The Short Template
Product update announcement: [benefit-led title] Audience: [who should care] Before: [old pain, limitation, or manual workflow] What changed: [new capability, fix, workflow, or release] Why it matters: [customer outcome] Available now: [plan, rollout, docs, or limitation] Next step: [CTA label] - [URL] Channel versions: - Changelog: [full announcement] - In-app: [one benefit sentence and CTA] - Email subject: [benefit-led subject line] - Social: [short public summary]
What Each Section Does
Audience
Name the customer segment that should care about this update.
For support teams reviewing customer requests every morning.
Before
Describe the old workflow, limitation, or customer pain in plain language.
Previously, duplicate requests had to be merged by hand.
What changed
Explain the shipped product change without leaning on internal ticket names.
Related requests are now grouped automatically on the feedback page.
Why it matters
Translate the change into time saved, fewer errors, more clarity, or a faster decision.
Teams can spot repeated feedback faster and prioritize the right fix.
Next step
Point readers to the product screen, changelog, docs, or exact CTA.
Open feedback insights and review the new grouped requests.
Adapt It Across Update Channels
Changelog
Use the full template so customers have a durable record of what shipped.
Generate changelogIn-app update
Trim the announcement to one benefit sentence and one action.
Write widget copyLead with the benefit, then link back to the product or changelog.
Generate emailLaunch copy
Use the same structure when a bigger release needs website and social copy.
Generate launch copyBefore You Publish
The headline says what changed, not just what shipped.
The before state makes the improvement obvious.
The benefits are written for customers, not the product team.
The CTA sends people to the exact next place.
The same update can be reused across changelog, in-app, email, and social.
FAQ
What is a what changed announcement?
A what changed announcement is a customer-facing product update that explains the old problem, the shipped change, why it matters, and what the reader should do next.
What should a product update announcement template include?
A strong product update announcement template includes the audience, before state, shipped change, customer benefit, availability note, CTA, and short versions for changelog, in-app, email, and social channels.
How is this different from release notes?
Release notes document what shipped. A what changed announcement translates the release into benefits and next actions that customers can understand quickly.
Can I generate a what changed announcement automatically?
Yes. Glink's free What Changed Announcement Generator turns raw product changes into before and after copy, benefit bullets, in-app copy, email previews, social snippets, and markdown.