Press Releases Are Not Just for Press Anymore

According to a recent study released by the Society for New Communications Research entitled “Exploring the ROI of Online Press Releases,” the press release is being used to reach bloggers, drive website traffic, and search engine optimization (SEO). The study surveyed more than 420 respondents including marketing professionals (32.9%), public relations professionals (30%), and small business owners or self-employed individuals (23.7%).

Here’s a quick look at the findings on how the respondents use online press releases.

• In addition to reaching the press and announcing news, today’s top priorities for those issuing online press releases include: increasing visibility and credibility for the organization, directly reaching customers, making content available to online users, and search engine optimization (SEO).
  
• Bloggers have joined traditional media as highly valued targets. Respondents indicated that reaching bloggers and new media outlets were nearly as high a priority as reaching traditional media. For small business owners, reaching bloggers and social media sites was slightly more important than reaching traditional media.

• New uses bring new metrics with them. Respondents rank their top measures of value for their online press releases by how many times the press release is published on other websites and the number of online views of the release. Both of these metrics rated higher than articles or media interview requests based on the release. In fact, respondents indicated that the most important placements for the releases are online news aggregators, such as Google News, Yahoo News and online news sites like Reuters and Topix, followed by blogs and social media sites. In addition, respondents noted that the two most valuable aspects of issuing online news releases is the opportunity for SEO and the opportunity to reach both consumers and customers directly, as well as traditional media.

• PR and marketing professionals have different priorities and perspectives. Respondents who identified themselves as public relations professionals noted they primarily use online press releases to announce news and enhance thought leadership, while respondents who identified themselves as marketing professionals stated their priorities as SEO for the organization’s website and reaching customers and consumers. Small business owners stated that they use online press releases as a sales tool to reach customers and consumer

• “Cutting through the clutter”, targeting and distribution, affordability and measurement and metrics were among the top goals for measuring success.

- Duncan Alney