A press release boilerplate gives a brief description of your company and key business information at the end of a press release. A boilerplate adds credibility to your press release so it’s more likely to get picked up by the media. A boilerplate is typically 100 words and is used for all press release types.

Here are the seven steps to writing an effective and captivating boilerplate:

1. Determine the Goal of Your Boilerplate

Your boilerplate could have a few different goals. It could be to highlight your longevity, showcase your company culture, or tell the reader about your recent accolades, which is why it is a key component of the press release format^[1]. While none of these are wrong, decide what is most important for your business and build your boilerplate copy around that.

According to one study^[2], most journalists get between 50 and 500 press releases a week, and many journalists spend less than a minute^[3] reading a press release. This means a strong boilerplate is essential in helping reporters to quickly identify your business and decide whether they should write about your business.

Because of the number of press releases received by journalists and the way they scan them, your boilerplate will have a major impact on whether your press release gets read in its entirety and if journalists choose to cover it in their reporting. You need to be sure that you know what is most important to express and communicate in your boilerplate.

Some companies choose to be humorous to show their company culture in their boilerplate, while others highlight their growth or revenue. Other companies want to focus more on how many employees or locations they currently have. Start writing your boilerplate by deciding what your overall goal will be.

Examples of Boilerplate Goals

• Showcase Company Longevity: Express how many years you’ve been in business or how many generations your company has been owned by the same family.
• Highlight Company Culture: Briefly list the unique ways your company has built an accepting or fun culture, with a few examples that demonstrate its uniqueness.
• Mention Recent Awards or Achievements: List your recent awards, achievements, or major company milestones.

2. Write a Description of Your Business

In order to clearly and concisely communicate what your business does in your boilerplate, you should start by writing a brief, one- to two-sentence description of your business. This will allow you to capture the essential parts of what you want to say in your press release boilerplate.