As someone in PR who embraces social media, the social media press release – or social media news release, depending on who you talk to – is something that interests me greatly. It’s certainly nothing new as far as PR goes, having first been introduced in 2006 by the good folk at Shift Communications via their PR-Sqared blog. Yet despite the two year lead time, the social media press release still hasn’t taken off in any major way.
One of the main reasons (in my opinion) is that there is too much conflicting information about the format, which leaves potential users unsure whether or not it offers any benefits. Which is a shame, since used properly the social media press release can be a vital part of any promotional campaign.
What is the Social Media Press Release?
At its heart, the format is simply a new spin on the more traditional press release. The main difference is how it uses the burgeoning social media networks and applications. Compared to a “static” press release, a social media one offers:
- Video and images
- Audio
- RSS feeds
- Social network sharing options to the likes of Friendfeed, Technorati, Twitter and more
Because of these types of features, social media press releases offer a much easier way for news to be digested through online feeds. This includes bloggers, who are becoming an ever more important source of breaking news – something that the PR and news industries need to accept more readily.
By interacting with a larger online audience (including bloggers), the chances of a news story being picked up by a large and targeted audience are increased. And for anyone still unsure about the power of bloggers, just look at the Associated Press debacle from a few months back, or the very recent BackUp Shotgun Rack controversy. So why the slow acceptance of the new release format?
Using Social Media and PR Effectively
One of the biggest reasons for the (currently) low uptake of the social media press release is that both businesses and PR professionals don’t understand the synergy between the new and existing press release formats.
With social media being such a buzz word, many companies are making the mistake that all they need is an online presence coupled with PR and everything will be just fine. PR agencies that have failed (or refused) to understand this new medium properly are also misinforming clients about what a social media PR campaign entails.
A social media press release will not form the one-cap-fits-all pitch of a proper PR campaign. Nor will it act as an easy way to increase your SEO visibility – a common mistake made when it comes to explaining what a social media press release can do.
Instead, this new press release format should be used as an excellent and complementary addition to a PR campaign – one which includes a traditional or search engine optimized press release distributed via online newswires. In effect, it should be used to build or enhance your brand via the tools offered by social media, with a more traditional PR campaign running alongside it.
Let’s Talk!
There’s a great debate going on over at the Hubspot marketing blog regarding the whole social media press release angle, and includes some interesting points of view from both detractors and supporters. These include Todd Defren, who came up with the first social media news release template, as well as Jason Kintzler, founder of Pitch Engine, a new website offering social media newsrooms and the option to create a free social media press release. It’s worth checking out.
Whatever your take is, whether you’re for or against, there’s no doubting that the social media press release offers a new spin for getting news out to relevant parties. While I’m most definitely in the “For” camp, I can also see why there is lingering doubt about its effectiveness. This is where it’s up to the founders and supporters of the format to show just why it can be so effective.
To do this, there needs to be a uniformed message – only then will understanding lead to acceptance. I’m in – anyone else?
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Whatever your take is, whether you’re for or against, there’s no doubting that the social media press release offers a new spin for getting news out to relevant parties. While I’m most definitely in the “For” camp, I can also see why there is lingering doubt about its effectiveness. This is where it’s up to the founders and supporters of the format to show just why it can be so effective.
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“Whatever your take is, whether you’re for or against, there’s no doubting that the social media press release offers a new spin for getting news out to relevant parties. While I’m most definitely in the “For” camp, I can also see why there is lingering doubt about its effectiveness. This is where it’s up to the founders and supporters of the format to show just why it can be so effective.”
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interesting blog. found you on twitter. I work at a social network and really am trying to utilize social media effectively. I think PR is important too as this may be my next step.
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Hi Eugene,
Thanks for finding me via Twitter – a perfect example of how social media can get “news” out quicker and more effectively than traditional outlets when used properly.
I feel utilizing all the tools you can – social networks, social media, PR, marketing, advertising, etc – will (or should) become a more standardized way of working, as opposed to the separate niches a lot of them currently occupy. With people like yourself looking at ways to implement these different methods, the signs are good for the future.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
The article provides an insight into the position of the social media in PR. Brown reasons that one of the core problems with present social media adoption in PR is that there exists a conflict between the traditional PR format and the social media PR format. This has led some firms to mistakenly assume that simply having an internet presence is sufficient.
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I just took a look over the debate you spoke about and the points against the “social media PR release”, at least in its current format, make sense.
The purpose of such a monster should not be to dissipate the amount of attention a release gets, but rather to aggregate it. Ideally the interactive elements should not be spread on hundreds of social media sites, but rather on a single entity. The social media sites would thus act as a funnel and would help in gathering that critical mass.
Regards, George
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While I see your point, George, the dissipation of the release isn’t down to the release itself – more with the people (and PR professionals are as much to blame) not understanding how and where to use the format.
Hopefully as the format becomes more established (and using a standardized design would help), this confusion should clear up. I’m actually being interviewed on radio next week about it, alongside Jason Kintzler of PitchEngine – these points and more should make for an interesting discussion.
Thanks for reading and sharing your views, always appreciated.
Hi Danny – thank you for commenting on my blog today…it led me here! This is very interesting. As someone who used to work in traditional “real” world PR where you write and send snail mail press releases, the virtual internet world is still a bit of a mystery to me. I’m still confused as to what and how RSS feeds work, and how you integrate all the various social media out there into a cohesive unit. A small example would be if I, as a business person, have something I’d like to put a PR release out about, I currently don’t have a clue how to do a social media press release that would cover all the bases. I think some standarization would be helpful as well as interconnectivity. I’m loving the social media world…doing business and making connections with people that would be impossible otherwise. – Linda
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Hi Linda,
Thank you for stopping by, appreciate it.
I agree with you completely – I feel there is too much confusion, and conflicting views as to what makes a social media press release and what doesn’t. I think the main issue is that one person says you need certain features on it, while another person says you only need some of these.
The old adage that “less is more” would ring true in this case, I feel. Have the really important social media tools on there – RSS, blog link and a strong social network profile – and use the sparser social media release in conjunction with a more traditional version.
Perhaps after discussing it next week, some of the answers may be clearer? We can but hope.
Thanks again for stopping by and sharing your views, appreciated.