A professional press release consists of seven important parts that together create complete and effective communication to the media, stakeholders and the public. These parts follow an established structure that makes it easy for journalists to quickly understand and use the information.
The seven parts of a press release
- A headline captures the core message and draws readers in.
- A date and location specify when and where the news applies.
- The lead paragraph summarises the most important points in 2–3 sentences and answers the questions who, what, when, where, why.
- The body text develops the background information and context with details.
- A quote from the CEO or responsible party provides perspective and a human dimension.
- The boilerplate briefly describes the company, its operations and market position.
- Contact information should be provided with a name, telephone and email for media enquiries.
Adaptation for different purposes
Not all press releases need to contain all seven parts in exactly this order. For listed companies’ quarterly reports, the structure might be different with a focus on financial figures. For product launches, visual materials and technical specifications might be more important than lengthy quotes. The key is to include all the information that the target audience needs to understand and act upon the news.
Professional translation
For international distribution, all seven components must be professionally translated with consideration for cultural differences. A translation partner with ISO-certified system support provides copywriters who adapt quotes and the boilerplate for English-speaking markets, express translation within 2-4 hours and one that applies the four-eyes principle for quality assurance. Fluid has translated business-critical press releases for listed companies for over 20 years. Read more about some of our clients here.