Table of Contents
- The Overlooked Power of a Press Release Boilerplate
- Why people underestimate it
- What good boilerplates do
- Defining the Boilerplate and Its Core Purpose
- What the boilerplate is not
- Why this small paragraph matters
- Key Components Your Boilerplate Must Include
- The essential building blocks
- Optional elements that help
- A simple formula you can use
- Boilerplate Best Practices to Maximize Impact
- Keep the wording stable
- Write for three audiences at once
- What to do and what to avoid
- Where testimonials and social proof fit
- Real-World Boilerplate Examples and Templates
- Example for a SaaS startup
- Example for a local nonprofit
- Example for a testimonial-driven software company
- Two fill-in-the-blank templates
- Common Questions About Press Release Boilerplates
- Can I have different boilerplates for different product lines or announcements
- Should I include testimonials in the boilerplate
- Should I include social media links there
- How often should I update the boilerplate
- What if my company is hard to explain in one paragraph
- Is the boilerplate supposed to sell
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Title
Boilerplates in Press Releases: The 2026 Guide
Date
Jun 23, 2026
Description
Master powerful boilerplates in press releases. Get 2026 best practices, components, and examples to boost your brand's credibility and SEO.
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Current Column
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You've finished the headline. The quote is approved. The body reads well. Then you get to the last paragraph of the press release and think, “I'll just drop in our standard company blurb.”
That moment is where a lot of press releases lose power.
Marketers sometimes treat the boilerplate like admin work. It sits at the bottom, so it feels less important than the announcement itself. But journalists don't experience it that way. For someone who doesn't know your company, that short paragraph often becomes the fastest explanation of who you are, what you do, and whether your brand sounds credible.
The Overlooked Power of a Press Release Boilerplate
A startup founder launches a product update and sends the release to a list of reporters. The news itself is solid. But the boilerplate says almost nothing useful: a vague mission, a buzzword-heavy sentence, and no clear website path. A journalist skims it, still isn't sure what the company does, and moves on.
That happens more often than teams realize.
A strong boilerplate does quiet work. It gives context without making the reader hunt for it. It reinforces the same brand story every time you publish. It also helps reduce the mismatch between how your company talks about itself internally and how outsiders describe it.
This isn't a new PR idea. Press release boilerplates became a standard structural element in corporate communications during the mid-20th century, and by the early 1960s, more than 70% of releases from large industrial firms included a boilerplate section, according to Jaffe PR's overview of boilerplate history. That tells you something important: even as formats changed, PR teams kept this element because it solved a real communication problem.
Why people underestimate it
The boilerplate sits at the end, so people assume it's filler. In practice, it often acts like your company's default media profile.
If the main body of the release answers “What's new?”, the boilerplate answers “Who are you, and why should I care?”
That's why smart teams review it with the same care they give the headline. They also watch how their brand appears across channels, including earned mentions and company references, using tools such as brand monitoring workflows.
What good boilerplates do
A useful boilerplate usually helps in three ways:
- It creates consistency by using the same core company description across releases.
- It improves clarity so a first-time reader understands the business quickly.
- It supports credibility by sounding specific, current, and grounded in reality.
When you start seeing boilerplates in press releases as a positioning tool instead of a footer, your writing gets sharper fast.
Defining the Boilerplate and Its Core Purpose
A boilerplate is the short, standardized company description that appears at the end of a press release. Think of it as your company's elevator pitch in paragraph form. It's also close to a digital business card: compact, repeatable, and designed to give someone the essentials without extra digging.
The key word is standardized. Your press release body changes because the news changes. Your boilerplate stays mostly stable because your identity shouldn't swing with every announcement.
That's why it appears so widely. A 2015 survey of more than 10,000 press releases found that 86% contained a standardized company description paragraph, and best practices recommend keeping it short, usually 50 to 100 words, according to eReleases' guide to press release boilerplates.
What the boilerplate is not
A lot of confusion starts here. The boilerplate is not:
- A mini press release about the same announcement
- A founder bio packed with personal background
- A sales pitch loaded with hype
- A history lesson covering every milestone since launch
If your release announces a new feature, the body explains the feature. The boilerplate explains the company behind it.
Here's a simple distinction:
Part of the release | Main job |
Headline and body | Explain the news |
Boilerplate | Explain the organization |
That separation matters because it keeps your message clean. Journalists want the announcement first, then a reliable background paragraph they can trust.
Why this small paragraph matters
A good boilerplate saves time for everyone. Reporters get context fast. Internal teams don't have to rewrite the company description from scratch every time. Your brand sounds more consistent across every release.
