How to Write a Press Release Headline
How to write press release headlines that journalists notice, editors approve, and search engines reward — with formulas and real examples.
The press release headline is the single most important sentence you will write. Journalists see only the subject line of your email — which is typically your headline — before deciding whether to open. If the headline doesn't communicate the news compellingly in under 80 characters, the rest of the press release will never be read.
Step-by-Step Guide
Lead with the most specific, concrete detail
Avoid vague announcements. 'Company X raises funding' has almost zero information value — every startup raises funding. 'Company X raises $8M Series A to bring real-time inventory AI to independent pharmacies' communicates exactly what happened, how big it is, and who it matters to.
Replace every vague word in your draft headline (new, exciting, important, significant) with a specific noun, number, or action.
Use the '[Company] does [specific thing] to [achieve specific outcome]' formula
This is the most reliable headline formula for funding, product, and partnership announcements. It leads with the subject (company), explains the action (raises $5M, launches X, partners with Y), and adds the outcome or target (to serve Z market, expand to 50 cities, cut response time by 40%).
Every element of the formula must be specific. 'PressPitch.ai raises $5M to bring AI journalist outreach to PR agencies' is strong. 'PressPitch.ai announces funding to grow the platform' is not.
Include a number whenever possible
Numbers make headlines more specific and more clickable. '$5M', '10,000 customers', '40% faster', '3 new markets' — all of these dramatically increase information density. If you have a relevant number, use it in the headline. If you don't, the supporting paragraph is the right place for it.
Use numerals (5M, 40%) rather than written numbers (five million, forty percent) — they're visually distinct and read faster.
Keep it to 50–80 characters
Google truncates title tags above 65 characters. Email clients may truncate subject lines. Keep your headline within 50–80 characters to ensure it displays fully across all surfaces — press release distribution sites, Google News, social shares, and email inboxes.
Count characters by pasting your headline into a character counter. WordCounter.net is free and accurate.
Avoid marketing language and superlatives
Phrases like 'world-class', 'revolutionary', 'groundbreaking', 'innovative', and 'best-in-class' are what PR practitioners call 'weasel words'. They convey no information and signal to journalists that the writer values marketing over news. Every superlative in a headline reduces its credibility.
If you've written a headline you'd see in an advertisement, rewrite it as a headline you'd see in a news article.
Write a deck (secondary headline) for additional context
A deck is the subheadline directly below the main headline. It allows you to include a second key detail without overcrowding the headline. Use the deck to add the context or outcome that didn't fit in the headline: 'New integration with Salesforce and HubSpot available to all paid tiers starting January 2026'.
The deck should complement, not repeat, the headline. It must add a new piece of information.
Quick Tips
- ✓Write 5–10 headline options before choosing the best — first drafts are rarely optimal.
- ✓Read your headline aloud — awkward phrasing that looks fine in writing is obvious when spoken.
- ✓Test headlines with teammates unfamiliar with the announcement — if they don't understand what you're announcing, rewrite.
- ✓Check the Google News results for similar announcements to understand what headline styles dominate your sector.
- ✓Strong verbs over weak nouns: 'Acme AI launches X' beats 'Acme AI announces the launch of X'.
Ready to put this into practice?
PressPitch.ai automates journalist discovery, personalised pitch writing, and email outreach — so you can focus on writing great press releases.
Try Free DemoFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about press release distribution on PressPitch.ai.
Should the headline be SEO-optimised?
Yes, but the journalist's attention comes first. Headlines optimised purely for keywords often sound unnatural to journalists — which increases the chance of deletion before the release is ever published. The best approach is to write a compelling news headline first, then adjust 2–3 words to include a high-value keyword if doing so doesn't compromise clarity. For a product targeting 'press release distribution', a headline like 'PressPitch.ai raises $5M to make AI press release distribution accessible to independent PR agencies' addresses both.
What is the difference between a headline and a subject line?
The press release headline appears at the top of the press release document. The email subject line is what the journalist sees in their inbox. They don't have to be identical — and often shouldn't be. Subject lines benefit from being slightly more informal and conversational, while headlines should read like news article titles. PressPitch.ai generates unique subject lines for each journalist based on their beat.
How many words should a press release headline be?
8–12 words is the optimal range for most press release headlines. Below 6 words, it is usually too vague. Above 15 words, it becomes harder to scan. Count words: 'PressPitch.ai raises $5M to bring AI journalist outreach to PR agencies' is 13 words — slightly long but acceptable because every word carries weight.
More PR Guides
Last updated: 2026-06-04 — PressPitch.ai editorial guidelines updated continuously.