Feature Announcement Template
A complete feature announcement template covering in-app messaging, email, changelog entry, social post, and internal sales/support enablement — so every launch reaches every audience consistently. Free to copy, download, and use. No signup required.
# Feature Announcement Template **Feature Name:** [Name] **Launch Date:** [Date] **PM Owner:** [Name] **Tiers Affected:** [ ] All · [ ] Pro+ · [ ] Team+ · [ ] Enterprise only --- ## Core Message (Write This First) Before drafting any channel-specific copy, align on one message: **What changed:** [One sentence — what the feature does] **Why it matters to the user:** [One sentence — the outcome, not the capability] **Who it's for:** [The primary user segment] **Call to action:** [The single next step you want them to take] > Example: "You can now generate a shareable read-only link for any PRD — send it to engineers and designers without needing them to create an account. Useful for review cycles and stakeholder presentations. [Try it now →]" --- ## 1. In-App Announcement **Format:** [ ] Banner · [ ] Modal · [ ] Tooltip · [ ] What's New tab · [ ] None **Headline (< 12 words):** [e.g. "Share your PRD with anyone — no account needed"] **Body (< 40 words):** [e.g. "Generate a read-only link from any PRD. Share with engineers, designers, or stakeholders — they can view without logging in. Links expire in 30 days or revoke any time from PRD settings."] **CTA button:** [e.g. "Generate share link"] **Link:** [e.g. opens PRD → Share modal] **Dismiss behavior:** [ ] X to dismiss · [ ] Dismiss after click · [ ] Persistent for 7 days **Target:** [ ] All users · [ ] Pro+ only · [ ] Users who have generated ≥ 1 PRD --- ## 2. Email Announcement **Subject line (A/B options):** - Option A: [e.g. "Share your PRDs without a login requirement"] - Option B: [e.g. "New: read-only PRD links for stakeholder review"] **Preview text:** [e.g. "Your designers and engineers don't need an account to review your PRDs."] **Email body:** --- Hi [First name], **[Headline — same as in-app or slightly longer]** [Body — 2–3 short paragraphs. Lead with the user outcome, not the feature mechanics. Paragraph 1: what the feature does. Paragraph 2: when to use it / who it's for. Paragraph 3: optional — one customer quote or early access example.] [CTA button: "Try [Feature Name] →"] If you have feedback on this feature, reply to this email — we read every response. — [PM or founder name], [Company] --- **Send to:** [ ] All active users · [ ] Pro+ subscribers · [ ] Users who triggered [X event] **Send timing:** [ ] Launch day · [ ] 2 days after launch · [ ] On feature discovery trigger --- ## 3. Changelog Entry **Date:** [YYYY-MM-DD] **Tag:** [ ] New · [ ] Improved · [ ] Fixed · [ ] Removed **Title:** [e.g. "Shareable read-only PRD links"] **Body:** > [2–5 sentences. Be specific: what was added, how to access it, any limits or tier restrictions. Avoid "we're excited to" — lead with the feature. Include one screenshot or GIF if available.] **Access:** [e.g. "Available to all Pro+ subscribers. Accessible from the Share button on any PRD."] --- ## 4. Social / LinkedIn Post **Format:** [ ] Short (tweet-style) · [ ] Long (LinkedIn article) · [ ] Thread **Draft:** [Headline — what shipped] [Context — 1 sentence on the problem it solves] [The feature — 2–3 bullets, outcome-focused, not mechanics-focused] [CTA — link to changelog, product, or demo] [Optional: screenshot or video] --- **Example:** We just shipped shareable read-only PRD links. Before: share a PRD → engineer has to create an account → they don't → back to PDF. Now: one link, no login, revokable any time. Available to all Pro users. [link] --- ## 5. Internal Enablement ### Sales / CS talking points **One-liner:** [e.g. "PRD share links let PMs loop in engineers without buying extra seats"] **Common objection:** [e.g. "Do they need to log in?"] → **Answer:** [e.g. "No — read-only link, no account needed"] **Upgrade angle (if applicable):** [e.g. "Share links are Pro+ — use this as a trial-to-paid nudge"] **Demo step:** [Where to show it in a live demo] ### Support FAQ update **Add to help docs:** > **Q: Can I share a PRD with someone who doesn't have a PMRead account?