Recently, Cision released its 2021 State of the Press Release report. It’s a comprehensive analysis of more than 10,000 press releases that the company distributed this year. Within its inviting pages of colorful infographics, we find a summary of the trends and insights that the organization noticed from their customer behavior. They even analyzed data on their press release headlines.

We’re still grappling with the pandemic in 2021, so it makes sense that some of the data would reflect how COVID-19 is affecting company news. We found that to be true here at Big Ideas Writing too. In the past year we wrote several releases for clients who wanted to inform the public of their new COVID-19 protocols. Most businesses did something to help assure customers that their doors were still open.

In fact, Cision reported that 43% of their customers rated their press outreach as the same or more frequent than before the pandemic began.  The topics covered in 2021 mirrored the hot topics of interest in the business world, including new COVID protocols. Of course there were the always popular releases about new products and in-person events. But more businesses released news about emerging issues in business, such as diversity and inclusion (DEI), and environmental and social and governance topics (ESG).

I’m a press release writer and editor, so I was particularly intrigued by the parts of the report about writing the best press release headlines. Cision reported that the “sweet spot” for headline characters is 75-100. They also gave a very insightful list of most used action words in releases in 2021. Not only was this list helpful to me but I also thought of it as a tool for any business who has ever considered putting out a press release. I wanted to share it with you today in hopes that it might inspire you to recognize the newsmaker you are!

To make it easier, I have taken the most popular action words used in 2021 news release headlines according to the report and formulated a question for you to answer. If you answer “yes” to even one of these questions, maybe we should talk about issuing a press release for your organization! You’ll find the actual, popular action verbs they identified in bold. And I’ve also listed the words in order of their popularity.

So ask yourself, within the next year, does your organization plan to do the following?

  • Announce a new product, service, or change in leadership?
  • Launch a new campaign, app, service, website, etc.?
  • Expand your operation in location or scope of service?
  • Award someone for something, or win an award yourself?
  • Release the findings of a survey or a report that will have widespread appeal?
  • Prove something through research or a report that is contrary to what others believe?
  • Show something unusual or of interest to another organization, community, or governing body?
  • Reveal something unusual or of interest to another organization, community, or governing body?
  • Publish a book, report, new online asset, etc.?
  • Enable your employees, your community, or your industry to achieve something because of your assistance?
  • Empower your employees, your community, or your industry to achieve something because of your assistance?
  • Confirm a finding, or become certified or approved by an organization to provide a product or service?
  • Allow something to take place or exist because of a change in policy?
  • Roll Out a new product, service, campaign, or change in the organization?

How did you do? Answer yes to any of them? If so, a press release may work for your organization. If you’d like talk more about how we can help your business with a press release and write the best press release headline possible, please reach out at 630-778-6182. We look forward to writing for you!