Press releases have been around since the birth of public relations, but these days, many brands are wondering if they are still necessary. With the internet being a tool at our disposal, many view press releases as an outdated and unnecessary practice. However, while they may look a little different, press releases are absolutely still a helpful and relevant tool to get your news out to the media, and to the public. Back in the day when technology didn’t exist, press releases were the best way to distribute information, notify the media and gain publicity. It had the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of an event or product launch. Today, with the influx of information streaming across the countless channels, these direct messages to the media are still a very important tool used by our LA public relations agency, to cut through the noise and reach your target audiences effectively. Here are a few reasons why we believe press releases are still relevant today.
Reach the Media
Besides generating coverage, a classic press release makes specific details easy to access and understand, especially for journalists. It continues to help companies establish relationships with journalists as it proves to be a valuable source which tells them what they need to know. With the rise of mass media, journalists receive so much information that it can get overwhelming. Enter a press release; the one stop shop for concise and reliable facts. They are a solid way to enhance a company’s credibility and reliability.
Improve Your SEO
It’s all about the backlinks. Positioning SEO keywords in press releases can help reach journalists faster which can result in backlinks from news sites. In addition to this, when a press release is shared with a wide variety of audiences, it creates traffic going back to the website in an authentic way. Till today, this form of online distribution can help your website get a higher ranking. Forbes does a great job explaining how you can get these two to work together for you!
Access Your Target Audiences
Press releases aren’t just for journalists – they give immediate information to other audiences like consumers and investors as well. When shared on social media, it keeps the consumers connected with the company and can intrigue new audiences. This gives them a chance to learn more about who they’re supporting. It strengthens the client’s image and message amongst their network, which drives and preserves audience interest. Additionally, press releases can be an effective way to deal with a crises, keeping key publics informed quickly and accurately.
Overall, press releases add to the quality of your records and showcase what your company has done overtime. Now that you know the value of this OG PR practice, click here for some tips by our LA public relations agency.