Getting your story in front of a journalist used to feel like shouting into a void. Most press releases land in inboxes and get deleted within seconds, not because the story is bad, but because the release itself is. Understanding how to write a press release for media coverage is one of those genuinely useful skills that most people never bother to learn properly. Which means, if you do, you are already ahead of the vast majority of businesses and individuals firing off wall-to-wall text to overworked reporters.
Whether you are a small business owner in Sheffield, a local charity in Bristol, or an individual with a genuinely interesting story, this guide will walk you through the whole process in plain English.
What Is a Press Release and Why Does It Still Matter?
A press release is a short, structured document you send to journalists, editors, and producers to tell them about something newsworthy. It is not an advertisement. It is not a brochure. It is a news story written in the style of a journalist, handed to them ready to use or adapt.
Some people argue that press releases are outdated in the age of social media. They are wrong. According to research published by BBC News and backed up by multiple UK journalism studies, journalists still rely on press releases as a primary source of story leads. The format has simply evolved. A release that worked in 2005 will not work in 2026. The principles, though, remain solid.
The Structure of a Press Release That Editors Actually Read
Get the structure right before you worry about anything else. Here is the format that works consistently.
The Headline
This is your one shot. Write it like a newspaper headline, not a marketing tagline. Specific, active, newsworthy. “Local Bakery Wins National Award for Gluten-Free Sourdough” beats “Exciting News From Our Amazing Team” every single time. Keep it under 12 words.
The Dateline
Start your first paragraph with the date and location: “Manchester, 14 July 2026 –” (use a double hyphen here, not a dash). This is standard press release convention and signals professionalism immediately.
The Opening Paragraph
Pack the five Ws into the first two sentences: who, what, where, when, and why. Journalists are busy. If the story is not obvious in the opening paragraph, the release is gone. Think of it like an inverted pyramid: the most important information goes first, with supporting detail following behind.
The Body
Two to three paragraphs of supporting information. Context, background, relevant statistics, a quote from someone credible. Keep sentences short. Avoid jargon. Write as if you are explaining the story to a reasonably informed friend, not a specialist.
The Quote
Every good press release has at least one quote, and it needs to sound like a real person said it. “We are absolutely thrilled to announce this incredible milestone” is useless. “We had seventeen entries for the competition and genuinely did not expect to win” is human and specific. Journalists often drop quotes directly into articles, so make yours worth using.
The Boilerplate
A short paragraph at the end labelled “About [Your Organisation]” that gives brief background. Two to three sentences maximum. Think of it as the bio at the bottom of a magazine feature.
Contact Details
Name, email, and phone number. Make it easy. A journalist who cannot reach you in five minutes will move on.
A Simple Press Release Template You Can Use Today
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [HEADLINE IN CAPITALS] [City], [Date] -- [Opening paragraph: who, what, where, when, why in 2-3 sentences.] [Second paragraph: supporting detail, context, numbers.] [Quote paragraph: "[Quote]," said [Name], [Title] at [Organisation].] [Third paragraph: additional background or next steps.] ABOUT [YOUR ORGANISATION] [Two to three sentences of background.] MEDIA CONTACT: [Name] [Email] [Phone: 0xxx xxx xxxx]
Print that out. Pin it up. Use it every time.
Dos and Don’ts When Writing a Press Release
Do
- Lead with the most newsworthy element, not your company history.
- Keep the whole thing to one page (around 400 words) wherever possible.
- Use real data and specific figures where you have them.
- Target the right journalists. A food editor does not want a story about software.
- Send it in the body of the email, not as a Word attachment. Attachments often get blocked or ignored.
- Include a high-resolution image with a caption. Journalists love a ready-to-use visual.
Don’t
- Use superlatives like “world-class”, “revolutionary”, or “ground-breaking” unless you can prove them.
- Write in the first person. Press releases are written in the third person.
- Send it as a mass blind copy to hundreds of journalists at once. Personalise where you can.
- Bury the news. If you are launching something on 1 September, say so in the first sentence.
- Follow up the same day. Give journalists 48 to 72 hours before a brief, polite chase.
Modern Pitching Strategies That Work in 2026
The press release itself is only half the job. How you send it matters just as much. A few approaches that are genuinely working right now.
Personalise Your Email Pitch
One line is enough. “I saw your piece on local food businesses last month and thought this might interest you.” It shows you have read their work. It takes 30 seconds. It dramatically improves your response rate.
Time Your Send Carefully
Tuesday to Thursday, between 9am and 11am, is broadly regarded as the best window for reaching journalists. Avoid Mondays (chaos) and Fridays (already mentally clocked off). Embargo releases if you need coverage to land on a specific date, but only use embargoes for genuinely significant news.
Use Journalist Request Services
Platforms like Respond to a Journalist and Response Source (both well-established in the UK) allow journalists to post requests for expert comment and story leads. If your expertise matches a request, a well-crafted pitch can land you genuine coverage without a traditional press release at all.
Think Local First
Local newspapers, regional BBC stations, and community radio are far more likely to cover a small business or individual story than national outlets. Build your media profile locally, then use that coverage as a credibility marker when pitching wider.
Common Mistakes That Kill Coverage
The single biggest mistake people make is confusing “interesting to them” with “interesting to a journalist’s audience”. A journalist at the Manchester Evening News is thinking about their readers in Salford, Didsbury, and Stockport. Your story needs to matter to those people, not just to you.
The second biggest mistake is sending releases with no news hook at all. “We have a new website” is not news. “We have launched the first online platform in the UK dedicated to connecting retired teachers with local schools for free tutoring” is a story.
Knowing how to write a press release for media coverage is less about clever writing and more about ruthless clarity. Strip out everything that does not serve the reader. Lead with what is genuinely surprising, significant, or timely. Make the journalist’s job as easy as possible, and you will find doors that seemed firmly shut start to open with surprising regularity.
Your 15 minutes might be closer than you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a press release be?
Ideally, keep a press release to around 400 words, which fits comfortably on one page. Journalists are under constant time pressure, so a concise release that covers the essentials is far more likely to be read than a lengthy document. If you cannot tell the story in one page, the story probably needs restructuring, not more words.
How do I find the right journalists to send my press release to?
Start by reading the publications you want coverage in and identifying reporters who regularly cover your topic area. Most journalists list their email addresses in their bylines or on the publication’s staff page. In the UK, tools like Cision and Response Source also maintain media databases, though these come with a subscription cost.
Should I send a press release by email or post?
Email, always. Postal press releases are essentially obsolete in 2026. Paste the text directly into the email body rather than attaching a Word document, as attachments can be blocked by spam filters or simply overlooked. Keep your subject line punchy and specific so it stands out in a crowded inbox.
What makes a story newsworthy enough for a press release?
Journalists look for stories that are timely, significant, local, unusual, or involve real people. A new product launch is rarely enough on its own, but a new product that solves a problem affecting a specific community, breaks a record, or challenges a common assumption is much stronger. Ask yourself honestly: would this interest someone who has never heard of my business?
How do I follow up after sending a press release without being annoying?
Wait at least 48 to 72 hours before following up, then send one brief, polite email asking if the release arrived and whether they need any additional information. Do not phone unless you have a genuine time-sensitive reason. If there is no response after two follow-ups, accept that the story was not the right fit and move on.