How to Write an Associated Press Style Press Release

If you’ve ever read a press release that sounds like it was written by a megaphone wearing a suit, you already know why
Associated Press (AP) style is a gift. AP style helps your announcement read like newsclear, factual and easy for a journalist
to copy, paste and turn into a story without needing a decoder ring.

This guide walks you through how to write an AP style press release from headline to “###,” with practical rules, quick examples and
a real-world sample you can model. Expect fewer buzzwords, more credibility and exactly zero paragraphs that begin with “We are thrilled to disrupt…”
(unless you’re announcing a new therapy for Buzzword Overuse Syndrome).

What “AP Style” Means for Press Releases

AP style is built for speed, clarity and trust

AP style was designed for newsrooms where editors have limited time and unlimited skepticism. That makes it a natural fit for press releasesbecause a
release that reads like an ad gets treated like an ad: politely ignored.

Write like a reporter, not a billboard

AP-style press releases prioritize the facts first (who/what/when/where/why/how), use plain language and avoid hype. Your goal is to make the story
easy to publishnot to win “Most Enthusiastic Use of Exclamation Points.”

Before You Write: Confirm You Actually Have News

A press release is not a magic spell that transforms “we exist” into national coverage. Journalists tend to respond when your announcement is truly new,
relevant and specificsomething that fits their beat and helps their audience.

• What changed? New product, new data, new partnership, new leadership, funding, expansion, event, milestone.
• Why now? Timing matters. Tie to a real development, not a calendar holiday you picked because it looked lonely.
• Who cares? Define the audience impact in concrete terms: cost, access, safety, jobs, research, availability, outcomes.
• Can you prove it? Include verifiable details: numbers, dates, locations, quotes, research links or supporting materials.

The AP-Style Press Release Blueprint

Most strong releases follow the same core structure. Think of it as a familiar highway exit: reporters know where to look for the essentials, so don’t
hide the lead in paragraph seven like it’s a shy hamster.

1) Headline (and optional subheadline)

An AP-style headline should say what happenedplainly. Keep it tight, specific and skimmable. A good rule: if you removed your company name, would the
headline still make sense as a news item?

Better headline: “Riverbend Clinic Opens New Allergy Center in Austin”

Not-so-AP headline: “Riverbend Clinic Revolutionizes Healthcare With Groundbreaking Innovation”

If you use a subheadline, treat it like a second line of clarity, not a second line of confetti. Add a key detail (who it helps, what’s new, what’s
happening next).

2) Dateline

In AP style, the dateline starts with the city in ALL CAPS, often followed by the state (abbreviated AP-style when needed), then the
month, day and yeartypically followed by an em dash.

Example dateline: AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 24, 2026

AP style recognizes a set of major U.S. cities that don’t require the state in many contexts. Here they are (because yes, people argue about this at
partiesvery fun parties):

• Atlanta
• Baltimore
• Boston
• Chicago
• Cincinnati
• Cleveland
• Dallas
• Denver
• Detroit
• Honolulu
• Houston
• Indianapolis
• Las Vegas
• Los Angeles
• Miami
• Milwaukee
• Minneapolis
• New Orleans
• New York
• Oklahoma City
• Philadelphia
• Phoenix
• Pittsburgh
• Salt Lake City
• San Antonio
• San Diego
• San Francisco
• Seattle
• St. Louis
• Washington

3) Lead paragraph (the “nut” of the news)

Your first paragraph should deliver the point fastideally in one or two sentences that answer the 5Ws. If a journalist only reads the lead, they
should still understand what happened.

Lead example:
AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 24, 2026 Riverbend Clinic today opened a new allergy and asthma center in North Austin, expanding same-week appointments for
pediatric patients across Travis County.

4) Body paragraphs (use the inverted pyramid)

After the lead, add the most important supporting details firstthen additional context. This is the inverted pyramid approach: if an editor needs to
cut from the bottom, the story still works.

Strong body paragraphs typically include:

• Key specifics: dates, locations, availability, pricing, capacity, scope, timeline.
• Evidence: data points, research findings, third-party validation, measurable outcomes.
• Context: what problem this solves, what’s different from what existed before.
• What’s next: event details, rollout schedule, hiring plans, how to learn more.

5) Quotes (make them earn their keep)

Quotes should add perspective or a concrete promisenot repeat the lead with extra syllables. Think: motivation, impact, accountability, or a clear
human voice.

Weak quote: “We are excited to open this new center.”

Stronger quote: “This location adds 40 same-week appointment slots for children with uncontrolled asthma, which is the gap families
told us they feel most,” said Dr. Lena Ortiz, medical director of Riverbend Clinic.

6) Boilerplate (“About” section)

The boilerplate is a short, consistent paragraph about your organization. Keep it factual: what you do, where you operate, your mission and one or two
differentiators. Save the brand poetry for your homepage.

7) Media contact information

Make it easy for a reporter to follow up. Include a real person (or monitored team inbox), phone number and email. If you have a press kit or newsroom
page, add it too.

8) End mark

Many releases end with ### (or sometimes -30-) to indicate that the release is finished. Simple, familiar and
newsroom-friendly.

AP Style Rules That Commonly Trip Up Press Releases

Numbers, ages and money

• In general, spell out one through nine and use numerals for 10 and aboveunless a specific category (like ages) calls for numerals.
• Use numerals for ages: “She is 8 years old.” As an adjective: “an 8-year-old.”
• Don’t start a sentence with a numeral (rewrite it) unless it begins with a year.
• Money is typically numerals with the dollar sign: “$5,” “$18.50,” “$3 million.”

