The Boilerplate: What It Is, And Why It Matters In A Press Release
4 Jun 2024, By Deya Bhattacharya
4 Jun 2024, By Deya Bhattacharya
All press releases have one thing in common — a short paragraph at the end summarising what the company does and how readers can reach out to them. This seemingly simple add-on — known as the boilerplate — is in fact a critical component of brand building, especially with new customers and media outlets. And there’s an art to getting it just right.
Let’s take a closer look at what goes into a winning boilerplate.
In the PR world, boilerplate copy refers to a short piece of content that serves as a standardised introduction to the company mentioned in the press release. It can be compared to the “About” section on a company website, and contains details like what the company does, when it was founded, where it’s headquartered, any key accomplishments, and so on. It also includes the company logo and relevant contact details, such as a link to the company website or an email address for queries.
Both of these are concise ways to convey what a company does. However, the two have different purposes. An elevator pitch is a one-line summary of the problem the company solves, designed to generate immediate interest. On the other hand, a boilerplate is a slightly longer and more professional account of what the company is, details about its formation and any significant accomplishments.
The boilerplate contains the most pertinent facts about the company for easy reference. This helps to maintain consistency across all marketing materials. Journalists can easily add the boilerplate to their press releases without having to keep asking the PR agency for company details. For online copy, the consistency is also useful for building the brand’s SEO presence.
In addition, placing the boilerplate at the end of the press release is a strategic choice for brand building. Readers who have read other press releases or articles about the company can immediately make the mental association of having read the same boilerplate copy before. Plus, as the closing section, it is likely that the boilerplate will linger on in the reader’s mind — and the more arresting the copy, the more likely it is that the reader will think positively about the brand.
Finally, the boilerplate is the perfect place to highlight major accomplishments and key points about the company’s vision and growth. That way, potential customers and investors who read the boilerplate will be more likely to reach out about working together.
Done right, the boilerplate is an important tool for establishing your client company’s credibility and helping readers remember the brand. Here are some best practices to make it work.
Keep it brief
An effective boilerplate is rarely more than 6-7 sentences long. Include only the key facts and try to avoid overly lengthy sentences.
Use formal language
With boilerplates, it’s almost always advisable to use formal language regardless of which industry the company operates in. At the same time, try to avoid unnecessary jargon.
Highlight key accomplishments
The boilerplate is the perfect place to mention any major awards that the company has won or any key innovations it has developed.
Include relevant numbers and statistics
Things to mention could include the number of countries the company operates in, any significant growth percentage, its percentage efficiency over competing solutions, and so on.
Share the company’s story in brief
Readers should be able to immediately get a sense of what the company stands for when they read the boilerplate. Include points like when the company was founded, what its mission is and who its target customers are.
Make it easy to establish contact
Close the boilerplate with a CTA that encourages interested parties to reach out, and include relevant contact details like a website link, HQ address and/or socials.
Keep updating it as needed
Be sure to keep the boilerplate copy up to date with any new accomplishments, product launches, funding rounds and so on.
When you start working with a PR agency, we recommend working on the boilerplate copy right away so that you have it ready for all future press releases and other marketing materials.
Moreover, don’t hesitate to keep working on it until it’s just right — you want to strike the fine balance between brevity and making sure you’re providing enough information. Need help with expanding your media presence? Our team at Star Squared PR has decades of experience crafting top-notch press releases for multiple industries. Reach out to us — we’d be delighted to hear from you.