That's a useful test for startup teams, especially when multiple people touch PR copy. If you want a reference point for concise brand writing, The Copywriter's Handbook collection can help sharpen that kind of message discipline.
Key Components Your Boilerplate Must Include
Once you understand the purpose, the next question is practical: what belongs in the paragraph?
The cleanest way to build boilerplates in press releases is to think of them like a recipe. You don't need every ingredient your company has ever developed. You need the few that make the business recognizable.
There's also a placement rule worth following. Journalists and aggregators expect the boilerplate to appear in the final section, typically under an “About” heading, and 78% of in-house communicators place it at the end of releases, according to Fit Small Business on boilerplate placement. That means where you place it is not just style. It's part of a familiar media format.
The essential building blocks
Most strong boilerplates include these elements:
- Official company nameUse the full name your audience will recognize. Don't introduce alternate naming unless the brand is widely known that way.
- Clear business descriptionSay what you do in plain language. If a non-specialist can't understand it, simplify it.
- Who you serveMention your customers, users, market, or community. This gives your company shape.
- A differentiatorThis can be your core approach, category, specialty, or a meaningful proof point stated qualitatively if you don't have verified public metrics to cite.
- Website URLGive readers a direct next step. Your homepage or a highly relevant landing page usually works best.
Optional elements that help
Some companies also include one of the following, if it adds clarity:
Useful addition | When to include it |
Founding purpose | When your mission is central to the brand |
Location | When geography matters to the story or credibility |
Product family | When the company serves multiple needs and needs a short clarifier |
Social proof language | When customer trust is a meaningful part of your positioning |
If you're trying to tighten the wording of your core description, Women Listed's business description tips are a helpful companion resource because they force you to state the business plainly before you polish it.
A simple formula you can use
Try this:
About [Company Name][Company Name] is a [category or type of company] that helps [target audience] do [primary outcome]. The company provides [main products or services] and is known for [differentiator]. Learn more at [website].
That's enough structure for many teams to draft a first version. If you need help gathering concise customer language that can inform your differentiators, a testimonial generator tool can surface phrases customers already use to describe your value.
Boilerplate Best Practices to Maximize Impact
A complete boilerplate isn't automatically a good one. The difference comes down to how it's written.
Some paragraphs check every box and still sound lifeless. Others are short, sharp, and easy for a journalist to use. The strongest versions usually share a few habits: they stay concise, avoid jargon, preserve a consistent structure, and use language that lines up with the rest of the brand.
Keep the wording stable
Consistency matters more than many teams think. When companies rewrite the company description every time, they often weaken the exact signals they should be reinforcing.
A 2022 study found that companies using a consistent boilerplate across at least 15 releases generated 23% more backlink mentions of the branded URL within the boilerplate than companies that varied the text extensively, according to Mailchimp's boilerplate resource. The same source notes that this kind of consistency strengthens entity recognition signals for search engines.
That doesn't mean your boilerplate can never change. It means you should update it deliberately, not casually.
Write for three audiences at once
The best boilerplates in press releases serve three readers:
- Journalists who need instant context
- Prospects who discover your brand through coverage
- Search systems that look for repeated, stable entity information
That last audience changes how modern teams should think about the paragraph. A boilerplate isn't just PR copy anymore. It's also repeated brand metadata.
What to do and what to avoid
Here's the fastest way to self-edit:
- Use plain language instead of internal product jargon
- Keep it compact so the key point isn't buried
- Include your primary URL in a consistent format
- Match your core positioning across releases, homepage, and press kit
- Update stale claims before they become embarrassing
Avoid these common missteps:
- Vague claims such as “revolutionizing the future”
- Stacked adjectives that say little and sound promotional
- Random keyword stuffing that makes the paragraph unnatural
- Too many ideas in one block of text
Where testimonials and social proof fit
The traditional PR format meets modern marketing. If customer trust is central to your brand, your boilerplate can reflect that without becoming a hype paragraph.
For example, instead of saying your platform is “industry-leading,” you can position it around the result or use case customers care about. Phrases like “helps software companies collect customer testimonials” or “enables brands to showcase verified customer stories” are clear, useful, and search-friendly.
That kind of language works because it ties your company identity to a recognizable problem and outcome. If your team wants to standardize outreach around the same core positioning, a PR email template generator can help keep surrounding communication aligned with the boilerplate itself.
Real-World Boilerplate Examples and Templates
Theory helps. Examples make it usable.
