GEO GUIDE
Writing Press Releases: Announcements with News Value
Updated 2026-10-19 · this page makes no search or citation promises
The direct answer: the first question of a press release is not “what do we want to promote” but “why would a journalist care”. Newsworthy changes are new, first, data-backed, or affect others. The inverted pyramid puts the most important information in the first paragraph — editors cut from the bottom.
The direct answer: the first question of a press release is not “what do we want to promote” but “why would a journalist care”. Newsworthy changes are new, first, data-backed, or affect others. The inverted pyramid puts the most important information in the first paragraph — editors cut from the bottom.
Testing the news value
- New: first to happen / first available.
- Data: quotable numbers (with scope).
- Impact: whose way of working changes.
- “We shipped a new version” is usually not enough — find the reader impact first.
The inverted pyramid
- Paragraph one: who did what, affecting whom (the editor reads only this).
- Paragraph two: key details and data.
- Paragraph three: a quote — one spokesperson, concrete and quotable.
- Paragraph four: company information and links.
Writing the quote
- The quote carries judgement and meaning, not facts repeated from the body.
- Concrete and quotable: “we cut consolidation time from five hours to fifteen minutes” beats “we are excited”.
When not to issue one
- Milestones without data behind them.
- Internal changes unrelated to any reader.
- Advertorials dressed as press releases — editors spot them instantly, and it damages the relationship.