How to Write a Press Release in 2025: Step-by-Step Guide & Best Practices

The ultimate guide to writing powerful press releases in 2025

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, crafting an effective press release is more crucial than ever for businesses looking to make waves and capture media attention. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the essential steps to create press releases that get real results in 2025 and beyond.

Why press releases still matter in 2025

While some may claim press releases are outdated, they remain a powerful tool when used strategically. Here are some key benefits of leveraging press releases:

• Generate media coverage and brand visibility
• Drive targeted traffic to your website
• Boost your presence in Google News
• Enhance search engine optimization efforts
• Build credibility and authority in your industry

When executed properly, a well-crafted press release can be the catalyst that propels your company’s latest news or developments into the spotlight. Let’s explore how to make that happen.

Step 1: Identify a truly newsworthy angle

The foundation of any successful press release is having something genuinely newsworthy to share. While you don’t need earth-shattering news, your announcement should be fresh, relevant and interesting to your target audience.

Some newsworthy topics that work well for press releases include:

• New product launches or major updates
• Industry research studies or data reports
• Company milestones and achievements
• New executive hires or leadership changes
• Mergers, acquisitions or partnerships
• Events, webinars or speaking engagements

The key is framing your news in a way that resonates with journalists and their readers. Focus on the unique value, innovation or impact your announcement offers. Writing newsworthy press releases requires understanding what media outlets consider valuable and timely for their audiences.

Step 2: Craft an attention-grabbing headline

Your headline is arguably the most important component of your press release. It needs to instantly capture attention and compel journalists to read further. Here are some tips for writing powerful headlines:

• Lead with the most newsworthy element
• Use active language and strong verbs
• Include relevant keywords for SEO
• Keep it concise (under 100 characters if possible)
• Avoid hype, jargon or clickbait tactics

For example, a weak headline like “Company X Announces New Product” could be improved to “Company X Launches AI-Powered Analytics Platform, Boosting Efficiency by 300%”

Step 3: Write a compelling lead paragraph

The first paragraph of your press release needs to quickly summarize the key points and entice readers to continue. When drafting a press release, follow the inverted pyramid structure, leading with the most critical information:

• Who is involved?
• What is happening?
• When and where is it taking place?
• Why is it significant?
• How does it impact the industry/audience?

Aim to answer these core questions succinctly in your opening paragraph. This allows busy journalists to quickly grasp the essentials of your story. This approach to how to write a press note ensures clarity and impact from the very first sentence.

Step 4: Provide supporting details and context

Use the body of your press release to expand on the key points with relevant details, background information, and supporting evidence. Some elements to include:

• Quotes from company leadership or industry experts
• Important statistics or data points
• Brief company background/boilerplate
• Links to additional resources

Remember to maintain an objective tone throughout. Avoid overt marketing language or promotional fluff.

According to MediaBoard’s quote guidelines, you should include 1-2 quotes maximum from executives or experts to add credibility without overwhelming the reader. This is what should be the quotes limit in press release best practices—keeping quotes focused and strategic helps maintain the journalistic tone journalists expect.

Step 5: Optimize for search and readability

To maximize the reach and impact of your press release, keep these optimization best practices in mind:

• Include your primary keyword in the headline, first paragraph and body copy
• Use subheadings to break up text and highlight key points
• Keep paragraphs short (2-3 sentences) for easy scanning
• Incorporate bulleted or numbered lists where appropriate
• Add relevant images, infographics or multimedia elements

Step 6: Choose the right distribution strategy

Even the best-written press release won’t gain traction without strategic distribution. Consider these options:

• Paid newswire services like PR Newswire or Business Wire
• Direct outreach to relevant journalists and media outlets
• Publishing on your own website/newsroom
• Sharing across owned social media channels

At IncRev, we leverage our extensive media relationships and proprietary distribution network to ensure maximum visibility for our clients’ press releases.

How long should a press release be and how long to write one

One of the most common questions when learning how to draft press release content is determining the optimal length and time investment. Understanding what should be the maximum word limit for press release content helps you plan more effectively.

Benchmarks for word count and writing time

According to Backlinko’s guide to press release length, the optimal press release length in 2025 is 400-700 words, with 300-500 words recommended specifically for digital distribution channels. How many words in a press release depends on your distribution strategy and news complexity, but staying within this range ensures journalists can quickly scan and decide on coverage.

How long should it take to write a press release? The answer varies based on experience and preparation:

• Beginners: 3-5 hours to write a press release, including research, drafting, and revisions
• Intermediate writers: 1.5-3 hours for how many hours to write a press release when you have clear messaging
• Experienced PR professionals: 45 minutes to 1.5 hours with established templates and processes
• Agency teams: Faster turnaround through collaboration and specialization

How long to write a press release effectively depends on having your facts ready, quotes approved, and distribution strategy planned before you start drafting.

