News app screenshots with a command headline

The numbers

248 of the 517 News screenshots read (48%) do this, across 71 of the top 98 apps (72%). 10 of the top ten do it (100%), against 61 of the other 88 (69%): the top ten do it more than the rest. Of the 23 categories read so far, News is 20th for this. It is most common in Health & Fitness (95% of apps) and least common in Weather (45%).

12 examples from the chart.

12 of the 248 News app screenshots with a command headline, one from each app, the highest on the chart first.

All 248 on the wall

Real headline examples, word for word.

The words on 40 of the 248 that carry any, as each app wrote them.

• “Be the first to know.”X · #1 · screenshot 1
• “Explore & create communities”Reddit · #2 · screenshot 2
• Public-safety dispatch audio. Not an official report.“Stay Aware with Timely Alerts”CrimeRadar Dispatch Audio · #3 · screenshot 1
• “Read, watch, chat”Substack · #4 · screenshot 1
• “Join over 100 million neighbors”in 345,000 neighborhoodsNextdoor: Neighborhood Network · #5 · screenshot 1
• “Find the cheapest gas near you”NewsBreak: Local News & Alerts · #6 · screenshot 3
• “Get lifesaving, real-time alerts”Citizen: Safety & Live Video · #7 · screenshot 1
• “Listen to live police & fire radio”Police Scanner Radio & Fire · #8 · screenshot 1
• Personalize Today“Follow your interests in the You tab.”NYTimes: US and Global News · #9 · screenshot 5
• MAJOR UPDATE“Lift the veil on media bias”Ground News · #10 · screenshot 1
• Nearby“See what people near you have to say”Fizz: Your Authentic Community · #11 · screenshot 2
• “Watch Live”Local 10 + Platinum · #12 · screenshot 5
• “Listen to”Live police & fire radioPolice Scanner: Fire Radio · #14 · screenshot 3
• “Watch LIVE local news & top stores”FOX LOCAL: Live News & Weather · #15 · screenshot 1
• “See What Insiders & Politicians Trade”Every filing, tracked automatically.Stocks.News－Market Alerts · #16 · screenshot 2
• “Save for Later”Build a list of stories to revisit anytime.The Wall Street Journal News · #18 · screenshot 3
• “Join 1.5 million Christians already trusting our news”The Pour Over · #20 · screenshot 1
• “Add locations”to receive the alerts most relevant to youAwareCA · #21 · screenshot 1
• “Stay safe with advice from identified sources.”Neighbors by Ring · #22 · screenshot 3
• “Hear the top stories of the day, curated by NPR”NPR: National & Local News · #23 · screenshot 1
• “Listen to BBC podcasts and live radio.”BBC: World News & Stories · #25 · screenshot 3
• “Monitor Wildfires, Prescribed Burns, and Flooding”Watch Duty: Wildfire & Floods · #26 · screenshot 1
• “Catch up on top news with Your Briefing”Google News · #27 · screenshot 1
• “explore live audio chat rooms”Clubhouse · #28 · screenshot 1
• “Listen Anytime Anywhere”Podcast App & Player - Castbox · #29 · screenshot 3
• “Discover Top Stories and In-Depth Coverage”FOX News: US & World Headlines · #31 · screenshot 1
• “Read Every Dispatch, Live”Police Scanner: Crime Radar · #32 · screenshot 2
• “Save and share what matters most”AP News · #33 · screenshot 4
• “Stream the world's biggest stories”CNN: Live & Breaking News · #34 · screenshot 1
• “Get up-to-date episodes as soon as they launch”Podcast App · #35 · screenshot 3
• “Be the first to know breaking news”Reuters - Breaking World News · #36 · screenshot 2
• “Read high-quality answers on your custom feed”Quora · #37 · screenshot 1
• “Listen to Dispatch Audio”Crime Radar · #38 · screenshot 2
• “Read in-depth reporting and cultural commentary.”The New Yorker · #40 · screenshot 2
• “Watch Newsmax Live”Newsmax · #42 · screenshot 2
• “View hourly and daily forecasts, live radar, and latest Weathercast video”WEAR ABC 3 News · #43 · screenshot 1
• “Track your investments”Bloomberg: Business News Daily · #44 · screenshot 2
• “Go beyond breaking news in minutes.”The Economist: News & Analysis · #45 · screenshot 1
• “Explore the world of true crime”TrueShort - Stream True Crime · #46 · screenshot 1
• “Watch and listen to your favorite series and podcasts.”Daily Wire · #47 · screenshot 4

Top ten News apps that do it.

1. #1X5 of its 6 screenshots
2. #2Reddit5 of its 6 screenshots
3. #3CrimeRadar Dispatch Audio4 of its 4 screenshots
4. #4Substack1 of its 6 screenshots
5. #5Nextdoor: Neighborhood Network5 of its 6 screenshots
6. #6NewsBreak: Local News & Alerts3 of its 6 screenshots
7. #7Citizen: Safety & Live Video6 of its 6 screenshots
8. #8Police Scanner Radio & Fire5 of its 6 screenshots
9. #9NYTimes: US and Global News1 of its 6 screenshots
10. #10Ground News6 of its 6 screenshots

The same tactic in other categories.

Tells you to do something, across all categories

Related tactics.

Often on the same screenshot

• Leads with a feature67% of these screenshots, against 51% of all News screenshots
• Plain tone77% of these screenshots, against 62% of all News screenshots
• Has a headline100% of these screenshots, against 84% of all News screenshots
• Words at the top92% of these screenshots, against 78% of all News screenshots
• States a benefit45% of these screenshots, against 34% of all News screenshots
• Says “you” or “your”33% of these screenshots, against 22% of all News screenshots

More in words

• Has a headline86%
• Headline under five words65%
• Says “you” or “your”57%
• Has a subline45%
• No words at all30%
• Names the app24%
• Headline in Title Case22%
• Uses a number21%
• Headline on one line20%
• Headline in capitals19%
• Headline over eight words15%
• Has a kicker13%
• Says “I” or “my”13%
• Names another app2%
• Asks a question1%
• Exclaims1%
• Uses a percentage1%
• Uses an emoji1%

Questions, answered from the chart.