A press release is a short, factual announcement written so a journalist can understand the news in thirty seconds and write about it without calling you. For a startup launch, it is less a way to get coverage on its own and more a tool. You attach it to a personal pitch, publish it on your site, and point writers to it when they need the facts.
Most startup press releases fail for the same reason. They read like marketing copy, bury the news, and are sent to people who do not cover the topic. This guide covers when a release is worth writing, the structure part by part and a template you can fill in. Then how to get it in front of people who will use it.
First: is your launch news?
Journalists cover what their readers care about, not what the company is excited about. Before you write, be honest about which of these you have.
- Usually news: a funding round with named investors, or a product that does something new in a market people follow. Also a notable customer or partner, surprising original data, or a founder with a story readers will recognize.
- Sometimes news: a launch in a niche with dedicated trade publications, newsletters or podcasts, which need a steady supply of new products to cover.
- Rarely news on its own: "a new app that helps teams collaborate", a redesign, a new pricing page.
If your launch is in the third group, still write the release. You will use it for your press page, directory listings and the occasional writer who asks. Just do not expect it to earn coverage by itself, and put your effort into launch platforms and communities instead. Our guide on how to promote a startup launch covers those channels.
The structure, part by part
1. Release line
"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" at the top, or "EMBARGOED UNTIL [date and time, with time zone]" if you are sharing it before the announcement. An embargo is a request not to publish before a set time. Only send embargoed news to people you trust, and agree to it with them first.
2. Headline
One line that states the news, in plain words, with your company name. Write it like a news headline, not a slogan.
- Weak: "Acme Revolutionizes the Future of Work"
- Strong: "Acme launches invoicing software that sends payment reminders for freelancers automatically"
An optional subheadline below can add the second most important fact, such as availability or a key number.
3. Dateline
The city and the date the news is released, at the start of the first paragraph: "LONDON, November 4, 2026:". It tells the reader where the news comes from and when.
4. Lead paragraph
The most important paragraph. In two or three sentences, answer who, what, when, where and why. A journalist who reads only this paragraph should know the whole story.
Example: "Acme today launched an invoicing tool for freelance designers that sends payment reminders automatically and tracks which clients pay late. The product is available now on the web, with a free plan for up to five clients. Acme was founded in 2025 by two former agency designers who spent years chasing unpaid invoices."
5. Body paragraphs
Two to four short paragraphs, in descending order of importance:
- The problem, with a fact that shows its size. Cite the source for any number you did not produce yourself.
- What the product does and how it is different from what people use today. Specific features, not adjectives.
- Proof: early users, a pilot result, a notable customer, a waitlist number. Only real ones you can stand behind.
- Availability: price, platforms, regions, where to try it.
6. Quote
One or two quotes from a founder, and optionally one from a customer or partner. A good quote adds a view or a reason, not a restatement of the facts. "We are thrilled to announce" is the most ignored sentence in press releases. "We built this because our own invoices were paid five weeks late on average" gives a journalist something to use, as long as the number is true.
7. Boilerplate
A short standard paragraph headed "About [Company]": what you do, for whom, when and where you were founded, and your website. Keep it to three or four sentences and reuse it on every release.
8. Media contact
A name, an email address that someone reads, and a phone number if you will answer it. Add a link to your press kit.
9. End mark
"###" centered at the end, which tells the reader the release is over. It is a convention, not a rule, but journalists expect it.
A template you can fill in
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Company] launches [product], [what it does] for [who it is for]
[Optional subheadline: availability, price or key fact]
[CITY], [Month Day, Year]: [Company] today launched [product], [one sentence on what it does and for whom]. [One sentence on availability and price.] [One sentence on who founded it and why.]
[Problem paragraph: the problem, who has it, one sourced fact on its size.]
[Product paragraph: what it does, the two or three things that make it different, how it works.]
"[Founder quote: why you built it, or what you believe about the market]," said [Name], [title] of [Company]. "[Optional second sentence with a specific detail.]"
[Proof paragraph: early users, results or partners, only if real.]
[Availability paragraph: where to get it, price, platforms, regions, any launch offer.]
About [Company]
[Company] makes [product category] for [audience]. Founded in [year] and based in [city], [Company] [one line on mission or traction]. Learn more at [website].Media contact
[Name], [email], [phone]
Press kit: [link]###
Writing rules that make it usable
- Keep it to one page, about 300 to 500 words. Journalists skim.