Percentages

AP style has evolved here. In many contexts, the percent sign with a numeral is acceptable (for example, 8.5%), while more casual or figurative uses
may still use “percent.” When in doubt, match your newsroom or client’s house style and be consistent.

Dates and months

• Use figures for dates: “Jan. 24, 2026.”
• Do not use “st,” “nd,” “rd” or “th” (write “Jan. 24,” not “Jan. 24th”).
• Spell out the month unless it’s used with a date; certain months are abbreviated with dates (for example, Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.).

Times

• Use numerals: “3 p.m.” “3:30 a.m.”
• Use “noon” and “midnight” instead of 12 p.m. or 12 a.m. when clarity matters.
• Don’t use “:00” (write “3 p.m.”, not “3:00 p.m.”).

Titles and job descriptions

• Capitalize formal titles when they come directly before a name: “CEO Maya Chen.”
• Lowercase when they follow the name or stand alone: “Maya Chen, chief executive officer, …”
• Avoid courtesy titles (Mr., Ms.) in standard news copy unless needed for clarity or within a direct quote.

Commas in a series (the famous “Oxford comma” debate)

AP style generally does not use a comma before the final “and” in a simple series, but it may use one if needed for clarity in a complex
series. In other words: clarity wins.

State abbreviations (AP style, not postal codes)

In datelines and some other contexts, AP uses its own state abbreviations (for example, “Fla.” “Ill.” “Ariz.”), not USPS two-letter codes. Also, a few
states are never abbreviated (for example, Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah).

Turn Marketing Copy Into AP Copy: A Quick Rewrite Demo

Here’s the fastest way to “AP-ify” a draft: delete the adjectives you can’t prove, move the facts up and let the details carry the meaning.

A Full AP-Style Press Release Example

Below is a complete sample release (fictional organization, real-world structure). Notice the short paragraphs, specific claims and quotes that add new
information.

Quick Checklist Before You Hit Send

• Headline: concrete, specific, not hypey.
• Dateline: CITY in caps; state abbreviation if needed; AP date format.
• Lead: 5Ws up top; no throat-clearing.
• Body: inverted pyramid; short paragraphs; proof points included.
• Quotes: add information or accountability; avoid “excited/thrilled.”
• AP style scan: numbers, dates, titles, commas, states.
• Boilerplate: factual, consistent, about a paragraph.
• Contact: real name, phone, email; monitored inbox.
• Final test: could a reporter write a story from this in 10 minutes?

Why Journalists Ignore Press Releases (So You Can Avoid It)

Journalists are not refusing your release because they “hate PR.” They’re refusing it because it’s hard to use. Common deal-breakers:

• No news: vague announcements without a clear change or impact.
• Too promotional: adjectives instead of evidence, claims without specifics.
• Burying the lead: the real point appears after multiple paragraphs of setup.
• Missing basics: no contact info, unclear timing, no location, no numbers.
• Unhelpful quotes: repeating the lead, loaded with jargon, saying nothing new.
• Formatting overload: long blocks of text, all caps everywhere, random bolding like a ransom note.

Real-World Experiences and Lessons (Extra )

In real workplaces, AP-style press releases don’t “win” because they’re fancythey win because they’re usable. Teams that consistently get pickups tend
to treat a release like a tool for someone else’s job, not a monument to their own. That mindset changes everything.

One common experience: the first draft is usually written for internal stakeholders. It’s full of the phrases your team uses in meetings“strategic
synergy,” “best-in-class,” “future-forward”because everyone is trying to sound confident. Then someone sends it to a journalist and hears… nothing.
The silence feels personal, but it’s usually practical: the journalist can’t turn abstract enthusiasm into a clean news paragraph.

The fix that experienced PR writers learn is surprisingly simple: move the verifiable facts to the top. Instead of “innovative partnership,” write what
the partnership does, when it starts and who it serves. Instead of “major expansion,” say “a 65,000-square-foot facility” or “120 new jobs” or “new
same-week appointment slots.” When you make claims measurable, you stop sounding like marketing and start sounding like reporting.

Another lived-in lesson: quotes are often the difference between “skim and delete” and “save for later.” In many teams, quotes are an afterthought
written at the end of the process. But in practice, the best quotes are the ones that answer the reporter’s next question. If your release announces a
new clinic, the quote should address access, outcomes or local demandnot just excitement. If you announce funding, the quote should clarify where the
money goes and what changes because of it. Experienced writers often draft quotes early, then revise them after the lead is locked so the quote adds new
information instead of echoing the top line.

AP style also quietly reduces editing friction inside your organization. When everyone agrees on how to write dates, titles, numbers and locations,
approvals move faster. The release becomes less about subjective wordsmithing (“Can we say ‘game-changing’?”) and more about accuracy (“Is it 18% or 18.2%?”).
That shift makes review cycles shorter and the final product more credible.

Finally, distribution experiences teach a hard truth: even a perfect release doesn’t replace targeting. Teams that see consistent results usually pair
a clean AP-style release with a short, beat-specific pitch email. The release is the supporting document; the pitch is the invitation. When the release
is written in AP style, it becomes easier for a journalist to trust the material, pull a quote and move quickly. The outcome isn’t just more coverage
it’s fewer follow-up emails asking for basics you should have included the first time.

Over time, AP-style press releases become a reputation builder. Editors learn that your releases are readable, specific and reliable. And in a world
where inboxes are crowded and attention is scarce, being the sender who makes the job easier is an unfair advantagein the nicest possible way.