Structure and Information Hierarchy: Writing for Speed, Not for Show

Journalists read press releases differently to almost everyone else.

They are rarely sitting down with a coffee and working through a release from top to bottom. More often, they are scanning under time pressure, looking for signals that tell them whether a story is usable, relevant, and timely. In that context, structure is not a stylistic choice. It is a functional one.

Information hierarchy is one of the least glamorous aspects of PR writing, and one of the most important. A well-structured release makes it easier for a journalist to understand the story quickly, extract what they need, and move forward with confidence. A poorly structured one creates friction, even if the underlying news is strong.

At its core, information hierarchy is about prioritisation. Not everything in a release is equally important, and pretending otherwise only slows the reader down. The most critical information needs to appear early, not because it is more impressive, but because it allows the journalist to make a decision quickly. Who invested, what changed, what launched, what problem is being addressed, these are not details to be uncovered gradually.

One of the most common structural mistakes in PR writing is burying the news under context, colour, or brand language. Writers often want to set the scene, explain the background, or lead with positioning before stating what has actually happened. From a journalistic perspective, this reverses the natural order. Journalists want the facts first so they can decide whether the rest is worth reading.

This principle has become even more important as stories increasingly move across platforms and formats. Articles are summarised, syndicated, quoted, and surfaced by algorithms that prioritise clarity and consistency. When a release has a clear information hierarchy, it is far less likely to be misinterpreted as it travels. This also makes coverage easier to track accurately using media contacts database and media monitoring software, as the core facts remain consistent wherever the story appears.

Structure also affects how a story is reported, not just whether it is covered. When information is presented in a logical sequence, journalists are less likely to reorder it in ways that dilute or distort the intended message. This is particularly important for organisations operating in sensitive environments, such as public sector communications, corporate announcements, or regulated industries, where precision matters.

For PR agencies, strong structure makes life easier at every stage. It improves pickup rates, reduces follow-up questions, and strengthens PR agency reporting because coverage aligns more closely with intent. For in-house teams, it supports clearer corporate PR reporting and makes it easier to demonstrate value through PR impact reports that go beyond raw volume.

Modern PR teams are increasingly using AI-powered media monitoring and narrative analysis tools as well as press release distribution tracking to understand how stories are being framed once published. When structure is weak, patterns emerge quickly: key facts are omitted, emphasis shifts unpredictably, and narratives fragment. When structure is strong, coverage tends to be more consistent, making narrative tracking far more meaningful.

Ultimately, structure is about respect and even more importantly, respect for the journalist’s time and for the reader’s attention. It is not about stripping creativity from press release writing, but about creating a clear pathway through which creativity can be understood.

A well-structured release doesn’t feel rigid or formulaic when it’s done properly. It feels effortless. The reader knows where they are, what matters, and why it matters now. And in a crowded media environment, that clarity is one of the most valuable things a PR professional can offer.

In the next post in this series, we’ll look at tone, simplicity, and why plain English remains one of the most powerful tools in effective PR writing.