A few people out there that are saying the press release is dead. I’m not so sure…I’ve written my fair share of press releases while interning. I’m thinking that it really just depends on the type of PR agency you are working at, the type of client and how new you are with social media.
I found this really great blog called socialmediatoday that created this fabulous list of 9 press release alternatives. In the world of PR you have to be able to see what’s the best way to get information out to your audience whether it’s a blog post, social media release or both. There isn’t a step-by-step guide to proper PR, because everyday is different. That might have actually been the first thing that turned my on to PR.
So while I will continue to work on my press release writing, I'll also keep in mind the following 9 alternatives via socialmediatoday.
Social Media Release — A SMR is the 2.0 version of the traditional press release, featuring links, video, photos, and social media integration.
Blogger Briefing — Think of blogger briefings as the next iteration of the press conference. When you have major news to share, consider organizing a conference call or video meeting to share the facts with bloggers (and even traditional reporters).
YouTube Video — Got a message from your CEO? You don’t have to cross your fingers and hope the local newspaper runs a statement. Instead, shoot a video, post it on YouTube and share it on your blog, in your enewsletter, on Twitter and Facebook.
Internet Broadcast – One of my clients is the Columbus Marathon. During the weeks leading up to the event, participants have lots of questions — everything from “how many port-o-potties will be on the course?” to “where should I park?” To answer these questions, we organized an “Ask the Race Director” UStream broadcast. Marathon participants were invited to submit questions in advance, or ask them during the live event, which were answered live by the race director. This, in addition to the FAQs that were posted on the website and in the enewsletter, helped provide a better race experience for marathoners.
Blog Post — Got an announcement to make? Blog it. Simple and effective — as long as your blog is read by the people you’re trying to reach with your news.
Twitter “Chat” Tour — When Laura Fitton (@pistachio on Twitter) was promoting her new book, she organized a “chat tour” — appearing as a guest on several industry Twitter chats (including #pr20chat, which I co-moderate). Laura shared her expertise with new audiences, while also introducing her new book to potential buyers. There are 200+ Twitter chats, so finding one that aligns with your product/service shouldn’t be too hard. Just remember, Twitter chats are not appropriate places for a hard sale.
Virtual Scavenger Hunt — While you may feel an urge to send a press release out announcing your company’s new website, please don’t. It’s not news. Nowadays, just about everyone has a website … and most update their site at least every couple years, if not more frequently. Instead, think about creating an event that will drive traffic to the site and get your target audience diving into the content. A virtual scavenger hunt is one effective way to do just that. Here’s how I implemented virtual scavenger hunt for a client last year.
Enewsletter Announcement — If your company has a strong e-newsletter, consider using that as a tool to share important news. If it’s “news” that would only be of interest to current clients (or whoever subscribes to your enewsletter), this can be a more effective tactic than a traditional press release.
Send a tweet. -- Bypassing traditional media, celebrities have used Twitter to announce breakups, pregnancies and other “news.” Companies, too, are turning 140-character messages to share news and announcements with their network. Again, this is only a viable option if you’ve built a strong network ahead of time.
All 9 alternatives were written by Heather Whaling.
Emily
