A good press release has two jobs.
It has to help Google understand what the announcement is about. And it has to help a journalist decide, quickly, whether there is a real story worth covering.
Those goals are not in conflict. You do not write one version for search engines and another for reporters. You write one clear, factual, useful release that serves both.
Google rewards content made for people first, not content written only to manipulate rankings. Its own guidance on people-first content is a useful reminder for PR writers: say something helpful, make it easy to understand, and avoid writing around keywords instead of meaning.
Journalists want the same thing. They need facts, context, quotes, names, dates, and a reason the news matters now.
Start with the news, not the buildup
Your headline should tell the story plainly.
Weak: “Company X Proudly Announces Exciting New Innovation”
Better: “Company X Launches Same-Day Repair Service for Baltimore Restaurants”
The second headline gives Google useful signals: company, service, location, and audience. It also gives a journalist a usable angle. Who is affected? Restaurant owners. Where? Baltimore. What changed? Same-day repair is now available.
That is how you write for both search and media. You stop trying to sound impressive and start being specific.
Use the first paragraph to answer the real questions
The lead paragraph should answer the basics:
- Who is making the announcement?
- What happened?
- When is it happening?
- Where does it apply?
- Why does it matter?
- Who should care?
This is not just old-school journalism advice. Search engines need clear entities and relationships. Journalists need the same thing because they are scanning for usable facts.
For example:
“HarborPoint Accounting, a Baltimore firm serving small restaurants and retailers, today launched a fixed-fee bookkeeping service designed to help local business owners prepare for quarterly tax deadlines.”
That sentence gives you company, location, audience, service, timing, and purpose. No fog machine required.
Make keywords natural
Yes, keywords matter. But they should come from the real language of the announcement.
Use the words your customers, journalists, and industry actually use. If you are announcing a new cybersecurity platform, say “cybersecurity platform.” If you are opening a new dental office in Tampa, say “dental office in Tampa.”
Do not repeat the phrase six times because someone told you density matters. It reads badly. It also makes the release less useful.
A simple rule: use the main phrase in the headline if it fits, the lead paragraph, and one or two natural places in the body. Then stop.
Give journalists proof, not praise
Journalists do not need you to say your company is “revolutionary.” They need evidence.
Use:
- Specific numbers
- Customer impact
- Market context
- Named executives
- Clear quotes
- A media contact who responds quickly
The Associated Press describes news standards around accuracy, fairness, and accountability in its news values and principles. Your press release is not journalism, but it should respect the same basic idea: make claims you can support.
Write quotes that sound human
Bad press release quotes are easy to spot. They sound like a brochure wearing a necktie.
“We are thrilled to leverage our innovative solution to deliver best-in-class value.”
Nobody talks like that at lunch.
A stronger quote explains why the announcement matters:
“Restaurant owners cannot wait three days for a freezer repair,” said Maria Ellis, founder of HarborPoint Repair. “We built this service because one broken cooler can wipe out a week of inventory.”
That quote gives the journalist something usable. It also adds language Google can understand because it connects the service to the customer problem.
Use links carefully
A press release should not be stuffed with links. Link where it helps the reader.
Good places to link include a product page, a report or data source, a newsroom page, or a related company background page.
For more on this topic, eReleases has a useful guide on using press releases for SEO.
Keep the structure clean
Use short paragraphs. Break up long sections. Include a boilerplate that explains who you are in plain language.
Before you send the release, ask two questions:
Could Google understand the main topic without guessing?
Could a journalist pull the core facts in 30 seconds?
If the answer is yes to both, you are close.
The bottom line
Writing for Google and journalists is not about tricks. It is about clarity.
Name the news. Explain why it matters. Use real language. Support your claims. Make the release easy to scan, quote, and verify.
That is what helps a press release travel farther.
Not because it was optimized into something unnatural.
Because it was useful.
Mickie Kennedy founded eReleases.com in 1998 after watching PR firms charge small businesses a $20,000 minimum for a single press release. For 27 years, he’s been closing that gap — distributing 150,000+ releases via Cision PR Newswire, serving 30,000+ clients including Manscaped, Squatty Potty, and 40+ Shark Tank brands, and generating $132M+ in earned media. A sought-after podcast guest and two-time Amazon bestselling author of Beginner’s Guide to Writing Powerful Press Releases and The PR Strategy Manifesto. Mickie holds an MFA in Creative Writing from George Mason University. Based in Baltimore, MD. LinkedIn