Press release template
Quickly craft compelling announcements and share important company news.
Creating a professional press release doesn't have to be complicated when you have the right approach. Project collaboration with Confluence gives teams everything they need to craft compelling announcements that capture attention and communicate company news. Whether launching a product, announcing a partnership, or sharing major company updates, you can create a comprehensive press release directly in Confluence that your entire team can use and collaborate on.
Building a press release template in Confluence means you'll have a repeatable framework that maintains consistency across all your communications, saving you valuable time. Teams can use the sample press release format for various types of announcements, customize sections according to specific needs, and maintain a professional standard that enhances their brand's credibility.
What is a press release?
A press release is an announcement to the world. It's the go-to format for sharing newsworthy information about your company with media outlets and the public. Whether launching a new product, announcing a merger, or sharing important company updates, a well-crafted press release helps you guide the story and ensure your message comes across clearly.
What is a press release template?
A press release template gives teams a framework for creating professional announcements. Instead of starting from scratch each time, you can focus on crafting your message while following a proven format. Using a template for a press release saves time and maintains consistency across all your communications.
Structure of a press release template
Every effective press release follows a strategic structure that helps tell your story clearly and professionally. An effective press release contains the following components that ensure it resonates with media outlets and readers:
- Headline
- Lead paragraph
- Body paragraphs
- Quotes
- Call to action (CTA)
- Boilerplate
- Contact information
Types of press releases
A press release helps shape how your news reaches and resonates with your audience. Different announcements require different approaches, so choosing the right type of press release is crucial for effectively communicating news:
- Product launch releases: Showcase new products or significant updates by highlighting key features, benefits, and availability information.
- Company news releases: Share significant organizational changes like mergers, acquisitions, leadership appointments, or office relocations.
- Event announcements: Promote upcoming conferences, webinars, or special occasions with essential details about dates, locations, and registration.
- Partnership announcements: Highlight new collaborations or strategic alliances, emphasizing the mutual benefits for all parties involved.
- Award recognition: Build credibility by sharing company achievements, industry recognition, or significant milestones.
- Financial releases: Report earnings, funding rounds, or other financial updates following regulatory guidelines and market expectations.
- Crisis communications: Address challenging situations or provide official responses with clear, factual information about actions being taken.
- Community initiatives: Spotlight corporate social responsibility efforts and charitable programs that demonstrate community impact.
Best practices for writing a press release
A successful press release combines professional presentation with engaging content. Here are some best practices to keep in mind:
- Write in clear, straightforward language that conveys your message without unnecessary complexity or buzzwords.
- Keep sentences concise and focused, trimming any information that doesn't directly support your main message.
- Use active voice to make your writing more direct and meaningful.
- Structure your paragraphs in order of importance, leading with the most newsworthy information.
- Double-check all facts, figures, dates, and contact information before distribution.
- Maintain a professional tone while letting your brand's personality shine through appropriately.
- Include relevant multimedia assets when they add value to your story.
- Proofread thoroughly to catch any typos, grammatical errors, or formatting inconsistencies.
Press release example
Seeing how different types of press releases work in practice helps you understand how to adapt your approach to various announcements. Each situation requires a slightly different focus and tone to connect with your intended audience. Here's when you would use a press release in the real world:
- Product launch announcement: When a software company releases a major platform update, its press release focuses on specific features that solve customer problems. The headline might read "Company X Launches Advanced Analytics Dashboard to Help Small Businesses Make Data-Driven Decisions." The body emphasizes how the new features address common pain points, includes quotes from beta users who saw measurable results, and provides clear next steps for interested customers to try the product.
- Event announcement: A conference announcement takes a different approach, emphasizing value for attendees and industry relevance. The release highlights keynote speakers, important topics being covered, and registration details. For instance, "Annual Tech Summit Returns with Focus on AI Ethics and Responsible Innovation" would include speaker credentials, session highlights, and early-bird pricing information to drive immediate action.
- Partnership announcement: When two companies form a strategic alliance, a press release explains the mutual benefits and the impact on customers. Rather than just announcing the partnership, effective releases show how the collaboration creates new opportunities or improves existing services. This type of announcement often includes quotes from leadership at both organizations to demonstrate shared vision and commitment.
- Award recognition: Recognition announcements build credibility by highlighting third-party validation. These releases connect the award to company values and customer benefits, demonstrating how the recognition reflects broader organizational excellence. The most effective award announcements tie the recognition back to customer success stories or company mission fulfillment
Benefits of using a press release template
Increases brand visibility
Press releases act as a megaphone for your company's story, extending your reach. When media outlets pick up your announcement, your message gets amplified to audiences you might never reach through traditional marketing channels.
