Why Do Companies Write News Releases That They Would Never Read?
Overused Words In Press Releases: What Words Would You Outlaw?
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By Steve Farnsworth (@Steveology)
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SILICON VALLEY, July 19 /The @Steveology Blog, a dynamic global industry market leader of robust solutions, is delighted to announce today a first ever, award-winning, fully scalable, innovative feature rich poll of cutting edge overused words in game changing news releases.
…Just shoot me now!
Even after all these years I’m still surprised at how news release writers usually squander the valuable real estate of the 1st paragraph by using cliché and BS words. Hell, they pollute the entire release with these verbal flotsam and jetsam.
Tweet This Poll — * Overused Words In Press Releases: What Words Would You Outlaw?*
When I see “announced today” in a news release my eyes roll back in my head uncontrollably. Now they are stuck there. A news release already has the date in it. So, saying “Announced Today” is redundant and repetitive…
VOTE NOW
But I want to know what you think. What overused drek is clogging the heart of news releases these days? You can select up to 3!
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Hey, you’re looking good. Have you been working out? Oh, can you help a brother out and share this poll with your friends? I’m just saying….
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Steve Farnsworth's Old Blog 
Julian Summerhayes
July 19, 2010
Sounds a bit like David Meerman Scott’s Gobbledygook Manifesto. Scale and leverage for me.
Steve Farnsworth
July 19, 2010
I think the key difference is that his list was generated from actually analyzing 10, 000 or 20,000 news releases. No such diligence or hard work visible here…
Burgess Heberer
July 19, 2010
Work smart, not hard.
kristinhartconklin
July 19, 2010
None of these phrases/words particularly enrage me- or cause involuntary eye rolling. Any word in the english language can become loathe-some or trite.
I usually only find that these cliche statements irk me when I am reading about something (a brand, a product, a company, a person, etc) that doesn’t have much credibility otherwise- and they lean on these words like crutches.
Don’t get me wrong- its good to use power statements in your writing, but keep it simple, and fresh. Stick to the information. This isn’t something I need to get on a soapbox about- if I am annoyed by the writing I will stop reading it.
Can you give me more information on some strategies to avoid the abuse of these easily over-usable terms?
Transition Marketing
April 25, 2012
I think you hit the nail on the head here. It is that lack of credibility that makes prideful boasts so irking.
Fresh is good! I always try to get hopped up on caffeine prior to writing, helps the mood and the spontaneity – just make sure you edit with a clear mind.
“Write drunk, edit sober” – Ernest Hemingway
Michael Leahy
July 20, 2010
I get tired of reading about how people are “committed” to something. So what? Either you do it or you don’t. What difference does it make if you’re committed? Unless there is something to show for it, it’s meaningless
Transition Marketing
April 25, 2012
The term committed carries far more weight than many of it’s users consider. Committed means running until you collapse, it is carrying on no matter what hits you.
Being committed to customer service, for instance requires far more resources than many companies are aware of. They then boast that this is their commitment and fall short. In the end it hurts their brand more than anything.
PR Maven
September 14, 2010
“state-of-the-art” is hands down with the worst and most overused cliche. A very close second would be saying that someone or thing is “thinking outside the box.”
Both of these terms are so hackneyed it’s awful. It just shows how inside the box and trite the writer is when he or she uses this terminology.
Steve Farnsworth
September 14, 2010
I totally agree with you. I think that is bleeding-edge insight! ;-)
Transition Marketing
April 25, 2012
True enough. In this era how does one define “state-of-the-art”. To me it needs to be ground breaking yes?
BBNNC
December 2, 2010
I think Steve has zeroed in on this topic with a laser-like focus!
Transition Marketing
April 25, 2012
Great job! Love this Poll. I once penned an email entirely made of corporate cliche’s that reminded very much of some of the press releases out there.
The great news is that it makes it easier for the creative folk to grab attention with their words.
“At the end of the day we are all dancing to the same sheet of music, let’s hope we can leverage our award winning, market leading policies of engagement in a unique manner which befits our forward minded standard of service driven promotability”
Steve Farnsworth A.K.A. @Steveology
April 25, 2012
Ha! I love it. Thanks for sharing that. ;-)
Chris
July 16, 2012
Can I vote for ‘leverage’ three times please?
I think you omitted ‘revolutionize’ though: see
http://www.bloggingprweb.com/revolution-buzzword-usage
Andrew David Doyle (@ADDoyle710)
July 16, 2012
As I work in the Corporate world, I am avoiding cliche ‘like the plague.’ every day you read the same jargon day in and day out as people jostle for recognition and wish to join the ‘group think’ bubble. as a hobby author – I will have to peripherate on the egdes of conformity I am afraid. Thats what makes us unique in our scribblings. A.D.Doyle
Sue Duris
August 16, 2012
Love it. Don’t forget to add robust and disruptive. Cheers!!
start a home business
April 19, 2013
Outstanding post. I’ve got a question. As a web-site owner, how long did it require for your site to be successful? Also exactly what do you like most about running a blog?
Steve Farnsworth A.K.A. @Steveology
April 19, 2013
About 12 to 18months. If I had blogged more and taken promoting it seriously I could have shortened that time frame. As to what I like best, it would be the ability to meet interesting people and interview them.