Dying Press Releases Give Blogs New Life

How many times have you been watching a TV show or film when a character demands a press release to deal with a corporate crisis? Probably more times that you can count, but according to a recent article from Marketing Land, in the future these characters may demand the release of a blog post instead.

That’s right, according to columnist Patrick Armitage, blog posts are killing press releases, and there are many compelling reasons why blog posts are the new publicity gatekeepers.

Back in the day if you needed to get your message out into the world, your company would issue a press release that would get distributed to industry peers and major news outlets. But nowadays, people order and consumer media from their own menu. If your brand has a loyal following or has established itself as a reliable source for information, a blog should reach all the right eyes and ears. There’s no more “mainstream”Back in the day if you needed to get your message out into the world, your company would issue a press release that would get distributed to industry peers and major news outlets. But nowadays, people order and consumer media from their own menu. If your brand has a loyal following or has established itself as a reliable source for information, a blog should reach all the right eyes and ears.Blogs are more authenticAccording to Armitage, press releases are canned remarks from a CEO or marketing executive, are usually written by someone else, and then are meticulously edited and rewritten. The result is a hollow statement. In contrast, a blog post allows the author to get excited about their message and make the pitch more personal.Blogs cost less (money)Crafting and distributing a press release is an expensive process. First, you need to pay a PR firm to refine your messaging, and then you need to pay a PR distribution network – such as PR Newswire – to distribute the piece. On the other hand, a blog is your distribution tool that costs nothing financially. But remember, writing a compelling blog post will still cost something – considerable time and effort!In addition to press releases, blogs can be used in many different ways – and one of the most compelling ways is Search Engine Optimization. Online analytical tools allow you to track what potential customers are searching for online, and you can adjust your blog with optimized content to reflect these needs.