- Write in the third person, as if a reporter wrote it.
- Cut adjectives. "Innovative", "cutting-edge", "game-changing" and "seamless" add nothing and signal marketing. The readability checker helps you find long, dense sentences.
- Use facts you can back up. Every number should have a source or be your own, stated plainly. A journalist who finds one inflated claim stops trusting the rest.
- Explain jargon, or leave it out. The reader may cover your industry without knowing your niche.
- Make the news obvious in the first 20 words. If someone reads only the headline and the first sentence, they should know what happened.
Build a press kit to go with it
A release tells the story. A press kit gives writers what they need to publish it. That means the logo in light and dark versions, screenshots, short and long descriptions, founder names and photos, key facts and a contact. Without one, a journalist who wants to write about you has to email and wait, and many will not.
The press kit generator builds a press kit page from your company facts, founders, boilerplate, logos and contact, in HTML and Markdown, ready to publish at /press on your site. Link to it from the release, your footer and every pitch.
How to get it read
Pitch people, not lists
For most startups, a personal pitch to the right ten writers does more than a release sent to a thousand. Find journalists, newsletter writers and podcasters who covered a similar product or problem in the last few months. Then send each a short email:
- A subject line that states the news, not "Press release".
- Two or three sentences on why it matters to their readers, referring to something they wrote.
- The release pasted as plain text below, or a link to it. Avoid attachments from unknown senders.
- A link to the press kit and an offer of a demo, data or a founder interview.
Send it a few days before the announcement if you are offering an embargo, or on the morning of the launch if not. Follow up once, briefly, a few days later. Then stop.
Trade publications and newsletters
Niche publications, newsletters and podcasts that cover your industry are more likely to run your news than general tech press, and their readers are closer to your customers. Many have a submission form or a tips address.
Wire services
Paid wire services syndicate your release to many news sites. For a small startup they rarely produce real coverage: the copies sit on pages that few people read. They can make sense when you need the release on record in specific outlets, for example around funding or for investors, but they are not a launch strategy.
Your own channels
Publish the release on your site, in a press or news section. Share it with your email list and link it from your launch posts. Directories and launch platforms that ask for a description can use the boilerplate.
What a press release does for SEO
Less than many services claim. Links in widely distributed press releases are usually marked nofollow or sponsored, and Google's spam policies treat links placed in distributed releases to manipulate rankings as link spam. A wire release will not raise your rankings.
What does help: real coverage. An article a journalist writes about you, on a site in your field, is the kind of link search engines value most. The release is a means to that article, not a replacement for it. Our guide on how to get backlinks for a new website covers other ways to earn those links.
Common mistakes
- Burying the news under background, mission statements and quotes.
- A headline that is a slogan rather than a statement of what happened.
- Sending to everyone. A release sent to journalists who do not cover your topic is ignored and can mark you as a sender to skip next time.
- Breaking your own embargo, or announcing on social media before the agreed time.
- No press kit, so writers grab an old logo or a blurry screenshot.
- Invented or inflated numbers. They get checked, and they get remembered.
Where Aback Launch fits
Your launch page on Aback Launch is a permanent, public page with your product's description and a link to your site. Point writers to it alongside your press kit. Launches go live every Friday at 00:00 UTC. The link to your site becomes dofollow once you add our badge.
FAQ
How long should a startup press release be?
About 300 to 500 words, on one page. The headline and first paragraph should carry the whole story; the rest adds detail for those who keep reading.
Do startups still need press releases?
As a standalone way to get coverage, rarely. As a factual document to attach to personal pitches, publish on your press page and give to anyone writing about you, yes. It takes an afternoon and saves time every time someone asks for the facts.
Should I use a press release distribution service?
For most startup launches, no. Wire services syndicate the release to pages few people read, and the links do not help your SEO. Personal pitches to writers who cover your topic work better.
What is the difference between a press release and a press kit?
A press release announces one piece of news. A press kit is a standing page with the logo, screenshots, descriptions, founder details and contact that anyone writing about you can use at any time.
When should I send a press release?
A few days before the launch to writers who agreed to an embargo, or on the morning of the launch otherwise, in the journalist's time zone. Avoid public holidays in their country, when inboxes go unread.
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Written by
Devvrat Hans
Founder