Top Headlines: August’s Most-Read Press Releases
Consumer-focused releases generated the top interest on PR Newswire’s website in August as summer began to wind down. Here’s a deeper look at the five most popular stories on our site last month.
1. Southwest Airlines Offers Rapid Rewards Members Limited-Time Promotion to Accelerate to A-List or A-List Preferred Tier Status
Southwest’s enticement to earn travel perks was the most-clicked headline on PRN.com in August.
What works: The headline incorporates both prestige and a sense of urgency by using keywords like “Accelerate” and “Limited-Time” and a subheadline follows up with need-to-know data.
Southwest drives the reader behavior it wants by incorporating the call to action in the first paragraph and pairs that with bolded section headers throughout the body to help interested travelers and journalists find the most pertinent information and a straightforward visual to make a connection.
Finally, although Southwest is a public company, its team avoids the common pitfall of sending PR news at the same time it would IR news. Here, sending on an off-minute well outside of market open or market close gives the content an extra opportunity to stand out.
2. McDonald’s Reveals New Collector’s Meal Inspired by Fan-favorite Collectibles
Source: PRNewsfoto/McDonald’s USA, LLC
Nostalgia is still popular and powerful, and McDonald’s landed in the No. 2 spot with its blast from the past release.
What works: “Reveals” is one of the best headline verbs in terms of ROI – immediately letting the reader know they will get something valuable out of digging into your content. And, like Southwest above, McDonald’s includes a subheadline with specific context to pull readers into the full release.
An image making the nostalgic visual connection to readers is paired next to a bulleted list – courtesy of prnewswire.com’s inline template (one of four complimentary display options designed to maximize your visuals) – guaranteeing readers’ eyes will be instantly drawn to that section.
The rest of the release is nicely diversified with section headers, bullets and paragraphs of varying lengths to create an optimal reading experience and maximize engagement. Lastly, never underestimate the power of an executive quote focused on the audience and what the news will mean to them – it’s what both readers and journalists want.
Get ready for more: Mark your calendars because the much-anticipated return of the State of the Press Release Report is almost here. Learn how PR pros are using action verbs in their headlines — just like McDonald’s — and much more!
3. New Unlimited Features Make Princess Cruises’ Premier Package the Best Value in Cruising
Readers with vacations still on their minds made Princess Cruises’ news the third-most-clicked release in August.
What works: Princess Cruises wisely puts itself in the mindset of its target audience – what would potential cruise-goers likely be searching for online? – and incorporates key phrases “Best Value in Cruising” and “Unlimited” in the headline. The subheadline leans into the “Unlimited” theme and includes additional keywords like “easy” and “all-inclusive.” Again, Princess Cruises knows what’s important to both existing customers and potential new travelers and strategically places what they’re most likely to search for front and center, optimizing online discoverability.
The storytelling approach in the first paragraph and environmental photo drop readers and reporters into the vibe and help them personally connect to the content. Multiple bulleted lists, strategic bolding and one call to action link round out a release designed for maximum engagement.
More for journalists: As summer travel cools off, make sure you’re caught up with all the latest fall and winter travel news from PR Newswire. Create a custom travel newsfeed with PR Newswire for Journalists.
4. TIAA announces strategic partnership with Accenture to accelerate transformation of its retirement recordkeeping
Readers are always seeking out retirement news, from how much they need to retire to the best financial experts and plans, and TIAA’s news clocked in at No. 4 last month.
What works: It can be challenging to check all the headline best practice boxes (the impact and audience, keywords and overall length) for a straightforward news announcement involving multiple companies, but TIAA weaves in the “so what” at the end here. The standouts are the multiple subheadlines that focus more deeply on the audience, addressing the questions they likely have and the impact on them.
The executive quote builds on this, including a key data point and focusing on the company’s audience. Bolded section headers are also written with the audience in mind, including keywords and phrases like “new capabilities,” “secure financial future” and “continuity.” Lastly, scheduling the distribution in a window after the rush of market open and before market close gives this news a chance to stand out.
5. Life Time Files Patent, Announces The Ultimate Pickleball
Source: PRNewsfoto/Life Time, Inc.
Pickleball remains one of the fastest-growing sports, and Life Time’s “Ultimate Pickleball” reveal rounded out the Top 5 with readers in August.
What works: “Ultimate Pickleball” makes for a catchy headline, and a subheadline and the first paragraph wisely follow up with critical context – what makes the ultimate pickleball “ultimate.”
Life Time also keeps links limited, with three unique links later in the body, each providing more context around Life Time’s pickleball offerings and directing pickleball enthusiasts to separate, unique pages of interest. And, of course, you have to include a photo of the product you’re patenting.
More for journalists: Check out all the latest sports news from PR Newswire, from the excitement of football season to the growth of pickleball and beyond.
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Sarah Roberts is Director of Customer Content Services. In a previous life, she was a newspaper reporter in the Midwest before permanently retiring her snow shovel and moving to the Land of Enchantment. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, exploring the craft beer scene and petting all the dogs.
