Fortify your press releases by ditching 10 overused words
Hackneyed phrasing is a red flag for journalists, yet PR pros often cram their messages with trite language. Here’s what to avoid, along with tips for trimming extraneous verbiage.
Press releases all seem the same.
Little more than the company name changes as in: Company X is “an industry-leading platform with the best service and the largest partners with a turn-key solution that future-proofs your experience.” That’s because many PR writers spew the same words over and over.
To find the most overused words in press releases, communications agency Trust Insights reviewed “a substantial subset” of press releases published in 2019 using the Google News database hosted by the GDELT project. The list published in its 2020 Data-Driven Marketing Trends Report include:
The problem is that these words occur with little variation, Trust Insights notes. Press releases become templated statements filled with trite jargon. The result? The brand is immediately branded as mediocre.
Why does this happen? Junior-level staffers at corporate PR departments and PR agencies typically fill in templates to save time. They take the safe approach. Successful press releases that win more placements and attention take controversial stands, offer unique perspectives, or use distinctive words and phrases.
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