This expanded exposure creates valuable touchpoints with potential customers, partners, and industry influencers who may not have discovered your company otherwise. The ripple effect of media coverage can significantly boost brand awareness, especially when your press release gets syndicated across multiple news platforms and industry publications.
Establishes credibility
Third-party media coverage carries weight that self-promotional content simply cannot match. When reputable news outlets or industry publications feature your announcement, they're essentially vouching for your company's legitimacy and newsworthiness. This external validation builds trust with potential customers, investors, and business partners who view media coverage as an indicator of a company's stability and market relevance.
Regular press releases that consistently deliver newsworthy content help establish your organization as a source of industry insights and innovations, creating a foundation of credibility that supports long-term business relationships.
Drives traffic
Strategically placing links within your press release creates direct pathways for interested readers to learn more about your company, products, or services. These embedded links can direct traffic to specific landing pages, product demonstrations, or registration forms, converting media coverage into measurable business opportunities.
The conversion potential becomes particularly strong when your press release addresses a specific problem or announces a solution that resonates with readers. Well-placed calls to action, combined with compelling content, can transform passive readers into active prospects, generating qualified leads that your sales team can effectively pursue.
Boosts SEO
Search engines treat press releases as fresh, relevant content, which can improve your website's visibility in search results when optimized properly. Press releases that include targeted keywords and get published on reputable news sites create valuable backlinks that strengthen your domain authority.
The SEO benefits compound over time as multiple press releases create a network of authoritative links pointing back to your website, supporting your overall digital marketing strategy.
Maintains media relationships
Consistent, valuable press releases help you stay on journalists' radar and build relationships with key media contacts in your industry. When reporters know they can count on your company for timely, accurate, and newsworthy information, they're more likely to reach out for expert commentary or include you in broader industry stories.
This ongoing relationship building creates opportunities for earned media coverage beyond your formal press releases, positioning your executives as thought leaders and go-to sources for industry insights. The goodwill generated through reliable communications can lead to more favorable coverage and increased visibility during both positive announcements and challenging situations.
How to create a press release
Step 1. Start with a compelling headline
Before writing your press release, hold a team meeting to discuss your goals. Then, find a way to translate internal objectives into a compelling headline.
Your headline must capture readers’ attention while accurately representing your news story. It should be engaging and informative, giving readers a clear preview of the announcement.
Step 2. Write a lead paragraph
Begin with a strong opening paragraph that answers the five W's: who, what, when, where, and why. This first paragraph sets the stage for your entire press release. It should provide readers with all the essential information they need in a clear and concise format.
Step 3. Build the body
Build your story with relevant background information, supporting statistics, and additional context. Structure this information logically, moving from most to least essential details while maintaining a clear flow throughout the release.
Step 4. Include a quote
Quotes from key stakeholders can add credibility to your announcement. A primary quote from a company leader, along with a supporting quote from a customer, expert, or partner, can provide valuable perspective and humanize your news.
Step 5. Add a CTA
Guide your readers toward the next step with a clear call to action. Whether you want them to visit a website, register for an event, or reach out for more information, make your desired action obvious and compelling.
Step 6. Conclude with a boilerplate
End your release with a standardized company description that includes your organization's mission, services, and relevant background information. This section should maintain a professional tone while effectively communicating your company's value proposition.
Step 7. Provide contact information
Close your press release with contact details for media follow-up. Include the name, title, phone number, and email address of your designated media contact, and ensure all information remains current to avoid missed opportunities.
Confluence Pages is the perfect tool for creating and managing your press release. With its intuitive interface, you can collaborate seamlessly with your team to draft, edit, and finalize press releases in one centralized location. Embed key resources, track updates in real-time, and ensure everyone stays aligned throughout the process.
Write a press release in Confluence
Confluence makes creating press releases a smooth, collaborative process that brings your entire communications team together in one organized workspace. Intuitive editing tools and flexible page layouts make it easy to create professional announcements that meet media standards while supporting real-time collaboration across teams. Teams can create dedicated spaces for all their communications materials, maintain version control, and eliminate the back-and-forth confusion that typically comes with multiple document versions and endless email threads.
The knowledge-sharing capabilities in Confluence connect your announcements to broader strategic planning efforts and project collaboration workflows. You can link your press release content directly to campaign goals, reference brainstorming sessions, and track decision-making processes.
This integrated approach ensures your communications align with company objectives while building a valuable repository of institutional knowledge that supports ongoing media relationships and future announcement strategies.