Journalists can receive over a hundred a day, but 71% estimate that only a quarter of press releases are relevant, according to a 2021 Cision study. This tool of external communication remains indispensable for informing, but in the era of social networks where everyone can become their own PR, what is the value of a press release? What could be its added value in a world where information is available everywhere, all the time, and immediately?
"Before, press releases were read."
Since the time they were sent by postal mail, press releases have had to adhere to some basic rules. "Through the headline, the lead, the body of the text, and the boilerplate [a short presentation text placed at the end of the release that provides a concise overview of the sender, Editor's note], the journalist must grasp the purpose of the release in five seconds," says Elodie Laloum, director of the PR agency Melodik. The headline must be catchy, even captivating, preferably taking a societal angle to place the issuing company in the news. When done well, it's referred to as newsjacking. However, the golden rule is to remain concise and avoid superlatives. "Otherwise, the journalist will immediately understand it's communication and not information," warns Elodie Laloum.
Yet, this professional acknowledges, "Before, press releases were read; today, they're not." Fortunately, not all press releases end up in journalists' real or virtual trash cans. But it's undeniable that they generate less interest than before. "They receive so many; they don't know what's urgent and what's not," she points out. According to this PR specialist, press releases have gone from two or even three pages to a maximum of 1.5 pages. How then can one make their press release stand out? Current events play a decisive role: "If I announce the new iPhone or a change in government, my release will be picked up, but if I announce a B2B event, the chances are lower," reminds Elodie Laloum. And she adds, "A press release is a single piece of information; it's not a newsletter!"
PR vs. Social Media: the big fight
For PR professionals, the greatest challenge today is competing with social media. Indeed, it's not uncommon for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or even TikTok to break news before a press release intends to share it. The issue: the timing of the two entities isn't the same since a press release must be approved by several people within the concerned company. The message on a social network, like Twitter, is much more spontaneous and can be posted by an individual without the same constraints.
However, it's essential not to confuse the two: "A press release is much more developed; it's high-quality content, whereas social media expresses a point of view; it's not information," emphasizes the director of the Melodik agency. This is why the press release remains the reference communication tool, especially in corporate communication for companies. Not forgetting that a press release has informational and legal value. The information it contains must be sourced.
An indispensable SEO strategy
And since we're talking about digital, the press release is an indispensable SEO tool. As Andréa Bensaid, CEO of Eskimoz, a SEO agency that also has a digital PR agency, points out, a press release can and should generate traffic to a website. If a press release is properly targeted and leads to the creation of an online article with a backlink, meaning a link to the company's site, the company's SEO will only improve. An optimization strategy for search engines or SEO that is of paramount importance for a company's digital strategy. "A digital article with a link inside has more value today than an article in a print media," asserts this SEO expert. In the digital age, the press release is not dead; it reinvents itself.
Matthieu Maurer (contributor)
