Food FOUR thought: Blog or Press Release, which is right for my news?

In times where traditions are falling to millennial trends, replaced by the woke, the lit and the stuff that the over 30s club can’t comprehend (Tiktok?), it’s no surprise that the trusted press release has been considered (by some) as Jurassic and not worthy in the shadow of its less highbrow but, some say, more flexible friend… the blog.

BUT

When it comes to communication both need to be considered – which vehicle is right for your communication and why? The blog might be coined ‘the modern way’ but the press release is adapting for a digital age, retaining its key features of being solid, factual and well written; it sticks to rules and information, is trustworthy and its format is known and understood. But a blog can be more personal and more directed at relationship building.

So we have reflected upon their merits and why you should consider both when looking at communicating any piece of content, because there is one thing you can rely on in this world: human desire for news.

FOUR reasons FOR both.

The Blog

1. It’s good for SEO which means it’s good for your website – filled with keywords, with endless opportunities for sharing and backlinks. These days brands want traffic and a blog is a good way to generate it.
2. Money – it may cost less. You could even do it yourself but you need to be a dab hand at copywriting because it’s hard work getting a blog to be newsworthy and even more so to be picked up by the press.
3. It’s the lighter way. An option for a more digestible announcement, a slower news day or just for a small update.
4. It’s flexible – its ‘no rules’ policy leaves options for visual, audio, for infographics – whatever way you want to lay that blog out, you can, allowing you to cater for a broader audience and in more formats.

The Press Release

1. For hard news, facts and significance, a press release does just that for you. For an article to get the attention of a journalist, that copy needs to be great, the information accurate, engaging and interesting. Journalists are very busy people. They want relevant information that they can use.
2. It establishes a relationship with the media. 71% of journalists look to the press release as a primary source of valued content.Your press release does the hard work for them.
3. SEO – believe it or not, a press release that gauges interest and valued content will give good visibility. Google values content that people want to read. A well-written press release utilising SEO best practices for search algorithms allows search engines to find, match, index, and rank your press release. Not only that but for a bonus comment I’ll hide in here – you can turn that press release into a … wait for it…blog. This means you have greater accessibility for more audience.
4. Business credibility – You control your brand’s voice, message and perception. Perfect for a new start up and small businesses with plans to grow. Press releases, if written with the care and accuracy they deserve, are known to be trusted and brand trust is one of the most important factors for consumers.

So there you have it, FOUR reasons FOR both.

If you’d like to know more, we’d love to hear from you @FOUR.