Is Free PR Distribution Still Viable In the Age of Blogging?

The way that businesses interact with their customers has changed drastically over the years and companies have to make adjustments to the way they work and promote the business.

Although social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are proving to be very popular, they are closely followed by the use of online networking and search engine optimisation that can help to promote almost any business.

These radical changes have also had an impact on traditional means of PR as companies do no longer have to distribute many press releases to journalists in the hope that they will be published.

Here are some benefits of the more traditional forms of PR:

Credibility

By creating a newsworthy and effective press release and distributing it by a traditional channel such as a newspaper or magazine, it is clear that you will be able to boost the profile and public perception of your company and overall brand. This can often work extremely well when the press release is distributed by a source such as a magazine that is industry related. When they are distributed by a reliable and well respected resource, they are more likely to be noticed by the consumer, helping your business to grow.

It doesn’t matter if you are a big or small business, as long as you have a newsworthy story to be included in a press release, that’s all that matters.  Once you have a suitable story you will be able to get coverage in journals, magazines, podcasts as well as other publications that are relevant to your industry. Without promoting your business, you may struggle to get noticed so it’s essential you promote your business news.

Strategic Positioning

Another benefit of traditional PR is that your brand will have expert positioning in order to ensure that your business and its news is seen by the people that want to see it, within your desired industry. For example, if you are the owner of a jewellery company, having your latest items or news displayed in a fashion and style magazine or supplement would prove to be highly beneficial and constructive.

Brand Promotion

Social media and online blogging can provide an extensive means of distribution and routes to the consumer, however, the same can also be said for the more traditional methods. When press releases are distributed within respectable and credible magazines, it means that the press release is more likely to reach a well targeted and more varied audience. As many magazines and newspapers have very high numbers of circulation, the amount of possible readers and consumers soon becomes huge, and helps to create maximum exposure for any brand.

Reputation

By producing a credible press release, your brand is more likely to be shown in a good light which can boost your reputation when distributed effectively. For example, if your business is going through a rough patch and is in need of good publicity, a press release can highlight the positives of any business whilst making customers aware of any up and coming, events, offers or competitions.

Limited Competition

As the digital age has swept the globe at such a rapid rate, traditional forms of PR are struggling to be recognised, even when they have proven results to get any brand noticed. Companies should be turning to the more traditional methods of PR and marketing during this time, as magazines will be more likely to use the content when they are increasingly pressured to think of content ideas with limited numbers of staff.

Inexpensive

As opposed to using social media, the traditional means of PR distribution can prove to be inexpensive as most companies usually have a member of staff that works on the writing and promotion side of the business. If this is not the case, you will be able to send your press release to a press release distribution site and they may be able to write the release for you.

Industry Expertise

By distributing a press release, your company is more likely to appear as an authoritative source, as your news will provide an insight into your business and the industry you work in. As press releases regularly get picked up by the media, it is likely that you will improve the visibility of your company whilst gaining the trust of your customers. Once you have established this trust, you will not have to try as hard to let your customers know who you are and what you do as this will become common knowledge.

Positive News

Perhaps your news will benefit the customer by offering them a new service, an offer or the right to enter a competition? If your press releases are distributed online, it is likely that they will not only reach the audience you are aiming to target, but they will also reach online audiences which can range in the millions. Press releases should not be written as self promotional advertisements, but you might want to keep your buyers in mind when writing the press release, as this could encourage them to perhaps buy more of your product or invest in your service even further!