Use press releases to increase visibility of your products/ business
SMEs often have small marketing budgets and are constantly challenged by the dilemma of where to put their limited marketing dollars. Should they invest in participating in a trade show or seminar or placing a print ad in a relevant publication or even consider something like Google’s Adwords pay-per-click advertising program? All of the above are perfectly valid and sound options; however, an option that many SMEs tend to ignore is that of trying to obtain editorial media coverage. We believe strongly that press coverage, whether online or in print, works as well as- if not better than- advertising in marketing.
Of course, getting editorial coverage in a good publication isn’t easy– you will have to tell a compelling story or provide a truly “newsy” item. Moreover, most print publications (barring newspapers) have a significant lead time. So, it makes sense for you to take advantage of opportunities in the online space even as you work towards getting coverage in print publications. Creating and distributing press releases is quite an effective means of generating online visibility for your business.
You can use press releases in two ways: a) send them to editorial contacts on highly relevant websites on a one-to-one basis, with a proper introduction/ covering note as to why your press release is worthy of coverage on that website b) take advantage of online press release distribution websites to expand your reach. Many such press release distribution sites have syndication arrangements with print publications and websites which ensures that your press release gets hosted on those sites automatically. Besides, these press releases may get picked up by bloggers or other content-hungry publications that increase the probability of getting online mentions.
Online press release distribution was used aggressively by SEO agencies due to the “free links” they provided. Recent announcements by Google may diminish that appeal as companies choose to “no follow” the links from the press releases. However, this should not affect your marketing thought process too much: your company name/ product/ service is still getting online visibility; also, any editorial coverage with links to your website based on information in a press release is perfectly acceptable to Google. If you look beyond the easy and quick links from PR distribution sites, there is still SEO benefit to be had.
Make press releases an integral part of your marketing strategy and look out for opportunities to communicate information about your business to the media!
