From Print To Web: The Evolution Of The Press Release

     The press release has traditionally been the tool of choice by those who want to disseminate information quickly and efficiently. For decades, it has served its purpose with commendable reliability, enabling it to become deeply entrenched in the news culture. However, there is a growing sentiment from some quarters that the Internet has rendered it obsolete. They say that current technologies and emerging platforms are better suited to the distribution of information so there is no longer need to craft releases. In our opinion, this pronouncement is rather premature, and there are plenty of reasons why the press release continues to serve a vital purpose in newsrooms across the globe.

 

     A cursory inspection of social media will reveal that a substantial number of posts contain links to news articles. On a daily basis, our friends and family share interesting headlines on their timelines. Trending topics reflect that most discussions revolve around the banner news of moment. Online press releases can be found quickly by various news agencies and top blogs for publication. This allows companies to generate buzz at once and for time-sensitive events this can even be orchestrated for full effect. Instead of dying, releases merely evolved from print to the Internet and in doing so maintained their relevance. Brands still crave for the advantages that they offer, including:

 

Access to Content Syndicators

 

     By issuing a press release, businesses can tap into an established network of content syndicators who can pick up their story and run with it. This includes formidable names in the news industry which still hold a great influence despite their financial difficulties. Appearing on these sites is a boon to any company aspiring to gain traction for its products and services. They also have a global reach so a release can potentially be seen by millions of people and repackaged in a variety of formats if it catches the interest of the right people.

 

A Boost in SEO

 

     Since the press release is designed to be distributed by news sites, it has the potential to supply a wealth of quality backlinks and a bump in PageRank, assuming that the creator is well-versed in the art of search engine optimization. It goes without saying though that the copy should be highly readable and not become a slave to keywords. Poorly written text will likely be skipped by editors in favor of better articles that state their premises in a clear manner. This is why releases must only be handled by competent copywriters who know how to balance editorial appeal with search practicalities.

 

Sharp Targeting Mechanisms

 

    Press releases can take advantage of a well-oiled infrastructure to reach an interested audience. When they get picked up by editors and published on big name sites, they become part of the news feeds that served to people who have specifically subscribed for the service. These individuals are already interested in the topic to which the releases belong to and so they are predisposed to purchasing whatever is on offer.

 

Cost-efficient Distribution

 

     Compared to other awareness campaigns, the press release is considered as one of the most inexpensive. It does not need any fancy concepts, taglines, or posters to accompany it while it makes the rounds. It does not even need much manpower apart from that of the writer who will make the final draft. It only has to be accepted in pertinent directories and once news agencies pick it up, they will be in-charge of dressing up the story and there isn’t even a fee for occupying precious space on their sites.

 

Staying Ahead of the Competition

 

     The advantages already mentioned should be enough to convince companies to include press releases in their overall marketing strategy. Just imagine if close competitors utilize this tactic and your company does not. Investors may not be happy to learn that such an important tool is being disregarded, especially if rivals are suddenly grabbing the news headlines. Treat releases as an essential marketing component and a way to level the playing field.

 

     It is clear that the press release has far too much value to be cast aside. In order to take full advantage of it, however, the content must be of the highest quality in order to get traction both with the powerful news editors and the final target audience.