What is a boilerplate?

At its core, a boilerplate is an “about us” statement that comes at the very end of a
press release, briefly explaining to the reader who is pitching.
It may seem really easy to rip a version of your company bio from your website or most
recent trade show flier and drop it into your press release. Don’t!
Consider the boilerplate your chance to make a real first impression on your readers,
showing them what your brand is all about and why they should care. It should be
engaging and informative.

Boilerplate examples
Curious about what a boilerplate looks like? Here are a few examples.
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries, is a diversified
worldwide entertainment company with operations in four business segments:
Media Networks, Parks and Resorts, Studio Entertainment, and Consumer
Products & Interactive Media. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual
revenues of $55.1 billion in its Fiscal Year 2017.
Check out this boilerplate in practice.
Lowe's
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement
company serving more than 17 million customers a week in the United
States, Canada and Mexico. With fiscal year 2016 sales of $65.0
billion, Lowe’s and its related businesses operate or service more than 2,370
home improvement and hardware stores and employ over 290,000 people.
Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s supports the
communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and
community improvement projects. For more information, visit Lowes.com.
Check out this boilerplate in practice.

How to write an effective boilerplate

If the boilerplate of your press release is both your first impression as a brand and your
closing statement, how can you make sure it leaves a lasting impression?
1. Set your brand apart
Don’t just describe what your company does in your boilerplate or how long you’ve been
in business. Provide a few recent accomplishments, showcase your company values or
explain what sets your brand apart from the competition.
2. Keep it concise
It can be easy to get carried away while drafting your company boilerplate, but this
should only be a small part of your press release, not the entire thing.
Keep your boilerplate to no more than 100 words. The more direct and to the point, the
better.
3. Incorporate a call-to-action
Provide a link to your website at the end of your boilerplate where readers can learn
more or link to your social media channels if social strategy is an important part of your
brand. If you’ve written a great press release and boilerplate, chances are that readers
will want to know more.
Including a link to more content can help you keep your boilerplate short and concise
while still providing an option to read further.