A good press release does not need to sound impressive. It needs to be easy to use.
That is the point of editing. You are not polishing the release so it sounds fancy. You are removing anything that makes a journalist work harder.
Before you send your next release, walk through this plain-English checklist.
1. Can a stranger understand the news in 10 seconds?
Read the headline and first paragraph only.
Can you answer these three questions?
- What happened?
- Who is involved?
- Why does it matter now?
If not, the opening is not ready.
A press release should not make the reader hunt for the announcement. Put the real news at the top. Save background, history, and supporting details for later.
For a useful refresher on basic structure, see this eReleases guide on how to format a press release.
2. Does the headline state the news?
Many headlines try to sell. That is where they go wrong.
Weak headline:
“ABC Company Proudly Continues Its Mission to Transform the Future of Customer Experience”
Better headline:
“ABC Company Opens New Customer Support Center in Austin”
The second one tells me what happened. It gives me a place. It gives me something concrete. A journalist can work with that.
Use the headline to report the news, not decorate it.
3. Is the lead paragraph overloaded?
Your first paragraph should carry the essentials, not the entire company history.
A simple lead usually includes:
- Company or organization name
- Main announcement
- Location, if relevant
- Date or timing
- The reason the news matters
Cut anything that does not help the reader understand the announcement. If the first paragraph runs longer than four or five lines, it probably needs tightening.
4. Have you removed marketing language?
Look for words that sound important but do not prove anything.
Common offenders include:
- revolutionary
- groundbreaking
- innovative
- best-in-class
- world-class
- game-changing
- cutting-edge
Sometimes these words are true. Usually, they are shortcuts.
Replace claims with facts. Instead of saying your product is “revolutionary,” explain what it does that competitors do not. Instead of saying demand is “exploding,” share the sales growth, customer count, funding amount, expansion plan, or market data.
Plain facts beat loud adjectives.
5. Does every quote sound human?
A quote should not repeat the headline.
Bad quote:
“We are excited to announce this groundbreaking new solution,” said the CEO.
Better quote:
“Our customers were losing hours each week to manual reporting. We built this so they can get that time back,” said the CEO.
The better quote adds context. It explains the problem. It gives the story a person and a point of view.
Read every quote out loud. If no real person would say it in conversation, revise it.
6. Are the facts easy to verify?
Before distribution, check every factual detail:
- Names and titles
- Company spelling
- Product names
- Dates
- Locations
- Numbers
- Website links
- Media contact information
This sounds basic because it is. But small errors can make a release look careless.
If you use style guidance, keep it consistent. The AP Stylebook is widely used by journalists and communicators, so it is a good reference for names, titles, numbers, capitalization, and punctuation.
7. Is the release too long?
Most releases get weaker when they get longer.
Look for repeated ideas. Cut sentences that explain what the reader already knows. Remove throat-clearing phrases like “in today’s fast-paced world” or “now more than ever.”
Purdue OWL’s advice on concise writing is a helpful reminder: clarity often comes from removing words, not adding them.
Aim for a release that says enough, then stops.
8. Does the boilerplate help or just take up space?
Your boilerplate should answer one question: “Who is this company?”
Keep it short. Include what you do, who you serve, where you operate, and one credibility point if it matters.
Do not turn the boilerplate into a brochure.
9. Can a journalist copy and paste from it?
This is the final test.
A useful press release gives journalists clean facts, clear language, strong quotes, and easy contact details. It does not force them to decode the announcement.
Before you send it, ask: “Would this make someone’s job easier?”
If the answer is yes, you are close.
Final pass
Editing is not about making a press release sound bigger. It is about making the story clearer.
Cut the fog. Keep the facts. Say what happened.
That is usually enough.
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