What makes a good press release? An editor’s perspective
October 20th 2026
By Wyn Jenkins, Managing Director of Seren Global Media
Over the course of my career, I’ve worked across a variety of publications, from the South Wales Evening Post and Swansea Life to titles covering the reinsurance industry. They may seem like rather different worlds, and in many ways they are. But one thing remains remarkably consistent: a good story is a good story, provided it reaches the right audience.
Having spent more than 20 years working as a journalist and editor, I’ve seen press releases arrive in all shapes and sizes. Some have led to cracking stories. Others have required a little more digging to find the news hiding beneath the corporate language.
And that’s something worth remembering if you’re a business looking to get your name in the press. Journalists aren’t expecting every announcement to be a masterpiece. They are, however, looking for something interesting, relevant, and worth sharing with their readers.
So, what makes a press release stand out for the right reasons? Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way.
First things first: what’s the story?
It sounds simple, but this is often where businesses can go astray.
When you’re closely involved in a business, it’s natural to be enthusiastic about its achievements. A new appointment, a product launch, an office move or a company anniversary can all feel like big moments, and rightly so. The trick is working out what makes them interesting to someone who doesn’t work for you.
A new appointment might be particularly relevant if it reflects a wider change in an industry. An office move could be worth shouting about if it brings new jobs to an area. A company anniversary might offer a fascinating opportunity to explore how a business has evolved over several decades.
The announcement itself is only part of the story. The context is often what makes it interesting. Before putting pen to paper – or rather, furiously typing away – I’d suggest asking yourself three questions: What’s new? Why does it matter? And who would want to know about it?
If you can answer those clearly, you’ve got a useful starting point.
Don’t make the journalist work too hard
A journalist might receive dozens of emails in a day, alongside interviews to arrange, deadlines to meet and stories already in progress. Making your news easy to understand is a small thing that can make a difference.
Start with a clear headline and an opening paragraph that gets straight to the point. Explain what has happened, who is involved and why it matters. The background and finer details can follow.
You don’t need to cram every detail into the first few sentences, but you shouldn’t make someone read halfway down the page before discovering what you’re actually announcing.
Think of it as introducing yourself at a party. You wouldn’t normally spend ten minutes describing your company’s history before explaining why you’ve come over to speak to someone.
The same principle applies here. Give the reader a reason to keep going.
A little less ‘world-leading’, please
Businesses understandably want to present themselves in the best possible light. There’s nothing wrong with that. But every announcement doesn’t need to be described as groundbreaking, revolutionary or game-changing.
Sometimes a development really is a first for its industry. Sometimes it’s a very good piece of work that deserves recognition without quite changing the course of human history.
Rather than relying on superlatives, explain what makes your news distinctive. Have you achieved something measurable? Solved a problem for customers? Developed a new approach? Made a meaningful contribution to your local community? Specific details will nearly always tell a more convincing story than a string of impressive-sounding adjectives.
And don’t worry if your writing isn’t full of grand statements. Clear, straightforward language is usually much more effective. You’re trying to communicate something interesting, not win an award for the most enthusiastic use of the word ‘innovative’.
Think about who will be reading it
Working across different publications taught me that the same story can have several angles, depending on who’s reading.
A regional newspaper might be interested in the jobs a business is creating or its contribution to the local economy. A specialist publication may want to understand what an announcement means for the wider industry. A lifestyle magazine might be more interested in the people, places, or experiences behind the news.
None of those approaches is necessarily right or wrong. They simply serve different audiences. That’s why sending the same press release to every journalist you can find isn’t always the best use of your time. Take a moment to consider which publications are most relevant and what their readers might find interesting.
You don’t necessarily need to rewrite the entire release for every recipient. Sometimes a different introduction or a little additional context is enough. The important thing is showing that you’ve thought about where the story belongs.
Quotes should sound like people
A well-written quote can add immense value to a press release. It gives someone the opportunity to explain why an announcement matters, offer a personal perspective, or share a little insight that the rest of the release can’t provide.
What it shouldn’t do is repeat the headline in slightly different words. I’m also a firm believer that quotes should sound like the people saying them. They don’t need to be overly formal or stuffed with corporate terminology to sound professional. A business leader talking about an important milestone should sound like a person who cares about their business, its people, and its future. A specialist explaining a complex subject should be able to share their knowledge in language that others can understand.
Of course, quotes need to be accurate and approved by the person being quoted. But there’s room for personality within that – this is what makes a quote engaging and stand out.
Details matter! Just ask a sub-editor
This might not be the most exciting advice in the world, but it’s rather vital. Remember to thoroughly check names, job titles, dates, figures, and contact details before sending anything out. If you’re including statistics, make sure you understand where they came from and can explain them if asked.
Include a named contact who can respond to questions, provide further information or arrange an interview. If you’ve got relevant photographs, make sure they’re good quality and that you have permission to use them. These are relatively small details, but they make life easier for the journalist receiving your release and help your organisation come across as professional and well prepared.
It’s also worth reading the whole thing through once you’ve finished. If a sentence feels awkward, simplify it. If a paragraph doesn’t add anything, consider removing it. A second pair of eyes can be useful, too. We’re often so familiar with our own businesses that we overlook things a new reader might find confusing.
Timing matters, but so does a little patience
Even a strong story needs to reach the right people at the right time – but what does that mean?
Think about whether there’s a timely reason for your announcement, whether it connects to something happening in your industry and whether the publications you’re approaching are likely to be interested. And once you’ve sent your release, give the recipient a reasonable opportunity to look at it.
A polite follow-up can be helpful, particularly if you have additional information to share or a genuine deadline to work towards. But there’s no need to chase someone repeatedly within the space of an afternoon. Journalists have competing priorities, and a lack of immediate response doesn’t necessarily mean your email has been ignored. They may be working on another story, covering breaking news or simply deciding whether your announcement is right for their publication.
If it isn’t, that doesn’t mean your business has nothing interesting to say. It may just mean this particular story isn’t the right fit at this particular time. Building relationships with journalists is about being relevant, reliable and helpful over time, not just when you have something to announce.
A press release isn’t a guarantee of coverage
A press release can help get your news in front of the right people, but it can’t guarantee that it will be published. Editorial decisions depend on all sorts of factors, including relevance, timing, available space and what else is happening that day. That’s not a reason to give up on press releases, it’s even more of a reason to approach them thoughtfully.
Focus on finding the strongest angle, communicating it clearly and targeting the publications most likely to care about it. If the story needs more work, take the time to improve it. If it’s not quite right for one publication, consider whether there’s another audience that might find it more relevant.
And don’t underestimate the value of an honest conversation with someone who understands the media. Sometimes an outside perspective can help you spot the story you hadn’t considered, or recognise that an announcement would work better as part of a wider PR campaign.
The best advice? Make it interesting!
After more than 20 years in journalism and editing, I wouldn’t pretend there’s a secret formula for writing the perfect press release. If there were, the job would be considerably easier.
What I have learnt is that the fundamentals rarely change. Good stories need a clear point, a reason to matter, and an audience that will appreciate them. The writing should be straightforward, the facts should be right, and the person receiving it shouldn’t have to work too hard to understand what you’re trying to say.
Most importantly, try to look at your announcement from the outside. It’s easy to understand why something matters to your own business. Explaining why it matters to someone else is where the real work begins.
Get that right, and you’re giving your story a much better chance of being heard.
Need help finding the story in your next announcement?
At Seren Global Media, we help businesses identify newsworthy angles, develop clear messaging, and connect with the audiences that matter to them.
If you’re planning an announcement or looking to raise your profile, we’d be happy to have a conversation about how PR could support your goals.