A press release template gives you the parts every release needs, in the order reporters expect them: a release line, the headline, a dateline and lead paragraph, the context and details, one or two quotes, a call to action, the "About" boilerplate, a media contact and ### to close. The template below copies in one click. The Word version adds a planning sheet, headline formulas for seven types of B2B news and a checklist to run before you send. No signup.
Download the Word template (.docx)
Most press release templates on Google are layouts: letterheads in Google Docs, a template for a party or a store opening, a gallery of designs. The format matters less than the facts inside it. This page is about what goes in each part for a software company, with the rules the big wire services publish. If you are about to pitch the release to reporters, our media pitch examples show the short email that goes with it.
What are the parts of a press release?
Release line
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, or an embargo line with the exact date, time and time zone.
Headline
The company, the action and the number, in one line under 100 characters.
Subheadline
Optional. The second most important fact: the investor, the result, the date.
Dateline and lead
City and date, then who, what, when, where and why in one or two sentences.
Context and details
Why it matters now, with a sourced number, then the facts a reporter can check.
Quotes
One from your executive with an opinion, one from a customer, partner or investor.
Call to action
One next step and one link: the product, the report, the registration page.
Boilerplate
"About [Company]" in three or four sentences, the same in every release.
Media contact
A named person, email and phone, and a link to logos and headshots.
End mark
### centered under the last line, so the reader knows the release has ended.
Copy the press release template
Paste it into a Google Doc or Word file, or download the .docx, which adds the planning sheet, grey guidance notes in every part, the headline formulas and the pre-send checklist.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(or: EMBARGOED UNTIL [Month Day, Year], [time] [time zone])
[HEADLINE: Company + action + specific thing + result, under 100 characters]
[Subheadline: the second most important fact, with a number]
[CITY, State], [Mon. Day, Year] -- [Company], [what it does, in plain words, for whom], today announced [the news]. [Why it matters, with one number and its source.]
[Context: the problem the buyer has, a sourced number, and what the news changes.]
[Details a reporter can check:]
- [Availability, pricing or round size]
- [Customers, partners or investors, named with approval]
- [What happens next, and when]
"[Opinion or reason the news matters]," said [Full Name], [Title] at [Company]. "[What comes next]."
"[What changed for them, with a number if they allow it]," said [Full Name], [Title] at [Customer / Partner / Investor].
[Call to action: what the reader can do next] at [URL].
About [Company]
[Company] is [category] that helps [audience] [outcome]. [Proof point: customers, founded year, funding, headquarters]. Learn more at [URL].
Media contact
[Full Name], [Title], [Company]
[email] | [phone]
[Press kit link: logos, headshots, product images]
###What is the standard press release format?
| Element | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 300 to 500 words; shorter for a minor update | PR Newswire's writing guide |
| Headline | Under 100 characters if possible (the same guide's FAQ says 70) | PR Newswire |
| Dateline | City and the date it was issued, AP style: "NEW YORK, May 6, 2024" | PR Newswire |
| Release line | Bold capitals: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, or EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL [date, time, time zone] | eReleases' format guide |
| Body | Short paragraphs, most important facts first (inverted pyramid), AP style | eReleases |
| Quotes | A stakeholder or expert, to add credibility; eReleases suggests two, each with a different angle | PR Newswire, eReleases |
| Media contact | Name, title, company, phone, email and website | eReleases |
| End mark | ### centered after the last line | eReleases |
| Images and video | Add them: PR Newswire says visuals increase engagement with a release | PR Newswire |
One habit from the wire services does not suit every B2B company: a long release stuffed with keywords. Reporters skim the headline and the lead. If your news needs more than 500 words, link to a blog post or the full report for the detail.
Which headline formula fits your news?
Seven types of news cover most of what a B2B software company announces. Each needs different facts in the first two paragraphs. Our press release examples show a real B2B SaaS release for each type, with notes on what each one does well.
| Type of news | Headline formula | Must be in the first two paragraphs |
|---|---|---|
| Funding | [Company] Raises $[X]M [Round] Led by [Investor] to [What the Money Funds] | Round, lead investor, total raised, what the money funds, one growth number |
| Product launch | [Company] Launches [Product] to Help [Audience] [Outcome] | What is new, who it is for, availability and pricing, a beta customer result |
| Partnership or integration | [Company] and [Partner] Partner to [Shared Customer Outcome] | What customers can now do, where it is available, a quote from each side |
| Customer or revenue milestone | [Company] Passes [Milestone] as [Trend Behind It] | The milestone, how long it took, what drove it, what comes next |
| Executive hire | [Company] Appoints [Name] as [Title] to [Goal] | Prior roles, the job they were hired to do, quotes from the CEO and the hire |
| Research or data | [Finding With Number]: [Company]'s [Year] [Report Name] | Top three findings, sample size, dates, method, link to the report |
| Event | [Company] Announces [Event] on [Dates] in [City], With [Speakers] | Dates, venue, speakers, who should attend, how to register |
For a research release, the report itself does the work. Our white paper template covers how to lay out the findings, method and sources so a reporter can check them.
