How to Write a Compelling Press Release Headline

Your headline is the most important line in your press release. It decides whether a journalist opens the email, reads the first paragraph or hits delete. Spend more time on it than you think you need to.

The simple headline formula

Who + did what + why it matters (or a striking detail)

"Calgary Clinic + Opens Free Dental Days + for Newly Arrived Families"
"Alberta Ag-Tech Startup + Launches $49 Soil Sensor + That Texts Farmers When Fields Need Water"
"Inglewood Bakery + Hires 12 Newcomers + Through Local Employment Program"

Specific beats clever every time.

Before and after

Before: "ABC Company Announces Exciting New Partnership" After: "Calgary HVAC Company Partners With Habitat for Humanity to Fit 40 Homes With Heat Pumps"

Before: "Introducing the Future of Fitness" After: "Former Olympian Opens 24-Hour Recovery Gym in Bridgeland"

Before: "XYZ Celebrates a Major Milestone" After: "Calgary Food Bank Volunteer Program Hits 1 Million Meals Packed"

Each "after" answers who, what and why care before anyone clicks.

Rules that make headlines work

Use numbers. "40 homes," "$49," "12 newcomers." Numbers are concrete and scannable.

Use active verbs. Launches, opens, hires, partners, wins, cuts, expands.

Name the place. Calgary, Alberta, Bridgeland. Local editors scan for local.

Lead with the most interesting part. If the founder is a former Olympian, that's the hook — not the company name.

Keep it scannable. Roughly 8–15 words, or under about 100 characters, is a good target. Long headlines get cut off in inboxes and search results.

Words to avoid

Exciting, thrilled, proud, delighted
Revolutionary, game-changing, innovative, world-class
"Announces" on its own (announces what?)
Internal jargon or acronyms

More on cutting the hype in How to Write a Press Release That Doesn't Sound Like Corporate Bragging.

Add a subheadline for the second-best detail

A subheadline (one sentence under the headline) lets you add context without cramming:

Former Olympian Opens 24-Hour Recovery Gym in Bridgeland Facility offers cold plunge, physio and sleep coaching for shift workers and athletes

Your email subject line is a headline too

When you pitch a reporter, your subject line does the same job. Keep it specific and short. Avoid "Press Release" as the whole subject. See How to Find and Pitch Journalists for Your Press Release.

Write ten, pick one

Professional writers rarely nail the headline first try. Write ten versions. Then pick the one that:

Is most specific
Would make you click
Is 100% accurate

AI tools are handy for generating variations — just check them for hype. See Can I Use ChatGPT to Write My Press Release?

Headlines and SEO

Include the words people would actually search — your city, your industry, the product type. That helps your release show up later in Google. Don't stuff keywords, though; it reads badly and journalists notice.

The headline test

Cover up everything except your headline. Ask a friend, "What's the news?" If they can tell you accurately, you've nailed it. If they shrug, keep writing.

For more on what turns a headline into coverage, read What Makes a Press Release Actually Get Picked Up by Media?

Quick FAQ

Should my headline be in title case? Either title case or sentence case is fine. Pick one style and use it consistently across your releases.

Can I use a question as a headline? Rarely. Questions make readers work. A clear statement of the news almost always performs better.

How many words should a headline be? Aim for roughly 8 to 15 words. That's long enough to be specific and short enough to read at a glance in an inbox or search results.

Stuck on your headline? We'll write ten and help you pick the winner. Start your Blast at blastily.com.