The news release is NOT dead. There is no other way to formally announce company news that meets and adheres to traditional journalistic standards.
For those suggesting a news release no longer matters should take a look at whether they have hard news to share.
Start-ups, small-to-medium businesses (SMBs), and even established companies need to use a press release to issue news either online, via the wires, or sent as a pitch by media relations teams.
Blog Post Or News Release?
More companies are realizing the value of blogging. The blog, like the news release is owned media. You create the message, write the content and publish it, post it or distribute it via many channels.
But, here’s the $5 million chicken-or-egg question — which comes first?
Should a company write a blog post to launch news or should it write a news release to launch news?
A blog post seems like the easiest method to put news out there; albeit, the audience that sees the post is questionable (especially on a brand new blog with zero analytics).
If a company was to launch news of a new product, service or other innovation for the very first time via a blog, then that news is no longer fresh.
A blog is NOT the best place to announce major company news first unless a news release is included in that news strategy with strategic timing.
Here are the steps I recommend, and afterwards I share why:
1. To launch company news, draft a news release and blog post at the same time.
2. Get the content for each approved via the overall marketing and legal teams at the same time.
3. Set distribution of the news for both the blog and news release at about the same time. A blog post can be scheduled at any time of day.
4. The news release should hit the wires first, and the link to the news release should be included in the blog post just before clicking “publish.”
Rationale For This PR Strategy
If media get wind of a start-up’s news announcement and the company’s blog is the vehicle to share that news, then any attempt at issuing a news release, featuring the same content, and garnering attention is likely to fail.
When media relations practitioners pitch media, a blog post is not the vehicle of choice to inform media of news. It can complement; however, it is not an official vehicle.
Corporate blogs have a variety of authors and topics. To establish the company blog as the official word from the C-suite would take months of consistent writing with on-message topics. Media relations cannot be done via an occasional heavy-hitting blog post.
The news release must prevail first complemented by supporting vehicles with the content emphasized and packed with punch.
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Yipee! 400 posts?! WOWZER and congratulations!
…I’ve been wondering these last few days what I may have been able to grasp quicker and more fully… how much further along I could be, were I to begin NOW with HS… You are indeed, #RockHot !
@AlaskaChickBlog Thanks, Amber-Lee! When I write these professionally oriented posts I get fewer comments. When I address the basic topics that apply to all, then everyone seems to jump in. Thanks for doing that, Lady!
Complementary content is key. Besides, how you would write a blog post is vastly different from how you would write a news release. It’s different information for different audiences. But, I do think it’s good to publish the blog post at or around the same time. That way, if the journalist goes to your site to get more info, they can see what you shared on the blog as a reference point also. I know I’ve done this for clients and I think this approach works well.
@lauraclick Absolutely, Laura! Good strategy, too. And, you’re right…different styles for different tools/channels.
Saw your post on Bloggers Unite! Will be over in a bit!
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing Oh and congrats on 400 posts!!!! Way to go, girlfriend! You’ve got almost double the content that I do – I know how much work that takes. Feel good about this great milestone!
@lauraclick Thanks; I always wondered if that many was substantial or not. Feels like it!
Good advice Ms. S. Agree with @lauraclick , the content should be different but complementary. And congrats on 400!
@barrettrossie @lauraclick Thanks, Barrett! BTW, I’d love to catch up this week live…need some inspiration for some blog fodder. People have it.