Social media has changed how people communicate around the globe. It’s led political revolutions and even created pop culture phenomena. As businesses scramble to figure out how to harness the power of social media to reach new audiences, a familiar marketing tool—the press release—has now gained fresh purpose. Press releases have become a vital tool and more important than ever in successfully promoting your company. Find out how you can leverage press releases and specific content to help investors, customers, potential employees and other target groups learn more about your company.

The New Face of Public Relations

Both large and small companies in every industry are now using social media as an integral part of their public relations and marketing needs. As social media continues to replace the traditional channels of brand promotion and communication, public relations has become synonymous with social media marketing.

For most businesses, public relations and social media marketing provide a solid foundation and baseline for brand awareness and general marketing campaigns. Before the advent of social media, companies had to go through a long and arduous process of contacting journalists who acted as gatekeepers. However, with social media, press releases are now: 

1. Key search engine optimization (SEO) tools that help investors, customers, potential employees and other target groups learn about and discover companies online;
2. Permanent parts of a company’s public record, findable and downloadable for the foreseeable future; and
3. Direct communications tools that can deliver unfiltered messages to the masses.

Why Press Releases Are More Important Than Ever

Press releases have changed a lot over the years, especially since businesses have realized the importance of online marketing. But to use a press release effectively, there are some strategies. Here are some of the main reasons press releases have become so important:

• Announcing a new product or service. If you want to announce a new product or service, you can draft a press release and immediately get your news found on all major search engines and social media networks by using a press release distribution service. This also enables you to target thousands of journalists.
• Improving brand image. Because it has become so easy to publish and distribute a press release, companies can easily send out as many press releases as they want. Publishing more press releases more often is a good way to improve your brand’s image.
• Images help drive interest. Press releases now include images, videos and other multimedia, which means you can convey your message and news stories in more interesting ways than ever before.
• Instant world-wide distribution. Before online press releases had became common, most press releases were sent only to journalists. If not deemed worthy of press mention, they lived in a binder, on someone’s desk or in a building lobby. Now a press release can be distributed to millions of people around the world instantly through email and social media.
• Expanding public knowledge. By adding links to other Web pages within a press release, companies can direct readers to even more information about what they do.
• Viral possibilities. An online press release can go viral if people start sharing it over social media networks, thereby creating a buzz that was never possible with traditional press releases.
• Portability and convenience. People can read a press release anywhere on the Web or on their smartphones.
• Search engine optimization. By using specific keywords relating to your business, you can optimize your press release so people can easily access your company information through search engine use.

These are just a few tips to make the most of your press releases. Learn more ways to promote your company and access more advantageous tips as your social marketing strategy grows. Remember, the best way to ensure success is to create a plan, get started as soon as possible, and keep your press releases fresh.