A practical, no-nonsense guide for podcast hosts, authors, and small business owners. No PR agency required.
In This Guide
A press release is a short, factual announcement written in journalistic style and sent to media contacts, news aggregators, and search engines. It is not an ad. It is not a blog post. It is a news document that says: "Something happened. Here is who, what, when, where, and why it matters."
Press releases still work because journalists, bloggers, and podcast hosts are always looking for story ideas. When your release lands in the right inbox at the right moment, it can earn you a feature, an interview, or a mention that reaches thousands of people you could never have reached on your own.
The key is writing one that reads like news, not like a sales pitch.
Not every day is a press release day. The strongest releases are tied to a specific, timely event. Here are the moments that earn coverage:
If you are not sure whether your news qualifies, ask: "Would a stranger find this interesting?" If yes, write the release.
Every great press release follows the same structure. Think of it as a news article you write yourself.
Your headline is the most important line you will write. It has one job: make the editor keep reading. Write it like a newspaper headline -- active voice, specific, no fluff.
Weak: "Local Author Announces New Book" Strong: "Podcast Host Adrienne Barker Releases Fifth Book on Authority Building for Small Business Owners"
Rules for a strong headline: - Keep it under 100 characters when possible - Use the person's name or brand name if it adds credibility - Lead with the most interesting detail, not the most obvious one - Avoid exclamation points -- they signal marketing, not news
The dateline opens your first paragraph and tells the reader when and where this news originates. Format: CITY, State, Month Day, Year --
Example: PHOENIX, AZ, July 13, 2026 --
Always use your city of operation, not a generic location.
The lead is your entire story in one paragraph. Journalists call this the "inverted pyramid" -- put the most important information first. If someone reads only this paragraph, they should understand the full story.
Answer these five questions in your lead: - Who is this about? - What happened or is happening? - When does it take place? - Where is this happening? - Why does it matter?
Example lead: "Adrienne Barker, MAS, business strategist and host of Adrienne Barker Speaks No Prep Needed, today announced the launch of PressLaunch, the first press release distribution network built specifically for podcast hosts, authors, and small business owners. The platform is available free through August 11, 2026 at presslaunch.vip."
The body expands on your lead with context, background, and supporting detail. Write two to four short paragraphs. Each one should add something new -- do not repeat yourself.
Good body paragraphs include: - The backstory (why did this happen now?) - Key details (price, date, location, how to access it) - Context (how does this fit into a larger trend or need?) - A quote from you or a key person involved
Every press release needs at least one quote. Quotes humanize the story and give journalists something they can pull directly into their coverage.
Rules for a great quote: - Make it sound like a real person talking, not a corporate statement - Say something that could not be said in plain prose -- share a belief, a feeling, a vision - Keep it to two to three sentences - Attribute it with full name and title
Weak quote: "We are excited to launch this new product and look forward to serving our customers." Strong quote: "I built PressLaunch because I watched talented podcast hosts and authors pour everything into their work and then struggle to get anyone to notice. This platform changes that. One submission, and your story reaches the people who can amplify it."
The boilerplate is a short paragraph at the end of every release that describes who you are. It stays the same across all your releases. Think of it as your standard bio.
Example: "About Adrienne Barker, MAS: Adrienne Barker is a business strategist, five-time author, and host of four podcasts including Adrienne Barker Speaks No Prep Needed, The Promo Supplier Playbook, Debate the News True Crime, and Mannershift Podcast. She is the founder of PressLaunch and Authorityshift, and has spent over 35 years helping entrepreneurs build authority and visibility. Learn more at adriennebarker.com."
End every release with a clear contact block so journalists know exactly who to reach. Include:
This is not the place to be vague. Make it easy to reach you.
Podcast hosts have more press release opportunities than almost any other creator, because every episode is a potential news story. Here is how to think about it:
Your show launch is news. Write a release that explains what the show covers, who it is for, and why you are the right person to host it. Lead with your credentials and the gap your show fills.
A notable guest is news. If you land an interview with a bestselling author, a CEO, or a recognized expert, write a release about it. Pitch it before the episode drops so media can cover it as upcoming news.
Your milestone is news. Episode 50, episode 100, 10,000 downloads -- these are markers that signal credibility. Announce them.
Your own story is news. If you are a podcast host who is also an author, a speaker, or a business owner, every achievement in one area can be announced to the audiences of the others.
The mistake most podcast hosts make is thinking their show is not big enough to warrant media attention. Size is not the only qualifier. Relevance is. A niche podcast with 500 highly engaged listeners in a specific industry is absolutely newsworthy to the outlets that serve that industry.
Small businesses are often sitting on more news than they realize. Here is a framework for finding your stories:
The launch story: Opening a business, adding a location, launching a new service line. These are all legitimate news events.
The expertise story: You have been doing this for 10 years. You have seen trends come and go. A release that positions you as a local or industry expert -- tied to a current trend -- can earn significant coverage.
The community story: Sponsoring an event, hiring locally, partnering with a nonprofit. Media loves a business that gives back.
The data story: If you survey your customers or track industry data, publish the findings. "Local business owner surveys 200 clients, finds 73% say X" is a story.
The award story: Chamber of commerce recognition, industry association awards, Better Business Bureau ratings. Do not be modest about these.
The outlets that cover small business -- Entrepreneur, Inc., Small Business Trends, Business News Daily, SCORE -- are not just for Fortune 500 companies. They actively seek stories about real business owners doing interesting things. Your story qualifies.
Copy this template, fill in the brackets, and you have a press release ready to submit. Every bracket is a required field.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [YOUR HEADLINE HERE -- active voice, specific, under 100 characters] [CITY, State], [Month Day, Year] -- [One sentence that answers who, what, when, where, and why it matters.] [Second paragraph: expand on the lead. Add key details -- price, date, how to access, what makes this different.] [Third paragraph: context and background. Why does this matter right now? How does it fit a larger trend or need?] "[Your quote here. Make it sound like a real person. Share a belief or a vision, not a corporate statement.]" said [Your Full Name], [Your Title]. [Optional fourth paragraph: additional details, supporting facts, or a secondary quote.] About [Your Name or Company]: [Two to three sentences describing who you are, what you do, and who you serve. This stays the same across all your releases.] ### Media Contact: [Your Name] [Your Title] [Email Address] [Phone Number] [Website URL]
PressLaunch handles your email distribution, Google News indexing, and RSS feed automatically. If you want to extend your reach even further, these free directories accept manual submissions at no cost. Each one takes about 10 minutes to submit.
One of the longest-running free press release sites. Good for SEO backlinks and general discovery. Requires a free account.
European-based newswire with strong Google indexing. Accepts releases in English. Free tier available.
Free press release distribution with company profile pages. Useful for building a searchable press history.
Simple, no-frills free submission. Indexed by Google and picked up by some news aggregators.
Straightforward free newswire. Good for building a searchable archive of your announcements.
Primarily a paid service, but worth knowing. Their free tier allows you to create a company profile and post basic announcements.
Pro tip: When submitting manually, always link back to your live release page on PressLaunch. That URL is your permanent, SEO-optimized home for the release and gives journalists a professional landing page to reference.
Submit once and your press release goes to 80 media contacts, Google and Bing News, an RSS feed, and your own public release page. Free through August 11.
No credit card required. Free through August 11, 2026.