Press release headline checker

Paste a headline into this press release headline checker to see its length against each newswire’s limit, how it cuts on phones and in search, and whether it names the company, uses active voice and avoids hype.

Free, no sign-up. Runs in your browser, with no AI calls.

Results update as you type.

Used to check that the headline says who the news is from.

Voice, news verb, hype and title case checks use English word lists. Length checks work in every language.

Headline checks

Type or paste a headline to see its length against each newswire, how it cuts on phones and in search, and the wording checks.

PR Newswire and PRLog cap press release headlines at 100 characters and Business Wire at 250. Google News asks for titles of 2 to 22 words with no date in them. A clear headline names the company, uses an active verb such as launches or appoints, and states one fact without hype or exclamation marks.

How to use this tool

Limits per newswire
Characters are counted as you see them, spaces included. PR Newswire gives 100 characters at most and 70 where possible, PRLog 100 and Business Wire 250 (press release template, April 21, 2025).
Where it cuts
Business Wire wrote in February 2017 that editorial systems show about the first 55 characters, search results about 70 and phones about 40. The preview cuts your headline at each width so you can see what is left.
Google News
Google’s Publisher Center help asks for titles of at least 10 characters and 2 to 22 words, with no date or time in them.
Wording
The company name, a verb that names the news, passive voice, figures, exclamation marks, words in capitals and links, from the EIN Presswire and Business Wire rules. Hype words come from David Meerman Scott’s counts of the phrases press releases use most (2006 and 2008). Voice, verb and hype checks use English word lists.
Title case
PRLog asks for title case. The checker suggests the AP version and keeps acronyms and brand spellings as you wrote them.

Business Wire: press release template and headline rules

Questions before you start

PR Newswire and PRLog set 100 characters as the limit, and PR Newswire suggests 70 or fewer where possible. Business Wire allows 250 but suggests 8 to 12 words. In 2017 Business Wire put the search result width at about 70 characters.

Yes. Business Wire asks for the company or brand name in the headline, and EIN Presswire asks for a clear news source. A reader scanning a list of releases should know who the news is from before opening it.

Yes, if each one is true and you can share its source. PR Newswire’s AP guide uses figures for 10 and above, ages, percentages and money. The checker lists every figure it finds so you can check it.

Hype and jargon such as next generation, cutting edge, world class or groundbreaking, which David Meerman Scott found among the phrases press releases use most. EIN Presswire also rejects exclamation marks and words in capitals for emphasis. Replace each with the fact behind it.

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