Try this! Three high-tech twists for your press release
Thanks to the digital age, the traditional press release has gone high-tech. Combining content with visual and interactive elements will set your communications apart. Here are three twists on the traditional press release that can help you cut through the clutter and stand out among your competitors.
Social Media News Release
The social media news release (also known as multimedia news release) is designed for our online world. This format allows you to integrate the traditional elements of a press release such as headline, content, facts, quotes and boilerplate along with images, audio, video and links to your website and social media channels. Not only is this a great tactic to reach journalists are increasingly dependent on the Web for story ideas and research, it’s also an effective way to attract bloggers, customers and the general public. If you’re new to this concept, I recommend signing up for a PitchEngine account. PitchEngine offers users a one-page form that you fill out. Tell your story, add images, video, keywords, links . . . even your own customized tweet. When you’re done, hit Publish and share with the world for free. PitchEngine does offer paid premium distribution services. PRWeb and PR Newswire also offer SMNR or MNR creation and distribution services for a fee.
Access, Reach and Connect
Multivu/PR Newswire recently came out with a nifty product called the Access, Reach and Connect (ARC) engagement platform that distributes multimedia and social media content across multiple digital channels. The ARC platform lets you engage with media, bloggers and target audiences using an accessible and interactive format distributed via PR Newswire’s network. Developed as a free-standing, interactive media player and landing page, the platform offers the ability to combine and distribute video, multimedia, photos, coupons and promotional content. As users interact with the platform, it analyzes online activity analyses; monitors real-time impressions, views and streams; and monitors and tracks social media activity. The downside? It can be a pricey option, though worth the investment for the right campaign.
Infographics
While I can produce a decent pencil sketch when pressed, I wouldn’t consider myself terribly artistic. However, I can appreciate the beauty of good design, a stunningly composed photo and a neatly packaged magazine spread. That’s why I am absolutely loving infographics. An infographic is the perfect combination of beauty and intelligence, a compelling and engaging tool to communicate with media and customers. And in case you hadn’t notice, infographics are taking the Web by storm. This can be an amazingly viral PR tool to illustrate survey results, tell people about a process, demonstrate a company’s growth, predict trends, jazz up technical information, and so on. Journalists love stories rich with data. Make their lives easier and package that data in an infographic. If you have limited time and resources, mention to your media contact that he or she can take your information to create their own infographic. (As a working mom, I especially enjoyed this infographic created by Circle of Moms.)
Have you tried any of these tactics? How did it go?
These are great tips for my small business owners who are trying to do PR on their own.
Hi Alice,
Thank you for the comment. If any of your small business owners try one of these tactics, I’d love to hear how it goes for them!