If you had to choose one or the other, which would you choose: a blog or press releases?
Arianna Huffington, cofounder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, says a blog is more powerful. Her comments appear during a Q&A interview in the Febuary issue of PR Week.
The magazine asked if PR pros were reaching out to offer rebuttals to opinions at her website, “or are they not reaching out as much?” Her response:
“We absolutely get a lot of response from PR pros. I think a lot of them are recognizing that it is more effective now to blog about something, to have the principals blog about something, rather than send press releases. The world of the press release is dramatically changing.”
I agree. Here’s why:
- Blogs do a far better job establishing you as an expert in your field.
- They give readers a chance to comment, and you can continue the conversation by replying to their comments.
- Blogs generally get better search engine ranking than press releases.
| - Other bloggers who like your posts, or not, will be more inclined to link to them and comment on them instead of linking to and commenting on your press releases. That’s because blogs are usually more visible than press releases, which are often buried inside a company’s online press room.
- Blogs are the new website. Many companies no longer have to pay several thousand dollars or more for a website. You can even run an Internet marketing business from a free WordPress blog, using a good shopping cart like KickStart Cart. (Download the free ebook on how to pick a shopping art system that saves you money. I’m an affiliate.)
Blogging expert Patsi Krakoff, my guest expert during the teleseminar on Time-saving Tips for Smart Business Blogging, said blogs have also saved many businesses money on search engine optimization. By using keywords in press release headlines and text, your blog posts can pull in free traffic.
That doesn’t mean you should abandon press releases, however.
And unlike blog posts, press releases are generally written in a format that makes it easy for journalists to simply cut and paste.
Many bloggers and journalists, particularly those covering topic-specific beats, subscribe to press releases via RSS feeds or press release distribution services like Expertclick and PRWeb. You can distribute your releases using those services, and then link to the releases from a blog post and your online press room. That”s what I do. You can also post releases to your Facebook Fan Page. (See 11 Ways to Avoid Missed Opportunities on Facebook.)
Are you blogging yet? Check out Patsi’s five blog “must haves.” It’s the second item in this week’s issue of The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week. You can subscribe to the free ezine in the sign-up box just below my photo on the right side of this page.
If you struggle with press releases, sign up for my free tutorial that includes press release tips galore. It’s a 12-week course packed with information on how to write and distribute online press releases.
Weigh in with your opinion. Which is more powerful? Press releasesd or blogs? How do you use them together?
I think that blogs and press releases should work together in order to get the type of traction you are looking for. I wouldn’t necessarily choose one over the other as much as I would look for ways to get the most out of both.
@Worob
PR at Sunrise Blog – worob.com
You’re correct.
Media people who are reporting on, say, a new product, would probably much rather cut and paste information from a press release that is written more like a news story than from a blog post that’s more like commentary.
I agree. Thought Leadership is now moving toward effective blogging and effective curating.
Huffington Post does both as per our post.
Taarig, I love the recommendations in your blog post about how other bloggers can benefit by doing things that the Drudge Report and Huffington Post do.
I’m curious. Neither of those blogs require reader to log in to post a comment. I went to your blog hoping to comment on your post but had to log in first. Why do you require that?
P.S. I love both of those blogs.
Joan, nice piece on blogs vs. press releases! I agree with @Worob, blogs and releases definitely need to work together. The combo is crucial.
On a side note, it really is amazing watching how social media and networking have changed the very nature of how we do business as PR pros. Should be interesting to see how things develop in the next few years!
Keep up the good work! Great blog!
– Wesley Mallette, Co-Founder and CEO, Comment Communications
You’re right, Wesley. social media has changed EVERYTHING.
The biggest change in terms of press releases is that we no longer write them primarily for journalists but for consumers who can find them online.
Tarriq,
I read the piece for which you provide a link and found it incredibly helpful. I work for a small e-retailer that is trying to attract more traffic to its blogs/tweets to connect to people to increase sales. Your tips for why it’s a good idea to have a corporate blog are very timely and appreciated.
As a PR professional with strengths in the more traditional avenues, I am learning the invaluable asset that is social media marketing and networking. We are just starting to use both avenues to boost the company’s profile, make viable connections that really work for both parties, and make business growth objectives.
Thanks!
Heather, you might want to stop over at my other blog at http://www.MySocialMediaSolution.com and look around. There are lots of great tips over there.
I also think that a blog can be very effective, especially for SEO and branding purposes. If you are selling products or services, you need to get people to your website, and the blog is a very effective way to do that.
I do make some use of press releases, but for the blog is king.
I’m sort of new to this, but I can report that my couple of press releases about the Heritage Makers direct sales team that I’m on got printed in our small town’s newspaper. On the other hand, the company works its PR mmagic nationally and has been featured in O Magazine and on Good Morning America, as well as other programs and publications. So for advertising a specific event or consumer benefit, I think press releases probably narrow the focus for the paper or program, and are necessary for local news distribution.
I’m finding that blogging lets me get my personality out there beyond my small town’s borders and gives me a way to show consumers how to tie ordinary activity to the products that I sell. So I think blogging offers “color commentary” for a company’s products and can create or identify niches.
I’ve been fascinated by the news lately that well-known bloggers are now being invited to judge beauty contests, to represent their medium at fashion shows, etc., advancing rapidly to a position of respected authority in contrast to the time it takes to become a magazine editor or newspaper columnist with clout. This tells me that a blog is good PR for the blogger.