Forget press releases, 2.0 or traditional. While PR types debate formats for bullshit news distribution, the truth is out. They’re useless. (Read that any way you want, PR people are useless; Press releases are worthless….)
These days, if you want to make an announcement, you put a funny video on YouTube and bloggers write about it so mainstream media (MSM) can find it and not credit their source. This one features Vivi Kostakis (sp?) Costache.a Google software engineer with an endearing accent. (Full disclosure: I own three shares of Google stock. Yeah, I know, BFD.)
The video announces that Google Finance launched a re-design of its homepage yesterday, with much more info than its old layout.
The new features make information easier to find; information goes back as far as 40 years, and a news headlines are integrated into the stock results. Customization does not seem possible, and it is not possible to pull a widget off the page onto your own page so you can track an industry or a company.
Nonetheless, the page is interesting enough that some small-time investors, like me, may take interest in the market. That’s a way to build some real traction in the long-term, since every industry, including finance, always needs new customers.
Said a commenter on TechCrunch:
“It’s funny, I have no interest or investments in the financial sector, but G finance is solid, and a lot of fun to use. I especially love how it ties big news stories to ups and down in the stock price. Plus all the other Ajax-y goodness is well done. Too many sites do Ajax “just because”, but as demonstrated with this site and Gmail, Google knows how to do it right.”
via TechCrunch
BL,
I don’t disagree with you at all. However, especially for those of us in b2b, press releases need to be part of the PR mix.
Few editors I know at business journals and pubs pay much attention to buzz created at YouTube nor do the business C-level executives we market to. So to reach them effectively, we need to combine traditional with 2.0.
Front door (PR) vs back door (new media). I think you need both.
I’ve also had PR people working for me over the years. Wouldn’t trade them, nor the press releases they write for a bucket of gold!
there’ll always be room for a skillful personalized pitch, but i haven’t depended on press releases in the past 20 years. That is not to say I never send any. But really, I send them to satisfy clients, not to generate press. That happens best one to one.
First of all let me admit that I am huge fan of YouTube. I enjoy watching many of the videos that gets posted there.
But what does annoy me is the shanty tactics that is used now a days to market stuff via YouTube. People like me can easily get cheated by the various marketing done via YouTube.
What has been suggested in the post is as good as manipulation isn’t it? Please do correct me if you think that I am wrong.
So the question that really springs to my mind is Whom to trust? You have to take in any information that you get with a pinch of salt.
I wasn’t going to dignify your rant with a reply, but I couldn’t resist.
Press releases still do serve a useful function, even if not simply for mass distribution. A well-written release serves as background for the personalized pitch, whether it’s by phone, email or even a face-to-face pitch. It helps articulate a viewpoint the way your client would ideally like it said, and plenty of media people still rely on the release for background. Feedback from media people — print and electronic — says releases are still helpful.
Not everyone is looking at YouTube, especially those of us over 35 or 40 who have more money to spend than the teens and 20-somethings. But yes, You Tube and the growing blogosphere can and should have a place in the mix of media used in the p.r. component of a marketing campaign. Just as do traditional methods like press releases.
Your take on bullshit press distribution is just that — bullshit, and it’s wrong.
This is the first post by you that I happened to read, since I’m fairly new to MPDailyFix. But I don’t think I’ll waste my time reading any others by you. I’m too busy earning a very nice living and serving my clients well with my bullshit releases.
Agree!!! B.L. The press release is the most overrated tool in the public relations field today. The commercialization of email and the web simply made it easier to send more press releases about more topics that more people had less interest in.
Eric
Hey David! I’m busy doing social media marketing for my clients and will leave the press releases to you. :>)
BL
OK BL, you can leave the press releases to me. They are just a small part of what I do, but they still do serve a useful function as long as they are used wisely.
Eric is right about some p.r. people throwing releases all over the place via email now. But when used in a targeted and sensible way, they still have a place and they still do work.
Well, as an editor, I do find value in press releases — specifically via email, and specifically as David describes, as background that’s easy to reference and forward to writers for story assignments. It’s not the only way to stumble on a story, but it’s one way, especially in the trade press.
Or maybe I’m hopelessly old school. Whatever.
That being said, the press releases I like the most are actually relevant to our publications. Eric is correct in that I get more and more releases that are less and less relevant, which wastes everyone’s time.
Interesting convo here. Having trad’l and new experience my take is that old tools don’t go away. Many times they evolve and improve but don’t die.
While I focus on the marketing side I’m frequently asked for a release, backgrounder and a fact sheet and I either prepare or secure these items along with the new tools. There’s been a lot of chatter on how releases will evolve to embrace citizen journalists along with MSM journalists–including use of tags, more concise descripts, etc.
While again my PR experience is not my lead with clients, the PR pros that I respect (and have the success) are the ones who target and build relationships with their journalists. And make their jobs easier through well-prepared tools. I believe thos tools will include videos and do a “show” vs. “tell”, but there is a need for well-organized, easy, targeted “tell”, too.
interesting bl, thanks!