Advanced distribution strategies: How to submit and circulate press releases

Knowing how to submit a press release through the right channels is just as important as writing compelling content. Understanding how to disseminate press release material strategically maximizes your media coverage and SEO benefits.

Getting into Google News and using newswires

Learning how to circulate a press release effectively includes understanding specialized distribution channels. Here’s how to submit press release to Google News and leverage newswire services:

Google News submission requirements:

• Maintain a factual, journalistic tone without promotional language
• Ensure your site has no intrusive ads or paywalls on news content
• Submit your XML sitemap through Google Search Console
• Follow Google’s Publisher Center guidelines for news content
• Build consistent publishing history to establish credibility

According to Digital Third Coast’s Google News tips, proper dissemination of press releases through Google News requires technical compliance alongside content quality.

Newswire service options and how to disseminate press release content:

• Premium services (PR Newswire, Business Wire): $300-$1,500+ per release; extensive pr newswire distribution lists reaching thousands of journalists and outlets
• Mid-tier services (PRWeb, eReleases): $99-$400 per release; solid reach with targeted distribution
• Industry-specific wires: Specialized dissemination press releases to niche media in finance, tech, healthcare, etc.
• Direct media outreach: Most cost-effective; build your own media database for personalized pitching

The best day to send a press release is Tuesday through Thursday, with optimal timing at 8-10 AM ET according to Prezly’s timing best practices based on 2024 media response data.

Press release best practices and SEO for 2025

Press release best practices 2024 and 2025 have evolved significantly with search algorithm updates and changing media consumption habits. Understanding current press release seo best practices ensures your releases drive both media coverage and organic visibility.

SEO optimization strategies

According to Semrush’s 2025 press release SEO tips, press releases remain effective for SEO when focused on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) and natural keyword use, while avoiding manipulative link schemes.

Key SEO best practices for press release writing in 2025:

• Focus on informational value rather than pure link building
• Use natural keyword integration in headlines, subheadings, and body text
• Include 1-2 contextually relevant links maximum to avoid appearing spammy
• Optimize for semantic search with related terms and concepts
• Structure content with clear H2/H3 hierarchy for featured snippet opportunities
• Add multimedia elements (images, videos) with proper alt text

For more advanced strategies on selecting the right SEO keywords for your press releases, explore comprehensive keyword research methodologies.

Timing and making your release stand out

How can I make my press release stand out in a crowded media landscape? Beyond timing, differentiation requires strategic positioning:

Stand-out strategies for press release strategy success:

• Lead with compelling data: Original research, surveys, or industry statistics grab attention
• Offer expert commentary: Position executives as thought leaders on trending topics
• Include visual assets: High-quality images, infographics, or video increase pickup rates by 40%+
• Localize when relevant: Tailor releases to specific geographic markets for targeted media
• Create multimedia experiences: Embed videos, interactive elements, or social proof
• Personalize outreach: Customize pitches to individual journalists rather than mass distribution

When is the best time to release a press release beyond day and hour? Avoid major holidays, competing industry events, and breaking news cycles that could overshadow your announcement.

Measuring press release performance

To gauge the success of your press release efforts, track key metrics such as:

• Number of media pickups and mentions
• Website traffic and engagement
• Social media shares and interactions
• Inbound inquiries or leads generated

Use these insights to continually refine your approach and improve results over time.

Advanced metrics and tracking tools

How to measure press release effectiveness and how to track the success of a press release goes beyond basic vanity metrics. Desire Marketing’s performance benchmarks suggest aiming for 5-10 media pickups per release and a 20-50% traffic uplift as realistic success indicators.

Key metrics and tools for measuring success:

• Media monitoring platforms: Meltwater, Cision, or Mention for tracking pickups and sentiment
• Google Analytics: Monitor referral traffic, bounce rates, and conversion paths from press coverage
• Backlink analysis: Use Ahrefs or SEMrush to track new referring domains and link equity gained
• Brand mention tracking: Measure branded search volume increases following distribution
• Social listening: Track share of voice and sentiment across social platforms
• Lead attribution: Connect press release campaigns to pipeline and revenue outcomes

Benchmark expectations for press release ROI:

The IncRev advantage for press release success

While this guide provides a solid foundation for crafting effective press releases, partnering with an experienced agency like IncRev can take your efforts to the next level. Our team of seasoned PR and communications experts can help you:

• Identify compelling news angles and storytelling opportunities
• Craft powerful, journalist-friendly press releases
• Leverage our extensive media relationships for maximum coverage
• Amplify your message across owned, earned and paid channels
• Measure and optimize performance for ongoing improvement

Ready to supercharge your press release strategy? Contact IncRev today to learn how we can help amplify your brand’s voice and drive meaningful results.