Press releases aren’t just landing in a journalist’s inbox anymore. They’re being scanned, ranked, summarized, and redistributed by AI systems, search engines, and news platforms long before a human editor ever opens them.

That means one thing:

If you want your press release picked up today, you must write for two audiences—editors and algorithms.

And the good news?

You don’t have to choose between storytelling and structure. The best modern press releases blend both beautifully.

Here’s how to write a press release that gets noticed everywhere.

Why Press Releases Need to Be Written for Both Humans and Machines

Traditional media editors still expect:

• A strong angle
• Clear purpose
• Newsworthiness
• Credibility
• A skimmable format

But now, AI tools—including search engines, newswires, aggregation bots, and even ChatGPT-style models—also “read” your announcement. 

They analyze:

• Clarity
• Entity references
• Keywords and context
• Formatting
• Tone
• Structured elements
• Source credibility

If your release is vague, overly clever, or missing basic context, AI can’t categorize it accurately—which means it’s less likely to surface in:

• Search results
• News feeds
• AI-generated answers
• Auto-summaries
• Trending topic crawlers

In 2025 and beyond, clarity is a visibility strategy.

1. Start With a Clear, Search-Friendly Headline

Humans want relevance. AI wants accuracy.

Your headline must clearly communicate what your announcement is about, using clear nouns and verbs.

What works well:

• Company name
• Product/service name
• Who it’s for
• Location (if relevant)
• The news angle

❌ Vague

“Big Changes Coming Soon for Midwest Businesses!”

✔️ Optimized

“Paper PR Launches Brand Storytelling Lab for Small Businesses in the Midwest”

This gives both AI and editors unmistakable clarity about:

• Who
• What
• For whom
• Where

2. Use the Inverted Pyramid—Journalists and AI Love It

Your first paragraph is the most important part of your release.

Within 2–3 sentences, answer:

• Who is making the announcement?
• What is happening?
• When and where?
• Why does it matter?
  

This “entity-rich” writing helps AI understand and classify your news. It also helps editors quickly evaluate your angle.

3. Write With Clean, Unambiguous Language

AI struggles with:

• Metaphors
• Cute turns of phrase
• Clever-but-vague language
  

Editors skim too quickly for fluff.

Stick to:

• Short, clear sentences
• Defined nouns
• Minimal jargon
• First-use definitions of acronyms
• A straightforward narrative
  

Think of your writing as helpfully precise. The KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) Method still applies today.

4. Add Keyword and Context Cues (Without Stuffing)

This is the biggest shift in press release writing.

You must intentionally include the kind of keywords that help AI categorize your announcement—but in a natural, strategic way.

Include keywords related to:

• Your industry
• Your audience
• The offering
• Your geographic region (if relevant)
• Pain points or solutions
• Your company identity
  

Example of keyword-smart writing:

“The brand storytelling program helps small business owners develop consistent messaging across marketing, PR, and digital platforms.”

This single sentence gives AI context about:

• What it is
• Who it’s for
• What it solves
• Where it fits in the marketing ecosystem
  

No stuffing. Just clarity.

5. Include Human, Personality-Driven Quotes

Journalists often copy quotes word-for-word. AI extracts them to understand tone, intent, and sentiment. Avoid stiff, corporate lines like:

“We are excited to provide innovative solutions for modern business needs.” Instead, write conversationally and in your brand voice.

Example:

“Small businesses don’t just need attention—they need attention that converts,” says Michelle Tripp, founder of Paper PR. “Writing for editors and AI ensures our clients get visibility everywhere audiences are searching.”

This kind of quote is:

• Natural
• Memorable
• Credible
• Very extractable by AI

6. Use Structured Elements Throughout the Release

AI loves structure because structure is predictable.

In your release, include:

• Subheads
• Bullet points
• Numbered lists
• Stats
• Short paragraphs
• Bolded keywords (strategically, not excessively)
  

These formatting choices:

• Improve readability
• Help editors skim
• Increase AI comprehension
• Improve chances of being surfaced in summaries
  

Win-win-win.

7. Include Rich, Descriptive Visual Metadata

If you attach photos or graphics, always include:

• Descriptive file names
• Alt text
• Captions
  

Example:
“paper-pr-brand-storytelling-lab-launch.jpg”

Why this matters:
AI uses metadata to categorize media files and connect them to your announcement.

8. Use a Crisp, Updated Boilerplate

Most brands treat the boilerplate like an afterthought—and that’s a mistake. Your boilerplate is one of the most indexed parts of a press release.

Include:

• Company name
• What you do
• Your differentiator
• Who you serve
• Your location
• Website
• Optional: social handles
  

Keep it consistent across every release. AI uses it as an anchor to understand your brand.

9. Format for Maximum Pickup

Follow classic PR best practices:

• Include media contact at the top
• Paste the release into the email body (and attach a PDF)
• Use a standard press release layout
• Include direct links
• Add tracking to URLs
• Ensure mobile readability
• Send at editor-friendly times
  

Combine these with AI optimization, and you dramatically increase your reach.

Example of an Optimized Boilerplate for Paper PR

Feel free to follow this example for your own releases.

About Paper PR

Paper PR is a modern public relations and brand storytelling agency founded by Michelle Tripp, a communications strategist with more than 30 years of experience in PR, marketing communications, and media relations. Paper PR helps small businesses increase visibility through strategic messaging, digital PR, and AI-aware communications. The agency blends traditional media expertise with forward-thinking content strategies to help clients stand out in today’s evolving media landscape. Learn more at www.Paper-PR.com.

Your Press Release Is Now a Multichannel Discoverability Tool

Press releases are no longer just for journalists—they’re for:

• Google
• Bing
• ChatGPT
• Perplexity
• Aggregation bots
• Industry news feeds
• Social search
• AI crawlers
  

When you write for both humans and machines, you unlock more visibility with the same amount of effort. This is modern PR, and it’s now a competitive advantage. Get started with our FREE press release checklist.