Play #PRBingo With Top 50 Most Used Words in Press Releases!
Every year, SHIFT Communications releases its Top 50 Most Used Words in Press Releases. We look at thousands of releases, analyze millions of words, and come up with the words that you use most when you write a press release.

This year, we wanted to add some fun to the list and encourage you to improve your writing. Rather than a static list of words, we turned our Top 50 list into a game: #PRBingo.
Here’s how you can play this game to improve your writing. First, turn on the timer on your smartphone or desktop computer. Next, grab a stack of your most recent press releases and get yourself a new #PRBingo card. Begin reading the press releases and checking off words as you find them. See how long it takes you to reach BINGO, and feel free to YELL BINGO when you do.
Your goal is to take longer and longer to hit BINGO. In fact, for any single press release, your goal is to never hit BINGO. Why? Never hitting BINGO means you’re using a wider variety of words to describe your products and services.
Want to add some fun to the game? Grab your competitor’s press releases and two colleagues. Start the timer, then have one colleague read your company’s press releases aloud. See how long it takes you to hit BINGO. After someone wins, switch to your competitor’s releases and play again. See how long it takes you to hit BINGO with your competitor’s content. This is a fun way to find out whose writing has more variety.

Try your hand at #PRBingo today and play with your colleagues. There’s even a printable version if you want to go old school, and you’re welcome to embed it in your own website!
Christopher S. Penn
Vice President, Marketing Technology
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