Graduating with a degree in Public Relations from Champlain College I was keenly aware of the
growing social media world, and how PR has an integral roll with online media.
growing social media world, and how PR has an integral roll with online media.
I believe that traditional news releases are almost becoming obsolete. By obsolete I don't think the practice will be totally canned, but it's uncontrolled media (once you let it go, who knows who will actually pick it up) and we need to hop on the bandwagon for online media [i.e. social media release thanks to Todd Defren at SHIFT] This allows for a media rich release, that uses YouTube video coverage, blog links, pictures from Flickr, etc. Check out these social media releases at HubSpot and Ford. Allows them to be more viral? What do you think?
I don't recommend pitching via twitter (even though there's talk of it) but it is a way to create a dialogue, start a conversation, ask questions about your product and service, and connect. Don't overlook tools like blogs, twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. It's everywhere. Obama updated the world via Twitter and text message when he announced his VP running-mate, Joe Biden.
Photo Courtesy: http://www.maxgladwell.com Marketing Pilgrim: Andy Beal, believes that "Blogs, Twitter, FriendFeed, Fecebook, and other forms of social media are not only shaping thoughts, they are also shaping where dollars are spent through reviews and product descriptions."
A new report from Universal McCann called, When Did We Start Trusting Strangers polls 17,000 Internet users in 29 countries and follows consumer interaction through social media, and what specific tools people are using worldwide. For more coverage, check it out here.
Social Media: "Influence Economy" -- you bet it can. What tools are you using to influence your direct surroundings with social media?
Hi Grace, I think that the "traditional" press release hasn't been usurped by the social media release. Rather it depends on what your goal is. The social media release is great if you have the rich media assets to support it. Otherwise, a traditional release would be a consideration. In the end, I do believe that releases in general are no longer the only way to reach media.
ReplyDeleteSocial media, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc, are ways to augment what is communicated in a media release.
Best,
Cece
Cece--thank you for your insightful response. In terms of specifically targeting it is true that "it depends on what your goal is," in regards to the traditional release.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Grace