For years, we’ve used press releases to generate market visibility and exposure for our clients. How does that work? Simply put, commercial newswire companies, for a fee, distribute your press releases to journalists and news outlets that subscribe to their newswires.
So why should I consider using newswires as part of my marketing program? We explore Newswire communications in detail below.
Commercial Newswires vs. News Agencies
There is often confusion regarding newswires and the services they offer. Big time news agencies such as Bloomberg or the Associated Press (AP) offer newswire services wherein they hire journalists to write stories which are then circulated amongst major news outlets and released en masse. For smaller companies, a press release via a major news outlet is neither necessary nor affordable. These companies instead use commercial newswire services such as BusinessWire, Cision, or PR Newswire. Marketing firms write content and submit them to the newswires who then act as press release feeds for smaller, niche-oriented news outlets within specific markets. This way, small- and mid-sized companies can also get their news out to their target audience.
Benefits of Using a Commercial Newswire
As a marketer, it is your responsibility to ensure that your clients have visibility and recognition within their intended markets and amongst target audiences. Commercial newswires can help you achieve those goals. Here are some of the benefits to be gained by using commercial newswires from a marketing perspective:
- Immediate impact on brand exposure – The biggest and most obvious benefit is the immediacy of the release in a digital setting. When a newswire pushes out your story to news outlets, you’re getting instant exposure that would be difficult to secure without a distribution service.
- Efficient distribution process – Newswires have a wide reach, which is advantageous for firms that lack the resources to perform press release distribution internally. With the time saved from avoiding manual distribution, you can instead focus on perfecting the format and message of your press releases, eventually standardizing your process and maximizing your efficiency.
- Increased website traffic – Since you, the marketer, are writing the content of the press release, be sure to include backlinks to the client’s website. This is an easy way to provide a little traffic boost.
- Industry-specific coverage – Commercial newswires have a huge network of journalists and news outlet subscribers. Part of their service is getting your content in front of the right people and they have the ability to do so because of the large volume and variety of their subscribers. This minimizes the risk of wasting precious marketing dollars on targets outside of your niche.
- Media relations development – As you begin to use newswires, you may start noticing that your content gets picked up and released by certain journalists and publications specifically. If your content fits their niche, it serves as a great opportunity to start a professional relationship with them. Such relationships can be beneficial to both sides and invaluable in the long run.
Did we miss anything about newswires? Need more information on incorporating newswires into your marketing strategy? Let’s talk. Feel free to contact our team at MA1440.
MA1440 is a marketing consulting and digital agency located in Glenview, IL – serving small and mid-sized businesses locally and nationally.
