A press release headline has one job: help the right person decide whether the announcement is worth reading.
That sounds simple. It is not always easy. Most weak headlines fail because they try to do too much. They sell, tease, explain, decorate, and announce all at once. A good headline does the opposite. It says the news clearly.
Think of the headline as the label on a file folder. If the label is vague, the journalist has to open the folder and hunt. If the label is clear, the story can be sorted in seconds.
This worksheet will help you build a headline before you start polishing words.
Start with the news, not the wording
Before you write a headline, answer three plain questions:
- What happened?
- Who is involved?
- Why would a reader, customer, investor, local community, or industry reporter care?
If you cannot answer those questions in a sentence, the headline is not the problem yet. The story still needs work.
For more headline guidance, eReleases has a helpful article on how to write an eye-catching press release headline. Purdue OWL also offers a simple overview of press release writing basics, including the importance of staying brief and useful.
Use this four-part headline formula
You do not need a clever headline. You need a clear one.
Use this structure:
Company or organization + action + specific news + audience or context
Example:
Local Robotics Startup Launches Classroom Kit to Help Middle Schools Teach Coding
That headline works because it gives the reporter something to hold onto. We know who is involved, what happened, who it affects, and why it might fit an education or local business beat.
Compare that with:
Innovative Company Revolutionizes the Future of Learning
That may sound bigger, but it says less. Bigger is not better. Clearer is better.
Fill in the worksheet
Use the downloadable worksheet to gather the raw material first. Do not judge the wording yet. Just get the facts on the page.
Write down:
- The exact announcement.
- The audience affected.
- The strongest proof point.
- The most relevant location, industry, or trend.
- Three possible verbs.
- Three headline drafts.
Then test each headline against these questions:
- Would a stranger understand what happened?
- Does it avoid hype words like “revolutionary,” “game-changing,” and “best-in-class”?
- Is the main news visible in the first few words?
- Could a journalist copy the headline without embarrassment?
- Is it specific enough to attract the right beat reporter?
The best headline usually comes after you remove words, not after you add them.
Write three versions before choosing one
Most people stop at the first decent headline. That is a mistake.
Write one version that is purely factual. Write one that adds audience context. Write one that emphasizes the strongest proof point.
For example:
- BrightPath Opens New Tutoring Center in Raleigh
- BrightPath Opens Raleigh Tutoring Center for Middle School Math Students
- BrightPath Expands to Raleigh After Serving 2,000 Students Across North Carolina
Each headline tells a slightly different story. The right one depends on the release. A local business editor may care about the new location. An education reporter may care about the students served. A trade publication may care about growth.
That is the work. Not cleverness. Fit.
Add a subheadline when needed
If the headline gets crowded, stop cramming. Use a subheadline.
The headline should carry the main news. The subheadline can add proof, timing, geography, or a short explanation.
Example:
BrightPath Opens Raleigh Tutoring Center for Middle School Math Students
The new location follows a 35% increase in demand for algebra support across Wake County.
Now the headline stays clean, and the subheadline adds the reason to care.
Final check
Read your headline out loud. If it sounds like an ad, rewrite it. If it sounds like a clear sentence from a news brief, you are close.
A strong press release headline does not beg for attention. It earns attention by respecting the reader’s time.
Download the Press Release Headline Worksheet and use it before your next announcement. Ten quiet minutes with the worksheet can save you from sending a release with a headline that buries the story.
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