In today’s digital marketing world, the role of the modern press release continues to change and evolve. Unfortunately, the pace of that change has led to a number of popular misconceptions about press releases and their effectiveness.
You can’t hastily put up a press release, submit it to free directories and expect to appear on top news channels. It might have worked 5 years ago but it will not work now unless you have some exceptional news to share.
Here are 5 of the biggest myths about press releases and how you can make use of them to your advantage.
Myth #1: The press release is dead
As Mark Twain might have remarked, the rumors of the demise of the modern press release have been greatly exaggerated. The press release is still an indispensable part of any PR professional’s toolkit. It is relatively easy to create and distribute and is perfectly suited for today’s media culture, which celebrates the “trending topic” and a very rapid news cycle.
You need to have a proper press release distribution system in place and get the timing right. In fact, this misconception is good for your business. You can take advantage of a proven channel with very little competition.
Myth #2: The press release is purely an SEO strategy
Viewed from a purely SEO perspective, it’s easy to see why some individuals are less than enthusiastic about the press release – they measure it merely in terms of boosting their “Google juice,” and since press releases links are no-follow by default, they might conclude that the press release is no longer an effective marketing strategy now.
But what that thinking ignores is that the role of the press release has changed – it’s now all about brand awareness, publicity, media mentions, editorial coverage and social media sharing. The press release is a way to cut through the clutter of the online conversations and deliver real facts and updates. Even if press releases are not developed into full-fledged stories, they can often lead to tweets about product launches or other social media updates designed to be spread virally.
Myth #3: Google will penalize you for distributing too many press releases
Again, this myth of the press release stems from an outdated or misinformed view of how the Internet actually works. Google will never “penalize” you for creating high-quality content. And the more content that you create (in the form of press releases), the more likely it is that Google will index your content and make it appear higher in search results. If other media organizations are also linking to your press releases, then the effect is only stronger.
This myth is actually connected to the second one. Because SEO’s started using press releases as a link building mechanism and blasted the same content everywhere using software search engines decided to give less prominence to them. But as I mentioned before, it isn’t about link building.
Myth #4: A company is better off without press releases
As noted above, the press release is still the cornerstone of any communication strategy. In today’s digital media landscape, it’s imperative for companies to maintain conversations and dialogues with all major stakeholders – and that includes customers, partners, and investors. A press release is a way to keep all of these stakeholders on the same page and informed of your company’s latest activities.
Myth #5: Journalists hate press releases
While it’s true that journalists are often deluged with press releases and requests to write about a specific company or industry, journalists tend to view them as a useful tool to stay ahead of key trends and developments. Even if they do not write a story specifically based on your press release, they may mention your company or cite you as a source. Sometimes, you won’t even know that they’ve done this.
Conclusion
As the digital landscape continues to change, so will the press release. In a mobile-first world, for example, the press release is adapting for mobile platforms and mobile devices. As long as the press release continues to offer relevant, important information in a condensed form that can be easily transformed into long-form media content, it will continue to provide value.
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