Why Free before Low-Cost Press Release Services Might Not Deliver What You Really Want
Since the ahead of schedule days of consumerism, here is one tag including the intention of is still tough to deny: You get on to what you bombard out for.
In the popularity business, I've had experience - as have some of my clients - with the emancipated or low-cost press release air force that look to have proliferated all over the Internet. In fact, if you Google press release services, you'll discover a large variety of them. Moreover, a evenhanded digit of them can give positive on the promise of getting your press release picked up by a good number of Web sites with hits that will show up on your Google and search engine profile. And, once in a while, a release on these services may indeed gather the interest of one or two significant news outlets.
However, the inquiry you have to question yourself is, "What does that really get me?"
My check over is simple - good PR isn't solely about the numbers. That's what exposure is about, and in advertising, not anything is free. You get what you pay for, so if you aspire a allocation of eyeballs and impressions, you'd surpass have a enormous budget. In PR, however, numbers is only one section of the story. If it was just about the numbers, then why would anyone want to do PR? Where's the superfluous value?
PR delivers the one element advertising cannot - credibility. When a legitimate news outlet facial appearance you or your company in their pages or as a guest on their shows, it acts as a implicit backing of you. It's third-party verification that boosts your brand, as water supply as your positioning as an expert in your meadow and a respected source of information. It makes you striking as a name other public may want to engage in business, whether it's to buy your product, buy your book or hire you as a consultant. So the then question is, "Do press release services deliver that value?"
First, let's examine how it all works. Most of these press release services have make lucky aggregation agreements with other search engine optimized Web sites that do little extra than provide visitors with press releases. The substantial margin of the placements garnered are not typically with greatly respected news outlets. That's not to say that on the odd reason a press release service can't deliver that kind of exposure, but rather, it's not really fit up to do so. You see, with most major media outlets, there is a amount of follow- up and rejoinder necessary to bag the big hits. But, these services don't provide a PR self to follow up with anyone. They simply pocket your press release and deliver it. That's all.
Now, a PR qualified would not only have the industry know-how to be with you the wants of the media outlets who respond, but they would also write the press release in such a road as to cause a response in the first place. That's something moreover the press release services don't do - they commonly don't write the release for you. Some might deposit forward that service, but it would cost a lot more than the ordinary delivery service, sometimes into the hundreds of dollars.
So when it comes not working to it, these companies are not set up to supply the needs of the media. They exist to serve the needs of clients who pay them to distribute their press release, in the hopes of getting some media coverage. If it does, that's great. But if not, then all that's been achieved is the placement of the press release on a variety of Web sites that, by and large, wouldn't qualify as legitimate news media. (I characteristic out "legitimate media" as media that generates revenue early advertising.)
For someone who has little to spend, it's not a bad start. And, it's not that these services are illusory in their practices. They're not -- they don't promise more than what they deliver.
But, don't confuse their events with that of a real PR campaign. A press release service is not akin to engaging a professional public relations firm. PR is not about hits on a Google listing. It's not about accumulating a lot of listings in search engines. PR is about acute the din of the media to be converted into well-known and well planning of as a company, a thought chief or party with valuable information, harvest or services to offer the consumer.
About the Author
Marsha Friedman is a 20-year broadcast relations veteran and the chief executive of EMSI Public Relations ( http://www.emsincorporated.com), a inhabitant steady that provides popularity approach and exposure air force to corporations, entertainers, authors and certified firms. She hosts a national touchtone phone logic have a discussion show, The Family Round Table, and is the author of "Celebritize Yourself".
