Release Notes
Template
A release notes format designed to be read — not ignored. Benefit-focused, scannable, and built to close the loop with customers who requested features.
Release notes that work for your team and customers
Release notes serve two audiences: your customers (who want to know what's new) and your internal team (who need a record of what shipped). This template serves both.
Release title & date
A themed or numbered release title. 'v2.4 — The Performance Update' is more engaging than 'Release 2026-07-15.'
Highlight (1 feature, top of page)
Lead with the most impactful change. This is what most customers will see and remember.
What's new (2-4 features)
New capabilities. Each with a visual, customer benefit, and attribution if customer-requested.
What's improved (2-3 items)
Performance gains, UX polish, workflow improvements. 'Export is now 3x faster' is better than 'Optimized export pipeline.'
What's fixed (bulleted list)
Bugs resolved. Keep this scannable. Highlight fixes that customers complained about.
Coming next (teaser)
1-2 items from the 'Next' horizon of your roadmap. Builds anticipation and shows forward momentum.
Pro tips
Send release notes via email AND post them to your changelog. Different customers prefer different channels.
Always include a 'based on your feedback' attribution when possible. It's the single highest-ROI line in any release note.
Use before/after visuals for UX changes. A picture communicates the improvement faster than any description.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I publish release notes?
Ideally with every release. For continuous deployment teams, consider a weekly digest of the most notable changes rather than publishing with every commit.
Should I include internal-only notes?
FeatureSay supports internal-only notes alongside public ones. Use the public version for customers and add internal details (ticket numbers, deployment notes) in a private field.
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