Do You Need a Press Release?
The press release recently passed away peacefully in the arms of traditional PR enthusiasts. It is rumored the press release’s last words were “repurpose me for good,” before being quickly deleted from every journalist’s inbox. The press release is survived by Fact Sheet and Backgrounder, who will care for the press release’s only child, Boilerplate.
Below are our top three reasons this antiquated business tool is dead.
- Reporters don’t care about news that’s already been released. Moments after you publish a press release on the Internet it’s no longer newsworthy. The story you’re “releasing” is suddenly one click away from anyone with an internet connection. Sure, you could send the press release under embargo – but that still means you plan to release it at some point, making the story readily available to competitors.
- It is not sharable content on social media. We put the press release on life support with the rise of social media. Share buttons on the release gave the perception they could someday go viral. Unfortunately, long-form and typically formal announcements aren’t suited for social channels.
- Press releases do not improve SEO, or tell a story. Legend has it that press releases would improve your SEO. While having more quality content on your website will improve your search engine results, press releases don’t contribute to your overall search rating. Most importantly: consumers are looking for a story – something that’s historically missing from the formal fact and figure template of every press release.
On behalf of Amélie Company, I share our deepest condolences to the press release and its champions.
Want to know how you should spend your time instead of writing a press release? Check out my next blog, coming soon: 5 Ways to Repurpose Your Release.
