Failure to meet these standards may result in your press release being declined for Online Boost distribution.
🔹 1) Quality Content Requirements
All press releases submitted for Online Boost must meet the following criteria:
Be written in an acceptable press release format.
Avoid inflammatory language, hyperbole, unattributed opinions, or invasion of privacy.
Be accurate and free from potentially libellous material.
Clearly identify any opinions within quotation marks or attribute them to an identifiable source.
Cite information from fact-checked news sources when appropriate.
Provide explicit attribution when referring to court documents or similar records.
Avoid content intended to harm, target, or exact revenge on individuals or groups.
Not contain threatening, abusive, offensive, violent, intimidating, or otherwise objectionable content.
Not attempt to incite fear or panic—including predictions of catastrophic events or terrorist attacks.
Not include content that incites or expresses hatred, bigotry, racism, gratuitous violence, or malicious defamation.
Editorial Review
All press releases undergo editorial review to ensure they are newsworthy, accurate, and formatted appropriately.
Required Qualities of an Approved Press Release
Newsworthiness
Releases must have a clear, timely, and newsworthy angle. Common examples include:
new product or service
business milestones
expansions or events
awards
timely expert commentary or tip sheets
The primary announcement must be clear in the headline.
Objective Tone
Press releases must avoid:
hype flags (exclamation points, excessive claims)
direct address (“you,” “I,” “we”) except within attributed quotes
all-caps emphasis
These are indicators of advertising rather than news.
Legal Accuracy
Releases referencing legal matters must include:
case numbers
court of record
complaint numbers
or other verifiable documentation.
Valid Contact Information
Releases must include a valid contact name, phone number, and email address.
Written Authorization
In certain cases—such as network marketing companies, stock ticker symbols, or major corporate announcements—written authorization from an executive may be required.
Length Requirements
Press releases should be between 300 and 800 words.
Grammar and Readability
Releases must be free of spelling and grammatical errors.
Industry jargon should be defined for general audiences.
Formatting Standards
Press releases must not contain:
HTML tags
non-standard characters
tables
forced line breaks
excessive capital letters
All links must be functional at the time of review. If your website is unavailable, you must remove the links or wait until it is live.
News Source Identification
The headline must clearly identify the issuing organization (the “news source”). Agencies distributing on behalf of clients must list the client as the source.
Email Addresses
Email addresses within the body will be rewritten by editorial staff as:
Name (at) example (dot) com
Accepted Image File Types
Partner sites accept only:
.jpeg
.gif
.png
🔹 2) Excluded Content
The following types of content are not permitted for Online Boost distribution:
Advertisements
Releases aimed primarily at selling a product or service, without a newsworthy component.
Sexually Explicit Content
Includes references or links to sexual material, illegal content, or profanity.
All adult-only websites fall under this category.
Link Spam
Limit links to 1 per 100 words.
Reprints
Editorial content copied from other publications, especially copyrighted material.
Duplicate Content
Releases cannot be distributed more than once via Online Boost.
Most content must be original; templated or recycled material is not permitted.
Third-Party Legal Releases
Only law firms directly representing one of the parties may issue legal-related press releases.
Intent to Harm
Content intending to harm, defame, or target individuals or groups is prohibited.
Written Authorization (when required)
Without authorization, releases involving network marketing companies, stock ticker symbols, or large corporate announcements may be rejected.
Unauthorized Ticker Symbols
Only ticker symbols authorized by the issuing company may be used.
Restricted Industries and Topics
Not permitted:
Online gambling, fantasy sports, pay-to-play services
Payday or short-term loans
Gun sales of any type
Online pharmacies selling prescription drugs without requiring verification
Tobacco or vape products
Weight-loss products
Health supplements of any kind
Sexual enhancement products
“Easy money,” work-from-home, or get-rich-quick schemes
Stock tips, alerts, picks, recommendations, or reviews
BlackHat SEO tactics (keyword stuffing, link buying, over-hyphenated domains, paid followers, etc.)
Content containing or linking to viruses, scripts, or harmful code
📝 Support & Resources
Need help? Chat with Support from your dashboard or email agilitysupport@agilitypr.com