Thursday, August 17, 2006
Online Press Releases Continue To Evolve
bySeveral public relations thought leaders have encouraged a broader view of the press release, since consumers increasingly have access to the same information as the media. This trend is continuing, as ClickZ News recently reported on two new services designed to ensure online press releases are discovered, read and acted upon.
PRWeb has partnered with FutureNow to expand the offerings of its “persuasion architecture” services. The goal, says FutureNow’s CEO, is to expand the reach of press releases as a marketing tool, not just a media relations tactic. Clients are encouraged to think of the press release as part of an overall, action-driven communications effort instead of a one-time, isolated event. This process focuses on a broader view of the user’s online experience.
In another joint venture, Business Wire has partnered with Newsforce and Primero Systems to offer new search engine optimization (SEO) capabilities for press releases. The software suite focuses on keywords, SEO techniques, link building and news search engine rankings. Newsforce’s proprietary optimization wizard promises to simplify the process and keep pace with evolving SEO requirements.
With social media, niche search engines and other new tools, a press release can appear in areas you don’t expect – and, in some cases, rank more prominently than your company’s product pages or other marketing efforts. Press releases are no longer confined to password-protected online newsrooms or a deep section of your site, meaning SEO and integrated marketing are more important than ever.