The goal isn't to copy these word for word. The goal is to notice how each one answers the same basic questions in a different voice and for a different audience.
Example for a SaaS startup
About NorthlineNorthline is a workflow software company that helps finance teams manage approvals, documentation, and recurring internal requests. Its platform brings policy, records, and collaboration into one place so growing companies can reduce manual follow-up and keep decision trails clear. Learn more at northline.com.
Why this works:
- It identifies the category quickly.
- It names a specific audience: finance teams.
- It explains the product through outcomes, not feature clutter.
- It ends with a clear destination.
Example for a local nonprofit
About Harbor TableHarbor Table is a community nonprofit that connects families with reliable access to meals, pantry support, and practical local resources. The organization works with volunteers, donors, and neighborhood partners to reduce food insecurity and strengthen day-to-day support systems for residents. Learn more at harbortable.org.
Why this works:
Strength | Reason |
Clear mission | The purpose is obvious in one read |
Plain wording | It's accessible to media, donors, and residents |
Community focus | The language reflects partnership and service |
Example for a testimonial-driven software company
Here's where the modern angle becomes useful. If social proof sits near the center of your value proposition, your boilerplate should say so directly.
About BrightProofBrightProof is a customer marketing platform that helps businesses collect, manage, and publish video and text testimonials. Teams use BrightProof to turn customer stories into trust-building content for landing pages, sales enablement, and product marketing. Learn more at brightproof.com/testimonials.
Why this works:
- It connects the product to a clear marketing use case.
- It includes video and text testimonials, which people search for.
- It points to a landing page that matches the message.
That alignment matters. Emerging data from 2025 indicates that brands that aligned boilerplate wording closely with homepage descriptions and SEO meta tags experienced a 15 to 20% improvement in branded search click-through rates over 12 months, according to eReleases on company boilerplate alignment. Since that source describes this as emerging data from 2025, it's best treated as a developing performance signal rather than a timeless rule.
Two fill-in-the-blank templates
Template for startups and software companies
About [Company Name][Company Name] is a [type of company] that helps [target audience] [primary outcome]. Its [platform/product/service] enables teams to [secondary outcome or use case]. Learn more at [URL].
Template for service businesses and nonprofits
About [Organization Name][Organization Name] is a [type of organization] serving [audience/community]. Through [services, programs, or offerings], it helps [audience] [main benefit]. Learn more at [URL].
If you're testing versions of this language across your site, newsroom, and release templates, a library of tutorials for testimonial and content workflows can be useful for operational consistency, especially when customer proof is part of the story you want your brand to tell.
Common Questions About Press Release Boilerplates
Can I have different boilerplates for different product lines or announcements
Yes, but be careful.
Most companies should keep one master boilerplate and make only light variations when a specific release needs a different emphasis. For example, a company with separate healthcare and education products might tailor one sentence for the relevant audience. The core identity should still stay recognizable across versions.
If every release gets a fresh rewrite, you lose the consistency that makes boilerplates useful in the first place.
Should I include testimonials in the boilerplate
Sometimes, but not as a pasted customer quote.
The boilerplate usually works better when it reflects social proof through positioning rather than direct testimonial text. For example, you can describe the company as helping brands collect customer testimonials, showcase customer stories, or build trust through verified feedback. That keeps the paragraph clean and professional.
A direct customer quote belongs in the body of the release, not in the boilerplate.
Should I include social media links there
Usually no.
The boilerplate should stay focused on your company description and primary website path. If you add too many links, the paragraph starts to feel cluttered. Social handles often fit better in the media contact section or newsroom footer.
How often should I update the boilerplate
Review it whenever the company changes in a meaningful way.
That includes rebrands, category shifts, new product focus, mergers, major messaging updates, or a homepage rewrite. Even without major change, it's smart to review the wording on a regular schedule so stale phrasing doesn't linger.
What if my company is hard to explain in one paragraph
That's a positioning problem before it's a writing problem.
Start by answering three questions in plain language:
- What do we do
- Who do we help
- What result do they get
Write those answers the way a customer would say them, not the way an internal strategy deck says them.
Is the boilerplate supposed to sell
Not directly.
It should support trust, clarity, and recall. If it sounds like an ad, journalists will tune it out. If it sounds like a factual, confident summary, it does its job. A good boilerplate earns interest by being clear.
If you want an easier way to collect customer proof and turn it into clean, reusable website and PR-ready messaging, Testimonial helps you gather, manage, and display video and text testimonials without adding friction for your team or your customers.
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