Press Release Boilerplate: What It Is and How to Write One
A press release boilerplate is the short, standard "About" paragraph at the end of a release that describes the company behind the announcement — what it does, who it serves, where it is based. It is written once and reused, unchanged, on every release the company sends, so that any release can be understood on its own by a reader who has never heard of the company.
Where does the boilerplate go?
At the very end of the release, after the body and any quotes, under a simple heading: "About [Company Name]". It comes before the media contact line. Position matters because editors cut releases from the bottom up when space is short — the boilerplate is designed to be the part that can be dropped without losing the news, and the part that must be there when the release is published in full, as it is on wires like this one.
What should a boilerplate include?
- What the company does, in one plain sentence a stranger understands.
- Who it serves — the customer, sector or audience.
- Where it is based, and where it operates if that is wider.
- One or two verifiable facts: founded year, size, specialism — only what is true and checkable.
- The website, so a reader can take the next step.
What it should not include: awards you have not won, "leading" or "best" without evidence, client names you do not have permission to use, and anything you would have to update every month. A boilerplate is a standing description, not a highlights reel.
What does a good boilerplate look like? (labelled example)
Every real release on this wire ends with one. The portfolio release, for instance, closes by stating how many live sites the portfolio contains and what kinds of businesses they serve — facts a reader can verify by opening the portfolio itself. Our fictional samples carry the same structure with an extra duty: their boilerplates state plainly that the company is fictional. Here is the pattern, using one of those samples:
A real company's version does the same work minus the disclaimer: what it is, what it makes or does, who for — plus one checkable fact. If you are writing your first release, draft the boilerplate first; it forces the plain description of your company that the rest of the release quietly depends on. The full release structure around it is in the format guide.
How long should a press release boilerplate be?
Forty to eighty words — roughly three to five lines. Shorter than that and it usually omits the one fact that makes the company identifiable; longer and it becomes an About page competing with the news above it. If you find yourself at 150 words, you are writing history and values, which belong on your website. Link to them instead.
What are the common boilerplate mistakes?
- Superlatives instead of facts. "The leading provider of innovative solutions" describes no company that has ever existed. Replace every adjective with a fact or delete it.
- Letting it go stale. A boilerplate naming a product you discontinued, or a city you left, undermines the release above it. Review it whenever the facts change.
- A different version on every release. Consistency is the point: journalists and readers should meet the same company description everywhere.
- Burying the news in it. Announcements belong in the release body. The boilerplate is background only — if news is hiding here, promote it to the headline.
What do boilerplates look like in different industries?
The job is the same everywhere; the facts chosen differ. Two more illustrative examples, both fictional:
The tell of a weak boilerplate in any industry: swap your company name for a competitor's and nothing becomes false. If the description fits everyone, it identifies no one.
Is a boilerplate the same as a company description?
It is a specific kind of one: the shortest, most standardised version, written for reuse at the foot of announcements. Your website's About page can be longer and warmer; your marketplace and directory profiles can be tailored. The boilerplate is the canonical 40–80 words from which the others are adapted — write it once, write it carefully, and every future release starts half-finished. When it is ready, the writing guide puts it in context, and the Submit page is where the finished release goes.
Is a boilerplate the same on every press release?
Yes — that is its defining feature. The news changes from release to release; the boilerplate stays the same until the facts about the company change, at which point you update it everywhere at once.
Should the boilerplate include contact details?
Usually the website only. Direct media contact details go in their own line under or above the boilerplate, so journalists can find them without reading the company description.
Can I include my company's tagline in the boilerplate?
You can, but it rarely earns its words. A factual sentence about what you do and who for tells a new reader more than a slogan does. If the tagline is genuinely descriptive, it will fit naturally; if it is wordplay, leave it to your homepage.
What is an example of a press release boilerplate?
The boxed example above, and every release in the <a href="/press-releases/">wire listing</a> — open any of them and scroll to the "About" section at the end. Comparing three or four is the quickest way to calibrate length and tone for your own.
Does a one-person business need a boilerplate?
Yes, and it is easier: what you do, who for, where, since when, website. Solo operators tend to skip it and write releases that float free of any identity — the boilerplate is what makes an announcement attributable.
