A press release boilerplate is a standardized, concise informational paragraph about the company that serves as a professional signature for all public announcements. This element provides a consistent high-level overview of the organization to journalists and the public. It ensures that every press release, regardless of the specific news, is anchored by a clear and official identity statement, maintaining brand consistency and communicating essential background information quickly and effectively.
What Exactly Is a Press Release Boilerplate?
The press release boilerplate is a static, pre-approved text block that functions as a reusable statement of company identity appended to every official communication. It is a brief summary, often referred to as the “About Us” section, that provides immediate, consistent context and background for journalists and other readers who may be unfamiliar with the brand.
This section is intentionally designed to be concise, typically ranging from 50 to 100 words, making it easily digestible. Since the boilerplate is a consistent element used across all releases, it saves reporters the time and effort of researching basic company facts. It ensures that the company’s core values, mission, and offerings are uniformly presented, acting as a trusted source for facts and figures that reporters can use in their coverage.
Mandatory Elements to Include
A functional boilerplate must contain specific pieces of information to provide a complete and legally identifiable company snapshot. This structured content gives media professionals the necessary data points for accurate reporting and should summarize the company’s essence while including all required identifiers.
Official Company Name and Location
The boilerplate must begin with the company’s official, full legal name, ensuring consistency with all corporate filings and branding materials. Including the headquarters’ location (city and state or country) provides a geographical reference point. This information provides legal identification and helps journalists attribute the news correctly.
Company Mission and Value Proposition
A concise description of the company’s mission and core values defines its purpose and market position. This element explains the organization’s goals and the principles that guide its operations. Articulating the value proposition clarifies how the company addresses a specific market need, setting it apart from competitors.
Key Products or Services
An effective boilerplate must summarize the company’s core offerings, detailing the main products or services provided to customers. This section should highlight any unique features or flagships central to the business. Describing these offerings gives readers an immediate understanding of the company’s commercial activities.
Website and Social Media Links
The boilerplate must include the official company website URL, which acts as the primary call-to-action for readers seeking more information. A clear reference to the company’s main social media channels is often included nearby. These links guide interested parties to the company’s digital presence and resources.
Contact Information
Providing clear contact information for media inquiries is a mandatory inclusion, often placed immediately following the boilerplate text. This detail typically lists the name, title, email address, and phone number of the designated media relations professional, ensuring journalists have a direct, reliable point of contact for follow-up questions.
Strategic Importance for Media Relations
A well-composed boilerplate is an asset in media relations because it streamlines the reporting process for journalists and editors. It serves as a reliable, pre-vetted source of facts, helping media outlets save time on background research. By supplying this ready-made context, a company makes its news easier to cover, improving the chances of accurate and timely publication.
This standardized text allows the company to maintain consistent brand messaging across all public-facing communication. Journalists often use the boilerplate text verbatim or with minor modifications, which ensures that the company’s identity and key identifiers are presented exactly as intended. This practice protects the company from misinterpretation and ensures its mission is correctly represented in the press, aiding in brand recognition.
Optimal Placement and Formatting
Industry standard dictates that the boilerplate must be placed at the very end of the press release document, following the main body text, quotes, and any calls-to-action. It is typically followed only by the media contact information, concluding the formal announcement. This positioning ensures that the reader processes the news first before receiving the foundational background information about the issuing organization.
Standard formatting often includes separating the main news content from the boilerplate with a traditional end-of-release signifier, such as “###” or “-END-” centered on the page. While the text should remain a single, coherent paragraph, formatting choices can be used to make it visually distinct and more readable. Using a slightly smaller font size or a different style of text can subtly set the boilerplate apart without disrupting the professional flow of the document.
Writing Tips for Maximum Impact
Crafting a boilerplate requires attention to language, tone, and strategic content choices that go beyond simply listing facts. The language used must be clear and accessible, avoiding internal jargon or overly technical terms that a general audience or journalist might not understand. Maintaining an authentic brand voice is also important, ensuring the tone aligns with the company’s overall public image.
All claims made within the text must be factual and defensible, often supported by objective statistics, such as the number of clients served or years in business. Strategic use of industry-relevant keywords can also optimize the text for search engines, helping the press release gain greater visibility online.
The boilerplate should be treated as a living document, requiring regular updates to reflect new achievements or changes in the company’s core mission or offerings. Focusing on the unique value proposition—what truly sets the company apart—will ensure the summary leaves a memorable impression on the reader.