** > A: Yes — click Share on any PRD, generate a read-only link, and send it. Viewers don't need to sign up. Links are valid for 30 days by default; you can revoke them from PRD settings at any time. ### Intercom / support tag Create tag: `share-link-issue` for incoming support tickets related to this feature. --- ## 6. Launch Metrics Define how you'll know if the announcement worked: | Metric | Target (Day 7) | Actual | |---|---|---| | In-app banner click-through rate | > 12% | | | Email open rate | > 35% | | | Email click-to-open rate | > 20% | | | Feature activation (users who tried it) | > 15% of eligible | | | Upgrade conversions attributed to feature | > [X] | | --- ## Announcement Checklist - [ ] Core message written and reviewed by 1 stakeholder - [ ] In-app message tested in staging (renders correctly on mobile) - [ ] Email tested in Litmus or equivalent (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail) - [ ] Changelog entry published - [ ] Social post scheduled (or drafted for marketing to send) - [ ] Sales/CS briefed before launch (not after) - [ ] Support FAQ updated - [ ] Analytics events firing for feature activation - [ ] Metrics dashboard bookmarked for day 7 review
How to use this Feature Announcement template
Write the core message before any channel copy
The core message section exists because teams jump to writing email copy before they've agreed on what the feature does and who it's for. If you can't fill in the four fields in 10 minutes, the launch brief is not ready. Resolve alignment before drafting.
Lead every channel with the user outcome, not the feature capability
Bad: 'We've added shareable link functionality.' Good: 'Send your PRD to engineers — they don't need to create an account.' The capability describes the system. The outcome describes what the user can now do. Users respond to the outcome.
Brief sales and support before public announcement, not after
Every launch creates inbound — support tickets, sales objections, upgrade questions. If your CS team finds out about the feature from the changelog, you've created an internal trust problem. Send the internal enablement doc at least 24 hours before launch.
Set metrics before launch, not after
Section 6 forces you to decide what success looks like before you can see the numbers. Teams that set metrics post-launch unconsciously calibrate targets to match actuals. Set them first, check them on day 7.
Send the email 2–3 days after launch, not the same day
Same-day email to users before the feature is fully rolled out (or before you've found the first bugs) creates support load. Launch → monitor for 48 hours → send email. This also gives you time to include a real activation screenshot instead of a mock.
Want a Feature Announcement grounded in your actual customer data?
PMRead ingests your customer interviews, feedback, and Slack threads — and generates PRDs backed by real evidence, not guesses.
Frequently asked questions
Should every feature get a full announcement?
No. Use this template for features that change user behavior or require users to discover something new. Bug fixes and backend improvements don't need email announcements — a changelog entry is enough. Small UX polish changes don't need in-app banners — they just need good empty states. Reserve full announcements for features with meaningful activation steps.
How do I write a good subject line?
Specificity beats cleverness. 'New feature available' performs worst. 'Share your PRDs without a login' performs best. Name the feature or outcome directly, put the most interesting word near the front, and test two variants if your list is large enough (> 2,000) to get statistical signal.
How long should the launch email be?
Short. 3 paragraphs, 1 CTA. Users scan, they don't read. If you have more than 3 things to say, you're announcing too much at once. The email's job is to get the user back into the product — not to explain every nuance of the feature.
What makes a good changelog entry?
Four things: (1) specific — names the feature, not 'improvements'. (2) Visual — includes a screenshot or GIF. (3) Honest about scope — mentions tier restrictions or known limits. (4) Linkable — has a direct URL so you can share it in Slack or email. Bad changelog: 'Various improvements.' Good: 'Shareable read-only PRD links (Pro+) — generate a link from the Share button on any PRD.'
How do I measure whether the announcement worked?
Feature activation rate is the only metric that matters — did users who received the announcement actually use the feature? Email open rate and click-through are leading indicators, but a 40% open rate with 2% activation means the announcement worked but the feature didn't. Track both.
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