--- name: press-release-writer description: Generate newsworthy press releases for product launches, company news, partnerships, funding rounds, executive appointments, and announcements. Use when writing press releases, announcing company milestones, communicating to media, generating media outreach, or preparing media kits. Triggers on phrases like "press release", "media announcement", "news announcement", "product launch announcement", "funding announcement", "press kit", "media release", "embargoed release", "for immediate release". --- # Press Release Writer Write AP-style press releases that earn media coverage and drive earned PR value. ## Workflow 1. Identify the newsworthiness angle: what makes this news-worthy, not just company-self-congratulatory? 2. Gather facts: who, what, when, where, why, how, and quantifiable data points. 3. Identify target media outlets and journalists based on topic, industry, and geography. 4. Draft headline: compelling, factual, keyword-optimized, under 100 characters. 5. Write dateline: City, State/Country — Month Day, Year. 6. Craft lead paragraph (5 W's): who, what, when, where, why — most critical facts upfront. 7. Develop body paragraphs: context, data, customer impact, market relevance. 8. Insert executive quotes: 2–3 quotes from relevant executives (not just CEO). 9. Add boilerplate: standard "About" company description. 10. Include media contact information and call to action. 11. Add multimedia notes: links to assets, images, videos for journalists. 12. Review for AP Style compliance, factual accuracy, and newsworthiness. 13. Distribute through wire service or direct journalist outreach. ## Press Release Templates by Type ``` PRODUCT LAUNCH PRESS RELEASE ============================== FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [Headline: Company + Product + Key Benefit/Innovation] [Optional subhead: Additional context or data point] [CITY, State] — [Month Day, Year] — [Company], the [category descriptor], today announced the launch of [Product], [one-sentence description of what it does and why it matters]. [Lead paragraph expands on the hook — the most important facts about the product: what problem it solves, who it's for, and the key differentiator.] Key features include: • [Feature 1] — [benefit statement, not just technical spec] • [Feature 2] — [benefit statement] • [Feature 3] — [benefit statement] "[Quote from CEO or product leader about why this product matters, the problem it solves, and the vision behind it.]" — [Name], [Title], [Company] [Market context paragraph: industry data, market size, growth trends, why this product is timely. Include statistics from credible sources.] "[Quote from beta customer, analyst, or industry expert validating the product and its market need.]" — [Name], [Title], [Organization] [Availability and pricing paragraph: when, where, how much, what plans.] [Company background paragraph on relevant expertise in this space.] [Call to action: URL for more info, demo request, media contact.] ### About [Company]: [2–3 sentence standard description. Category leader positioning. Key metrics (revenue, customers, founding year). Website URL.] Media Contact: [Name] [Title] [Email] [Phone] [Company website] EMBARGOED PRESS RELEASE TEMPLATE (for time-sensitive announcements) ===================================================================== EMBARGOED UNTIL [DATE] [TIME] [TIME ZONE] DO NOT PUBLISH BEFORE THIS DATE AND TIME [Headline] [CITY, State] — [Date] — [Company] announced today that... [Body follows standard format. Key additions:] • Specific launch/go-live timestamp • Forward-looking statements disclaimer if public company: "This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially..." • Analyst contact: For analyst inquiries, contact: [Name], [Title] [Email] | [Phone] FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT PRESS RELEASE ===================================== FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [Company] Raises $[X] Million in [Series/Stage] Funding Led by [Lead Investor] to [One-sentence use of funds with ambition] [CITY, State] — [Date] — [Company], [descriptor], today announced it has raised $[X] million in [Series X] funding led by [Lead Investor], with participation from [Additional Investors]. The round brings the company's total funding to $[Y] million. [Context: what the company does, current traction, growth metrics] • [Metric 1: e.g., "Processed over $X billion in transactions"] • [Metric 2: e.g., "Serving 10,000+ enterprise customers"] • [Metric 3: e.g., "Year-over-year revenue growth of X%"] "[CEO quote about the funding, company mission, and strategic plans.]" [Use of funds paragraph — be specific, not vague: "This capital will accelerate development of [specific product], expand into [specific markets], and grow the team from [X] to [Y] employees."] "[Quote from Lead Investor about why they invested, market opportunity, and team strength.]" — [Name], [Title], [Investor Firm] "[Quote from new or existing board member or industry advisor about market timing.]" [Market context: industry size, growth trajectory, competitive landscape.] [Founding story paragraph if relevant — brief, 2–3 sentences.] [Company boilerplate + Media contact] PARTNERSHIP/ACQUISITION PRESS RELEASE ======================================== FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [Company A] and [Company B] Announce Strategic Partnership to [Joint Value Proposition] [CITY, State] — [Date] — [Company A], [descriptor], and [Company B], [descriptor], today announced a strategic partnership that