In 1906, a public relations expert named Ivy Lee created the very first official press release when he convinced a railroad to make a statement and submit it to news sources in the wake of the Atlantic City Train Wreck. The initial motivation for this press release was to stop false information and rumors from spreading, but today we put out press releases as much to share exciting news as to defray the effects of bad publicity.
With the popularity of the press release form, newswires have been established to give the media contact information, and also allow journalists a simple way to gather information to redistribute. The one problem is, there are a lot of press releases, and only so much space to report the news on. When you submit your press release to PR distribution services, do you know if it gets seen?
On average, a United States journalist will see between 300 and 400 releases every day. Whether you use a free news wire, or you pay for news wire services, it is important that you construct a good press release before submitting to news wire services. A press release can do more than just distribute your news, it can help with an SEO campaign by building links back to your organization.
Consider that your press release might be more engaging if it included a video news release, or other form of multimedia? To ensure that your news gets shared as much as possible, you will want news wire services that account for the following elements.
- Assist with link building by submitting to online news sources.
- Help with multimedia by incorporating video news releases.
- Make sure you reach the right audience. Consider how the Atlantic City Train Wreck might have gone over if the press release was not delivered to news sources on the site of the accident?
Having a good news wire at your back can make the difference between your press release slipping straight into the wastebasket, or making it onto the front page. Look for a news wire that can do more than just send your press release out. You know that with enough stamps and time you could do that yourself. A good news wire will be able to help you incorporate multimedia, reach online sources, and target the right audience.