What does a filled press release template look like?
Illustrative, not a real release. Ledgerline is a fictional accounts payable software company, and its numbers are made up to show the structure.
| Part | Ledgerline's draft |
|---|---|
| Release line | EMBARGOED UNTIL Nov. 18, 2026, 9:00 a.m. ET |
| Headline | Ledgerline Launches Approval Agent to Cut Invoice Approval Time for Mid-Size Finance Teams |
| Subheadline | Beta customers approved invoices in [X] days instead of [Y]; available today on all plans |
| Lead | AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 18, 2026 -- Ledgerline, accounts payable software for companies with 100 to 1,000 employees, today launched Approval Agent, which routes each invoice to the right approver and chases late approvals by email and Slack. |
| Quote 1 | The CEO on why approvals, not data entry, are now the slowest step in accounts payable. |
| Quote 2 | A beta customer's controller, with the before and after numbers they approved. |
| Call to action | See how Approval Agent works at [URL]. |
The headline names the product and the result. The lead fits the whole story in one sentence. The second quote comes from a customer, which is the line most reporters will reuse.
What is a boilerplate, and what goes in it?
The boilerplate is the "About [Company]" paragraph at the end of every release. PR Newswire describes it as a brief description of the organization that highlights its mission and expertise. For a B2B software company, four parts are enough:
- What you are, in the words your buyers use ("accounts payable software", not "an AI-native finance orchestration layer").
- Who you serve, by company size, industry or role.
- One proof point you can show: customers, funding, year founded, headquarters.
- The website.
Keep it identical across releases, your newsroom and your LinkedIn page, so reporters and AI assistants see the same description everywhere. The words should match your positioning statement.
When should you use an embargo?
Use an embargo when you want reporters to have time to write before the news is public: a funding round, a major launch, a research report. Put the line at the top, in bold capitals, with the date, time and time zone. Ask each reporter to agree to it before you send the release, then publish on your own newsroom at exactly that time. For an executive hire or a small update, send it as FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.
Is a press release still worth writing?
Yes, if it goes to the right reporters. In Cision's 2025 State of the Media report, a survey of more than 3,000 journalists in 19 markets, 72% said press releases are the most useful resource PR teams can offer. The same survey found that 86% reject a pitch that does not fit their beat. A wire service gets the release indexed and archived. Coverage usually comes from the short email you send a reporter who already covers your market.
The same report is a warning for teams that write releases with AI: 72% of journalists worry about factual errors in AI-generated PR content. Check every number against its source before you send.
Where should a B2B release go?
- Your newsroom page first. It is the permanent copy, the one that ranks and that AI assistants can cite. Keep your logos, headshots and fact sheet on the same page, laid out like our press kit template.
- Direct pitches to the five to ten reporters who covered your category in the last few months, each with a personal note.
- A wire service when the news is material (funding, acquisitions, public company news) or you need the archive.
- Your own channels: a LinkedIn post from the founder, an email to customers, a line in your sales team's next follow-ups.
Our PR and awards service writes your releases and award entries, pitches the reporters who cover your market and sends you every mention each month. If you are weighing a full agency instead, our guide to SaaS PR agencies covers what they cost and when one makes sense.
Frequently asked
What format should a press release be in?
A release line (FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE or an embargo line), a headline, an optional subheadline, a dateline with the city and date, a lead paragraph that answers who, what, when, where and why, one or two body paragraphs, one or two quotes, a call to action, the boilerplate, a media contact and ### to close. PR Newswire suggests 300 to 500 words and a headline under 100 characters. Send it as text in the email body or as a page on your newsroom, with a Word or PDF copy attached if a reporter asks.
What is a boilerplate in a press release?
The short "About [Company]" paragraph at the end of every release. It says what the company does, for whom, one proof point and the website, in three or four sentences. It stays the same from release to release, so reporters can copy it, and you update it about once a quarter.
What is an embargoed press release?
A release sent to reporters before the news is public, on the agreement that they will not publish until a set date and time. Put "EMBARGOED UNTIL [date], [time] [time zone]" at the top, agree the embargo with each reporter before you send the release, and post the release on your newsroom at exactly that time.
How far in advance should I send out a press release?
For news that is already public, send it the day it happens. For news you want covered on the day, offer it under embargo early enough for a reporter to interview your spokesperson and write the piece, and agree the timing with each reporter first. Events are different: announce the event when registration opens, then send speaker and agenda news as each is confirmed.
Can ChatGPT write a press release?
It can draft one from your facts, and this template gives it the structure. Check every number, name and quote yourself before you send it. In Cision's 2025 State of the Media survey of more than 3,000 journalists, 72% said they worry about factual errors in AI-generated PR content, so a single wrong figure costs you the reporter's trust.
Do journalists still read press releases?
Yes. In the same Cision survey, 72% of journalists said press releases are the most useful resource PR teams can offer. What they reject is the pitch that does not fit their beat: 86% said they reject those immediately. Send the release with a short personal pitch to the reporters who cover your market.
