bakery is a family bakery in Northfield, Ohio. It bakes bread, pies and cakes by hand every morning and now has two shops. Learn more at maplelanebakery.example. Media contact Ana Ruiz press@maplelanebakery.example (555) 010-0144 ###
For real releases from real companies, see our press release examples.
Press release templates by type
Each one has a ready template for that kind of news, what to put in each part, common mistakes and a Word download.
Tips before you publish
- Write the headline last. Once the release is written, the most important fact is easy to see. Put it in the headline.
- Read it out loud. If a sentence is hard to say, it is hard to read. Cut it in two.
- Check every fact. Names, titles, dates, prices and numbers. Ask everyone you quote to approve their words.
- Publish it where people can find it. Put it on a page with its own address, such as a newsroom on your website, so it stays online and can be linked to.
Questions
What is a press release?
A short, factual news story written by a company or organization about its own news. Editors, customers and partners read it, and it stays online as a record of the news.
What is the correct press release format?
Release line, headline, optional subheadline, dateline, lead paragraph, two to four body paragraphs, a quote, a call to action, an About section, a media contact and the ### end mark.
How long should a press release be?
Most are 300 to 600 words. Say the news, the key details and how to learn more, then stop.
Can I use this template in Word or Google Docs?
Yes. Download the Word file and open it in Word or upload it to Google Docs. Or copy the text and paste it anywhere.
Is this press release template free?
Yes. Copy it, download it and use it as often as you like. You do not need an account.
What news can I announce?
A new product or service, an opening, a hire, an event, a partnership, a milestone, an award, a book or a podcast. The typed templates below cover the most common ones.