These guidelines will help you create a clear, effective press release that meets industry standards. By following these steps, your content will be more likely to get approved by premium media outlets and reach a wider audience.

Need help getting started? Use one of our press release templates.

News sites need the press release to focus on a single recent business announcement about your brand. Here are some topic ideas to consider:

See what topics are not accepted here.

Headline: Keep it between 8 - 20 words, and ensure it clearly states the business announcement (e.g., Company X introduces a new product). Avoid numbers, discounts, sales keywords, questions, links, exclamations, or ending punctuation. Don’t start with who, what, where, when, why, or how. Use bold for the headline.

Learn how to create the perfect press release headline here.

Summary: Write a summary of up to 45 words or 500 characters in italics. Provide extra context without using exclamations, questions, or links.

Relevancy: Ensure the content is relevant and focuses on a single business announcement about your brand.

Structure: Address the 5 Ws (Who, What, When, Where, Why) in the first paragraph.

Tone: Maintain a neutral, factual tone, avoiding promotional language and exaggerated claims. Write in the third person, using personal pronouns (I, we, our, you, your, etc.) only in quotes. Steer clear of biography and storytelling phrases like “In our day,” “In a world where,” or “especially with increasing living costs.”

Content: Don’t use adult-related keywords, and stick to standard English characters. Avoid using promotional words like “buy,” “trial,” “free,” “sale,” etc. Avoid emojis or symbols such as ™, ©, and ®. Refrain from asking the reader questions.

Clarity: Avoid jargon, overly technical language, and buzzwords to ensure the press release is accessible to a broad audience.

Formatting: Use proper spacing with short paragraphs. Subheadlines and bullet points are only allowed on the Limited and Popular Packages.

Quotes: Include a relevant quote from a key figure to add authority, and always include the spokesperson’s full name. Avoid using testimonials.

Links: Links should be blue, underlined, and placed only within the main content (not in titles, summaries, or images). Limit links to 5 for the Popular Package and 3 for all other packages.

Length: Keep the article between 350-1000 words. The Popular Package only accepts up to 800 words. Include the brand name and relevant keywords naturally within the press release.

Quality and Size: Include 1 clear, high-quality image with a minimum width of 800px. The Popular Package allows up to 10 images.

Placement: Place all images below the summary section and on their own line. Do not include links on the images.

Content Restrictions: Make sure all images are suitable for all audiences—no partial nudity, violent content, alcohol, or any other inappropriate material. Avoid including third-party logos.

YouTube Videos: If possible, include a YouTube video using this format:

[ EMBED YOUTUBE VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGiQaabX3o ]

Google Maps: The Limited, Authority, and Ultimate packages allow one Google Map embed. When relevant, include the embed code like this:
​<iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/xxx" width="600" height="450" style="border:0;" allowfullscreen="" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></iframe>

News sites require contact details to be included at the end of the press release. Make sure the following information is provided:

You can also optionally include the following:

Proofreading: Before submission, check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. Also, double-check that all links are functional and direct to the correct content.

Legal Compliance & Claims: Ensure all claims are accurate and legally sound. Avoid unverifiable or misleading claims, and include links to proof for claims like endorsements, acquisitions, partnerships, or financial data.

Avoid Hype: Keep the language simple and factual, focusing on what’s relevant and valuable to your audience rather than being overly promotional or emotional.

Keywords: Use the keywords you want to rank for on Google in the headline and as the text for your links.

Keep It Short: Aim for 500 words to keep the message clear and focused.

Package Choice: If you find it difficult to stay within the guidelines, consider choosing the Limited or Popular Packages, as they are more flexible with these guidelines.

When your press release is ready, visit our order form and select the Publishing Package that includes the news outlets you wish to target. Then, choose the “Write Your Own Story” writing package.

Upload your press release in the News Story section, and follow the prompts to complete the order form and payment.

Publishing on most outlets is done within 5 business days.