Boilerplates – the paragraph that provides key information about a person or company – are essential for companies that are looking to clearly articulate their mission and consistently provide important background information for journalists. Public relations professionals are frequently tasked with developing this standardized paragraph used across a variety of marketing materials. They often include high-level information and can be beneficial for companies in several ways.
Before taking a closer look at the composition of boilerplates, let’s take a step back to learn the historical significance of the word. The origins of boilerplates can be traced back to the 19th century, referring to a plate of steel used as a template in the construction of steam boilers. For the newspaper industry, these sheets of plated steel were used for engraving copies of prepared text intended for widespread reproduction in newspapers, such as advertisements or syndicated columns. Known as boilerplates, these consistent steel plated texts lowered the cost of production and saved time in the printing process.
Today, the term is applied widely across a variety of industries to refer to a standardized method, form or procedure. In public relations, the boilerplate is a standardized paragraph inserted at the end of all press releases that provides an overview of the company or organization. For this blog post, we’ll examine the structure and benefits of boilerplates.
What’s Inside a Boilerplate?
Essentially, a boilerplate is a corporate summary that’s reprinted word-for-word at the end of every press release, among other places. Boilerplates help companies educate readers on their mission and offerings. When drafting the piece, content should be direct, concise and free of jargon. If you are uncertain of what to include, I suggest reviewing the elements below to guarantee you’ve covered all the bases. Boilerplates can include:
- The date and place the company or organization was founded
- Information about products or services
- The mission and purpose of the company or organization
- Major milestones, awards, and honors
- Impressive metrics, e.g., number of employees or customers
- Relevant website or social media links
Benefits of Boilerplates
While boilerplates are often overlooked and given little attention, they can help companies connect with their audience and establish their brand through consistent and concise messaging. For companies, the boilerplate is the one piece of information that gets the most exposure across all channels. In press releases, a boilerplate can establish a company’s background, mission and important milestones. For journalists, it offers consistency as they look to connect the dots between separate stories. In addition, boilerplates make their job easier and helps them quickly recall a company without further research.
Although it can seem like a tedious job, boilerplates should be consistently reviewed and updated with relevant details when new developments or milestones are reached. Set a reminder on your calendar to review all boilerplates as you enter a new quarter and add a link back to this blog post so you can be confident that this ready-to-use piece of content includes the most up-to-date and compelling information.