Is a press release a bad idea?

[Chris.Menke]

They're like any other content, in that they're only worthwhile if there is an original idea behind them and they are of substantial interest to your audience or their influencers.  When press releases came to common use on the web, the need for creativity in creating them increased as the number of people releasing them increased.  A great press release is still worth the money, but if it's not great--it probably isn't.

[EGOL]

I think that the problem arises when the release is loaded with KW anchor links and spammed out to every PR site on the web... and the PR companies email spam every blogger email address that they can get their hands on - even if the blogger does not cover anything even close to the topic of the release.  Some PR companies know nothing of Penguin and happily think that they are "spreading the word".

[scodtt]

There are some entry level plans that you can do for a few hundred dollars, and there are some new players, too. PressKing seems interesting. They say they send stuff to 20,000 publications, who knows how true that is.

[EGOL]

They say they send stuff to 20,000 publications, who knows how true that is.

Yes.  This is exactly why I would not use them - even if they paid me hundreds of dollars.

This is something to recommend to your competitors.   Definitely not to use for yourself.

[scodtt]

That's a really good point about the news value of the release.

I think this news is big, but I've had trouble getting reporters to write about us. The reason for that is that we are a blog writing service. We pay writers to essentially ghost write posts for our business clients.

The reporters, already feeling besieged, think that we are somehow degrading the world of writing, so they don't like to cover us.

Our news release addresses the question of the treatment of our writers, so that's why I'm hopeful we'll get some traction with this news release.

[RobertFisher]

If I may put a few words in EGOL's response, it is like this: You can do the quick and dirty SEO or the higher end longer lasting SEO. You do get what you pay for so: For the quick and dirty you quickly get dirty - When you do the longer lasting SEO (good site, content, etc) you end up higher end in more ways than one.

Yes, that is original!

[scodtt]

Hey, I'm not doing this for a quick-and-dirty way to boost SEO. I'm doing this because I really think it's news and I want the world to know.

If that's the case, does PR Newswire or one of the others help?

[RobertFisher]

Scott, I am not saying you are. My point is about PR Web, newswire, etc. What they do is spam the world with their news releases and yes, some get a bit of traction. At the same time, I can tell you of individual pages of content I have written, placed on a client site, and watched as it got picked up by Google as a news piece and made my client some money. (No, that does not happen even regularly.) My point is that there is a news release or PR release that is real and then there are these SALES companies whose only motivation is to SELL YOU on their PR product of sorts.

If what you have is newsworthy, put it out there yourself or use one of them and see what happens. If I put out a piece about a lawyer who has decided to take a certain case (say tainted baby food) is that really news? Bob X has decided his firm the X law firm is now taking tainted baby food cases (then a rehash of something that has been in the news for a year), that IMO is worthless. If it is truly newsworthy, if you are the only one it applies to, etc. give it a go with them and then tell us what happened.

Or, pick up the phone or email several PR professionals where you are and ask what they would charge to put it out to their "contacts." I am guessing if you get half lucky they will get a better response for you than one of the PR Spam companies. It is simply a choice for you of try it and see or try something else and see. Then you will have the experience for the next time.

Hope that clarifies

Best to you.

[scodtt]

That's an interesting idea.

I could just go on craigslist or someplace and say, "I was going to pay $500 to newswire or someone to distribute my press release, but I'd rather pay a person. Send me a proposal about how you'd send out this press release (I'll send you the early version) and the best proposal will get that $500, and the prospect of more work in the future."

Not sure where I could post that, but maybe it's worth doing.

Thanks!

[Chris.Menke]

Yeah, but what you're paying  the provider for is the sure knowledge that they're going to spam your press release. On Craigslist you wouldn't even be sure your $500 would go to do even that.

[RobertFisher]

Scott,

Do a search on public relations Denver. Look at the pr blog one, then the one without shoes, then the one about mid page looking for interns. I am willing to bet you can find someone within that group that would take your $500. 
If you say they do a good job, I am willing to give them a shot as well.

Best,

[scodtt]

Good point, but I'd check references, etc.

Hmmm. Tough one.

[scodtt]

For strategic reasons, Boston would be better.

I like your idea, though.

[EGOL]

Published yesterday by Aaron Wall...

http://www.seobook.com/google-press-release-links

[AshShep1]

PRWeb have advised that all their links are "no-follow" with effect from when google made this announcement.

And i believe Matt Cutts clarified in a video recently that good press releases have value, as it will get your message out there and potentially picked up by bloggers and press agencies, what you wont get anymore, is any google juice!