The Basics:
A Social Media News Release is a news release that is able to incorporate “high-resolution photos/graphics, video, and audio components” (pg.136). Sometimes these special releases are called “smart media releases” or “multimedia releases” (pg. 136).
Advantages and Disadvantages:
Advantages: 1) There are options for more interaction opportunity from the readers. 2) It creates a deeper story. 3) Your audience is more than just journalists. 4) Provides more information from different angles for the journalist to use. 5) Very cost efficient. 6) Do not have to wait on third parties to deliver your message.
Disadvantages: 1) Too many links and multimedia can confuse journalists. 2) High-resolution multimedia can take a long time to load. 3)The less technology advanced people will have a hard time navigating it. 4)Technology problems could hinder your story when trying to distribute. 5) It is always permanently online even if you make mistakes of fact or grammar.
When PR practitioner should use:
A PR practitioner should always put their client or organization’s best interests in the forefront of their mind when thinking about press releases. Social media news releases should not be treated with any less attention than a standard news release, if anything the PR practitioner should think more intently about the content that they put in the Social Media Releases. They can be used for just about every topic that you would use a traditional news release for especially when you want to reach a wide audience on a budget. Be sure to have enough information to provide you with multimedia for the release and be sure that you have to technological skills to build in the multimedia, if not then get a IT individual to help you with the technology aspects (videos, pictures, links, ect.) of the Social Media Release.
Examples:
IBM– This particular Social Media Release is about IBM and them tackling the energy crisis that seems to be a hot topic in the media today. There are pictures, videos, and links to other sites that help take this press release to the next level by making it a Social Media Release.
Southwest Airlines-This Social Media Release is about Southwest Airlines taking corporate blogging to a new level. There are links to video blogging, podcasting, Flicker feed and more. There are also links to share this Social Media Release with others and expand the reader base for this particular release, which is one of the benefits of Social Media Releases.
Getting Started:
PitchEngine – PitchEngine is a website where you can build a Social Media Release. It also offers many additional features such as a blogger outreach component to help organizations to expand their outreach, profiles of journalists to help facilitate relationships, and filter options for the media to allow them to filter to the information that matters to them.
PRX Builder– PRX Builder is a simple system that walks you through each step of making a Social Media Release. It may not have all of “extras” that are involved with PitchEngine, but it perfect for the less technological advanced PR practitioners.
Eight Expert Tips:
1*”Place terms in key positions like headlines and first paragraphs”(pg. 137).
2*”Include links to pages where multiple instances your key words/phrases reinforce your message”(pg. 137).
3*Do not use to many tools at one time (pg. 137).
4* Use low-resolution images (pg. 137).
5* Do not put to many links in the release.
6*”Distribute a release through a service that carries hyperlinks to downstream sites” (pg.137).
Caroline's Connections to Public Realtions 