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In the newly published article, “The Rise, Fall & Rebirth of the Press Release”, the author describes the unique history of the press release, and how it continues to evolve into a crucial marketing tool. Continue reading
prREACH
Sep 08, 2015 /prREACH/ -- San Diego, CA: In a new article published by digital marketing firm prREACH entitled “The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of the Press Release”, the author attempts to describe the history of the press release, and its continuing value in the modern information age. According to the article's writer, the very first press release was written in 1906, in order to share detailed information about a train crash. The author continues by describing the benchmarks of effective public relations, and how today's press release remains a crucial tool for any business looking to reach their core audience, even if the content of the press release is not nearly as serious or newsworthy as in that original piece written in 1906.
The article continues with a look at why the press release remains a viable tool, when it could be assumed that social networking and the 24/7 news cycle of today might have rendered it obsolete. According to the author, the continued relevance of the press release hinges on a couple of core concepts, and a public relations professional must understand them completely to successfully aid a brand in its growth efforts.
First of all, there's the continuing expansion of web traffic, and the ability of a press release to tap into new audiences. According to the article, more than 2.4 billion people utilize the internet, and 70% of those people spend time online every single day. Today's press release can utilize new technologies, such as social listening research, to insure that a press release is being read by the right audience.
Next, there's the changing form of the press release. While a press release's basic structure has not changed significantly over the years, the ability to link social networks, launch infographics and incorporate video content gives audiences several different ways to interact with the information. This could provide a greater chance at audience engagement than was possible with the classic press release.
The article further details the differences in today's generation of internet users as opposed to previous users. The modern internet customer has built a significantly stronger skill set, and now understands the more sophisticated digital marketing and social media tools. That would seem to put the onus on brands to offer a great deal of value. The press release that provides this value, as well as a call to action, will have the best chance of standing out from the crowd.
The article wraps up with a suggestion to “find your tribe”. Rob Burns, CEO of prREACH, explains that, “Every brand needs to discover, understand and encourage their 'tribe', which is basically just another way of describing your core audience. It's your tribe that will do the most work on your brand's behalf, spreading the word, creating buzz, and helping you expand out into new markets. The well-crafted press release can directly appeal to your tribe, to the people you most want and need to reach.”