Most startup press releases get deleted in seconds. Not because the product is bad — but because the release is written for the founder, not for the journalist. A journalist doesn't care that you're "revolutionizing" anything. They care about one thing: does this story serve my readers?
This guide covers what actually works: the structure, the template, the outreach timing, and the mistakes that kill coverage before it starts.
What a Press Release Is (And Isn't)
A press release is not a marketing document. It's a story pitch packaged as a news story. Journalists use it to quickly decide whether there's something worth writing — and then, if there is, they'll often quote it directly. So the writing matters.
What it's not: a list of features, a fundraising announcement with no context, or a company mission statement dressed up with a date at the top. Those get deleted.
A good press release answers three questions immediately:
- What happened? (The news)
- Why does it matter to the journalist's specific audience?
- What can the journalist do with this? (Quote, stat, expert, story angle)
The Startup Press Release Template
Use this structure exactly. Don't get creative with the format — journalists are pattern-matching at speed.
[HEADLINE — 80 characters or fewer. News verb first. Make it the title of an article you'd want to read.]
Subheadline: [One line that adds the "so what." Specifics, numbers, or contrast.]
[City, Date] — [Lead paragraph: 2–3 sentences. What happened, why it matters, who it affects. No adjectives. No "exciting." No "proud to announce."]
[Background paragraph: What problem does this solve? Why now? 2–3 sentences.]
Quote from founder: "[Something a human would actually say. One concrete insight or belief. Not "We're thrilled to…"]" — [Name, Title, Company]
[Product/service detail paragraph: What exactly are you launching? Who is it for? What does it do? One concrete stat or proof point if you have it.]
[Optional: Quote from customer, investor, or partner. Specifics only.]
Availability: [Pricing, access, launch date, where to find it.]
About [Company]: [2 sentences. Founded when, what you do, where you're based.]
Media Contact:
[Name · email@company.com · +1 (xxx) xxx-xxxx]
###
The "###" at the end is the standard signal that the release is over. Use it. It's one of the few PR conventions that still matters.
Headline and Lead: Where You Win or Lose
The headline determines whether the rest gets read. Here's what separates headlines that get clicks from ones that get skipped:
Headlines That Work
- Verb-first, specific: "Aura Cannon Launches Managed PR Service for Indie Hackers at $299/Month" — clear, scannable, tells you exactly what happened
- The contrast angle: "New Tool Replaces $10K PR Agency Retainers With a $299 Campaign" — the tension is the story
- The number: "Aura Cannon Closes 50-Client Waitlist in 72 Hours After Product Hunt Launch"
Headlines That Don't Work
- "[Company] Revolutionizes the Way Founders Think About Marketing" — every company says this
- "[Company] Is Proud to Announce the Launch of [Product]" — "proud to announce" is a deletion trigger
- "[Company] Raises $X to Build the Future of [Category]" without a story angle — funding alone isn't news unless it's a meaningful amount or a surprising investor
Your lead paragraph needs to contain the full story in 2–3 sentences. Imagine you cut everything after the lead — would the journalist still understand what you're announcing? If not, the lead is wrong.
Journalist Outreach: How to Actually Get Coverage
The press release is the artifact. The outreach is the actual work. Here's how to do it without burning bridges:
Build a Targeted List
- Target 20–50 journalists, not 200. Mass blast = spam filter. Targeted pitch = reply.
- Focus on journalists who have recently covered your competitors, your category, or your customer type. "Recently" means in the last 90 days.
- Look for writers at publications your target customers actually read — not just TechCrunch. Niche industry press often converts better than mainstream coverage.
- Note each journalist's beat and recent coverage before writing the pitch
The Pitch Email
- Subject line = the headline of the story for them — not your release headline, but what it means for their readers specifically
- First sentence: reference something they recently wrote. Make it genuine — journalists can tell the difference.
- One paragraph on what you're launching and why their audience cares
- Offer something exclusive: an early demo, an exclusive interview, data nobody else has
- Attach or inline the press release — keep it under 400 words in the email body
- End with a clear ask: "Would love 15 minutes this week — are you available Tuesday or Wednesday?"
Timing: When to Send
Timing is underrated. A good release sent at the wrong time gets ignored.
- Best days: Tuesday and Wednesday. Monday inboxes are full. Thursday journalists are filing. Friday is dead.
- Best time: 7–9 AM in the journalist's timezone. They check email first thing — you want to be at the top.
- Embargoes work when: you're giving the journalist a reason to invest time before you're public. Offer an embargo of 48–72 hours so they can prepare a full story. Never embargo and blast simultaneously — it destroys trust.
- Coordinate with your launch: if you're launching on Product Hunt, time press coverage to drop the same morning so both amplify each other. See our Product Hunt checklist for exact timing.
One exclusive, then broad distribution. Offer one outlet an exclusive 48–72 hours before you send to everyone. Exclusives generate better, longer stories. Once it's published, you're free to pitch everyone else.
What to Avoid
These are the mistakes that kill coverage even when the product is good:
- Buzzwords in the headline: "disruptive," "revolutionary," "game-changing," "next-generation." Deletion triggers. Every product claims them. None are news.
- No clear news peg: A launch is news. A new feature can be news. A company existing is not. If there's no "what happened today," there's no story.
- No media contact: If a journalist wants more and can't find a contact, they move on. Make it easy.
- Following up too aggressively: One follow-up, 3–4 days after the initial send. That's it. Pestering journalists is how you get blocked.
- Sending to the wrong person: A tech reporter who covers SaaS tools doesn't want your consumer lifestyle story. Research beats first.
Getting press coverage for your startup isn't about luck or connections — it's about making journalists' jobs easier. Give them a real story, a clean release, a targeted pitch, and a fast response time. For full-service press outreach, see how Aura Cannon handles PR campaigns.
Related: The Ultimate Product Hunt Launch Checklist and Social Media Launch Strategy: Generating Buzz on Day One.