Social media keeps us updated on everything constantly. However, it feels like press releases are a sort of dying art. Back in the days before social media, they were a way for brands to generate publicity, recognition, and good PR by creating a post for newspapers, magazines, and the like to publish. Now, we sort of do this every day with platforms like Twitter and Facebook that get the word out about brands much faster, whether they’re big or small.
The way businesses share news about their brands has changed over the years. But it doesn’t mean that the press release of old is no longer useful. Much like email, it can still be a good marketing tool for your brand, especially if you have a small business. Without the money and resources bigger businesses have, you need to be creative in getting the word out to your customers. A press release is a good way to do that and can be done even more efficiently with social media.
Here are five main reasons why press releases can help your small business.
Reasons Why Press Releases Can Benefit Small Businesses
1. They help control your business’s narrative.
Social media allows everyone to have an opinion on a brand and allows them to talk to you regarding feedback. So a press release is a good way to put you back in control over your business’s narrative. Something that stands out from all the social media chatter and noise.
According to an article written by Char Vandermeer on Horton, “a press release is your opportunity to articulate what’s important to you, share your intentions behind a service, explain your product’s unique value, and respond to claims that others may have made about you, your services, or your company.” This is especially important to consider if something about your business is making customers unhappy. If you can’t get opinions to change, it could damage your business’s reputation and/or credibility.
2. They help you stand out amongst your competitors.
As a small business, it’s even harder to keep up with the competition. This is especially true when you’re all likely using social media to give your business a boost. This is when it’s time to consider doing something different from the rest. A press release may be just the thing you need to stand out amongst your competitors. Show off your business’s strong points, or explain a product or service in more detail. Maybe even write press releases about an upcoming sale or special.
3. They will further help your SEO.
You’re likely already using search engine optimization (or SEO) tactics when writing and posting content for your small business. Using these same tactics in your press release can help it show up right away on Google and other search engines, drawing attention from current and potential customers. You can also get more out of your press releases by recycling them and turning them into other kinds of content, such as a blog post, according to an article written by Mary Lorenz on Cision.
4. They will give your social media platforms a boost.
Social media allows businesses to share stuff with their customers faster than they ever could with other means. This is why it’s so important to post a press release your business writes up onto your social media platforms. You will get immediate feedback from your customers. In turn, your customers will share your press release on their platforms and draw even more eyebrows to your business and its social media platforms.
5. They help you forge relationships with the media.
Do you have something concerning your small business that you want to get out to the media? A press release is still a good way to do this. According to Lorenz, journalists still receive press releases often and if they happen to come across one that’s relevant to what they’re discussing or posting, it could be the start of a good working relationship or building contacts for the future.
It’s also a win for your small business if your press releases go mainstream. Keep in mind though if you go down this path, that you should start with sending your press releases to local media first before national media.
So, can press releases, once seemingly a relic of the past, be helpful for your small business today? As the title indicates, yes, they can! For more information on press releases and how they can be beneficial to your small business, feel free to contact us.