will [specific combined outcome for customers]. [What the partnership does concretely: "Together, the companies will [specific action], enabling [customer segment] to [specific outcome]. The partnership combines [Company A's strength] with [Company B's strength] to [combined benefit]."] [Customer impact paragraph — who benefits and how: "Customers will be able to [specific new capabilities]. This addresses [market need/痛点]."] "[CEO quote from Company A about the partnership and strategic rationale.]" "[CEO quote from Company B about complementary strengths and customer value.]" [Details on integration/implementation timeline: "The integration will be available starting [date], beginning with [initial scope] and expanding to [full scope] by [date]."] [Company boilerplates for both companies + Media contacts for both] EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENT PRESS RELEASE ====================================== FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [Company] Appoints [Name] as [New Role] to [Strategic Purpose] [CITY, State] — [Date] — [Company] today announced the appointment of [Name] as [New Role], effective [date]. [He/She/They] will be responsible for [key responsibilities] and will report to [Reporting to, Title]. "[Current CEO quote about why this hire matters, what the new executive brings, and how it supports the company's strategic direction.]" [About the new executive — career summary: "[Name] brings [X] years of experience in [industry/field]. Previously, [he/she/they] served as [previous role] at [previous company], where [key achievement]. Before that, [earlier role highlight]."] [Strategic context paragraph: "This appointment comes as [company context — growth, expansion, new initiative, market change]. The new [role] will lead [specific initiatives or teams]."] "[New executive quote about excitement for the role, vision for the team, and perspective on industry/market.]" [Company boilerplate + Media contact] ``` ## Headline Formulas That Get Picked Up ``` PRESS RELEASE HEADLINE FORMULAS ================================ PRODUCT LAUNCH: → "[Company] Launches [Product] That [Quantifiable Benefit] for [Target]" Example: "DataCorp Launches AI Platform That Cuts Analytics Time by 80%" → "[Company] Introduces Industry's First [Category] for [Audience]" → "New [Product] Solves [Specific Problem] That [X]% of [Audience] Face" FUNDING: → "[Company] Raises $[X]M to [Specific Ambition]" → "[Lead Investor] Leads $[X]M [Series] in [Company], Valued at $[Y]M" → "[Company] Secures $[X]M [Series] as [Category] Market Hits $[Y]B" PARTNERSHIP: → "[Company A] and [Company B] Partner to [Joint Benefit]" → "New [Company A] + [Company B] Integration [Specific Outcome]" → "[Company A] Joins [Program/Platform] to Accelerate [Goal]" MILESTONE: → "[Company] Reaches [Quantifiable Milestone] as [Category] Demand Grows" → "[Company] Surpasses [X] [Customers/Revenue/Transactions] in [Timeframe]" → "[Company] Named [Award/Ranking] in [List/Category]" INDUSTRY POSITIONING: → "[Company] Releases [Report/Research] Revealing [Surprising Finding]" → "New Data from [Company] Shows [X]% of [Audience] Struggle with [Problem]" → "[Company] Defines New [Category] to Address [Market Gap]" HEADLINE RULES: → Under 100 characters (full display in email subject lines) → Lead with company name (branded, recognizable) → Include the news, not commentary ("Announces" not "Thrilled to Announce") → Quantify when possible (numbers attract attention) → Avoid hype words: "revolutionary," "game-changing," "disruptive" → Test headline: Would a journalist click this without knowing your company? ``` ## Distribution Strategy ``` PRESS RELEASE DISTRIBUTION MATRIX =================================== WIRE SERVICES (for broad distribution): Business Wire: → Best for: Public companies, funding, executive changes → Reach: 55,000+ journalists, 50,000+ media outlets → Cost: $1,799–$5,999 per release → Includes: Social media distribution, press room hosting → Turnaround: Same-day distribution PR Newswire: → Best for: General business news, product launches, partnerships → Reach: 80,000+ journalists, global reach in 165+ countries → Cost: $1,299–$4,999 per release → Includes: Multimedia hosting, SEO optimization, social distribution → Turnaround: Same-day distribution GlobeNewswire: → Best for: International reach, ESG/sustainability, B2B → Reach: 70,000+ media contacts, strong APAC presence → Cost: $1,199–$4,499 per release → Includes: Global distribution, regional language support → Turnaround: Same-day distribution Business Wire vs. PR Newswire comparison: Metric | Business Wire | PR Newswire Journalist reach | 55,000+ | 80,000+ Pick-up rate | ~12% | ~10% Cost (basic) | $1,799 | $1,299 Best for | Public cos. | General biz Global reach | Strong US | Strong global DIRECT JOURNALIST OUTREACH (higher pick-up rate): Process: 1. Research journalist beats and recent coverage 2. Personalize pitch: reference their recent article, show relevance 3. Email subject: specific, newsy, not "Press Release:" → "New data: 73% of SMBs face [problem]" → "Exclusive: [Company] solves [problem] for [audience]" 4. Body: 3–4 paragraphs max, journalist-ready content 5. Include: one clear ask (comment, interview, story consideration) 6. Follow up: 3–5 days later, once more at 10 days 7. Average pick-up rate: 15–25% (vs. 10% for wire alone) Tools for journalist research: → Muck Rack: $440–$1,680/year, 700,000+ journalist database → Cision: $1,000–$3,000/month, media database + distribution → Meltwater: $600–$2,400/month, media monitoring + outreach → HARO (Connectively): Free/Pro $79/month, pitch to journalists actively seeking sources TIMING BEST PRACTICES: → Best day: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday → Best time: 8:00–10:00 AM ET (before lunch, after morning news cycle) → Avoid: Friday afternoon, Monday morning, holidays, major news events → Embargo: Offer exclusive to top-tier journalist 24–48 hours before general release ``` ## Media Kit Assembly ``` COMPLETE MEDIA KIT CHECKLIST ============================== ESSENTIAL DOCUMENTS: □ Press release (PDF + HTML) □ Fact sheet (1 page: key stats, metrics, timeline) □ Company one-pager (mission, products, leadership, contacts) □ Executive bio(s) (current role, career highlights, personal) □ Product datasheet/specifications □ High-resolution logos (PNG, SVG, transparent background) □ Hero image/product photo (minimum 3000px wide) □ Executive headshot (professional, minimum 1200px) OPTIONAL ENHANCEMENTS: □ Infographic (key data visualization) □ Product demo video (30–60 seconds) □ Customer testimonials (written + video) □ Press clipping page (past media coverage) □ Social media profiles and handles □ Competitive comparison chart (if relevant) □ Industry report/data study DISTRIBUTION: □ Host on company press room (press.company.com) □ Upload to wire service media gallery □ Create Dropbox/Google Drive folder for journalist requests □ Embed press room link in email signatures and footers □ Update with every new release PRESS ROOM BEST PRACTICES: → Clean, minimalist design (journalists need info fast) → Latest press release at top, chronological archive → All media assets downloadable with click (not login wall) → Clear media contact email and phone → SEO optimized for "[Company] press release" searches ``` ## Measurement and ROI ``` PRESS RELEASE PERFORMANCE METRICS =================================== QUANTITATIVE METRICS: EARNED MEDIA: → Pick-up rate: % of targeted journalists who covered the story * Wire distribution average: 8–15% * Direct outreach average: 15–25% * Exclusive placement: 40–60% → Number of media mentions (tiered by outlet significance) * Tier 1 (major national/international): 100× weight * Tier 2 (industry publications): 50× weight * Tier 3 (local/regional): 25× weight * Tier 4 (blogs, niche): 10× weight → Ad Equivalency Value (AEV): Estimated cost if same coverage was paid media * Newspaper column inch: $300–$1,500 * Magazine full page: $5,000–$50,000 * TV mention (30 sec): $5,000–$50,000 → Total Reach: Combined circulation/viewership of covering outlets → Share of Voice: % of industry media coverage your company receives DIGITAL IMPACT: → Website traffic spike (compared to weekly average) → Organic search ranking improvements for branded + topic keywords → Social media engagement lift (shares, mentions, follows) → Backlink acquisition from covering outlets → Email newsletter open rate lift (if PR featured in newsletter) CONVERSION METRICS: → Lead generation attributed to PR (UTM-tagged landing pages) → Product demo requests during PR period → Free trial sign-ups from PR traffic → Pipeline influence (deals influenced by earned media) TRACKING TOOLS: → Meltwater / Cision: Media monitoring and coverage tracking → Google Analytics: Traffic source analysis, PR-specific landing pages → SEMrush / Ahrefs: Backlink tracking, keyword ranking changes → Share of Voice tools: Brandwatch, Talkwalker → UTM parameters: ?utm_source=press&utm_medium=wire&utm_campaign=[release_name] ``` ## Integration Points - PR Newswire / Business Wire / GlobeNewswire: Wire distribution platforms - Muck Rack / Cision / Meltwater: Journalist databases and media monitoring - HARO (Help A Reporter Out): Source pitching to journalists - Brandwatch / Talkwalker: Social and media listening for PR amplification - Google Analytics: Traffic and conversion tracking from PR campaigns - SEMrush / Ahrefs: Backlink and keyword impact measurement - Canva / Adobe Creative Suite: Press kit graphic design - WordPress / Webflow: Press room hosting and content management - MediaShark: Media contact database and list building ## Edge Cases - **Public company communications**: Must include forward-looking statements disclaimer. Coordinate with IR team and legal. Timing around earnings announcements requires SEC compliance review. No selective disclosure — all material information must be available to public simultaneously (Reg FD). - **Crisis communications / negative press response**: Never issue defensive press releases. Use measured, factual language. Acknowledge the situation, state actions being taken, express commitment to resolution. Avoid: blaming others, legalistic language, "no comment." Include: empathy, specific remediation steps, timeline for update. - **Embargoed releases**: Build trust with journalists by honoring embargo times. Include clear embargo language at top. If journalist breaks embargo, notify others immediately. Use embargoes for: product launches coordinated with key reviewers, funding announcements, research data release. Never embargo sensitive or leaked information. - **International press releases**: Adapt for local markets — currency conversion, metric vs. imperial, local executives as quotes, local market context. Translate for non-English markets (don't rely on Google Translate for wire distribution). Consider local distribution timing (business hours in target market). - **B2B vs. B2C press release tone**: B2B: data-heavy, analyst quotes, specific use cases, ROI metrics. B2C: consumer benefit-focused, lifestyle imagery, emotional appeal, retail availability. B2B targets trade publications; B2C targets consumer media.