Top 6 PR Boilerplate Questions…Answered!

Posted by Laura Bergells

August 7, 2007

PR Boilerplate Three clients asked me for advice on their Press Release Boilerplates this month. Why do Press Release questions always come in threes? Who knows? But since it’s a hot topic for 3 companies, maybe it’s a hot topic for you.

Here are your top 6 most frequently asked questions about PR boilerplates, along with my lightning fast answers:

Question 1: What’s a press release boilerplate? The boilerplate is a brief paragraph at the end of a press release that describes the company. It usually follows the bold words About Insert-Company-Name-Here.

Question 2: Why is it called a boilerplate? This little paragraph gets stamped onto the end of every press release the company sends without change — just like an old-fashioned, um, boilerplate.

Question 3: Can I search engine optimize my boilerplate? Probably not. Two important factors in search engine optimization are prominence and originality. Since the boilerplate is at the end, it’s not prominent. And since the boilerplate is duplicated on every release, it’s not original content.

Question 4: What should I put in my boilerplate? Just the facts, ma’am. Stick to who you are, what you make, what service you provide, how long you’ve been in business, if you’re public or private, and maybe a unique selling proposition. Keep it under 100 words. Under 50 is even better.
Question 5: What should I avoid in my boilerplate? Jargon. Corporate speak. Gobbledegoo. Laundry lists of products and awards. Puffery. Testimonials. Insufferable, long-winded bragging.

Question 6: Do you have a good boilerplate for writing a boilerplate? Get out of here, you! No boilerplates for boilerplates, but do take a look at examples of the good, the bad, and the ugly boilerplates to get some of your juices flowing. And look at your competitors’ boilerplates — try not to sound exactly like them.

You are trying to highlight your uniqueness, after all!