Is there any point in doing press releases?

[Kay]

Actually, I think not. I bin most of the ones I receive and that's even things I've signed up for because I'm interested in being kept informed about the subject - travel news etc. Most people I know say they just bin them too for various reasons. Some say they don't want to publish dupe content or give free adverts. Some say the press releases are mostly boring anyway. What do you do with the press releases you receive?

Background: I recently bought a website about website traffic (I know, I'm a domainoholic and serial starter of new things). Dunno what I'm going to do with it yet (there is a little website there already but I'm planning to make some changes). Meanwhile I'm researching "website traffic" for info and ideas.

And finally the point at last. Almost every "how to get traffic" website or product I've looked at recommends press releases as a way of increasing traffic to your site. I really don't get it. I suppose it might help to increase your backlinks?

But I can't think of many things more boring than one of these "press releases" telling me how excited Joe Soap is to announce the launch of his new website about tartan condoms or whatever.

So, what do you think of the advice to send out press releases as a means to build traffic?

[crabfoot]

The "press releases" those manymeyknga products refer to are intended to be fed to websites that specialise in web news, and spammed out via a mailing list. Most of those sites have been bitten by the panda, in the same way as the content farms.

Very rarely, they will be picked up on by the "real media" - otherwise, it is just another way to get free links when starting out with a site.

[Kay]

That's pretty much what I thought, crabfoot. It's amazing how many people still recommend these old-hat tactics - even places where you have to pay for the info!

It's a great big trap for the newbie, especially if they take the "advice" at face value and believe what they read. Sure, it may have worked a couple of years ago but it doesn't work now.

Advice for any newbs reading this thread:

Look at the date it was written. When was it last updated?

And now someone is gonna tell me that people cheat to pretend that their info/advice is more up to date than it really is.

[KenW3]

And finally the point at last. Almost every "how to get traffic" website or product I've looked at recommends press releases as a way of increasing traffic to your site. I really don't get it. I suppose it might help to increase your backlinks?

I have had success with press releases bringing traffic, but don't do those nor articles for SEO purposes. Even though they may build backlinks, I'm usually not thinking off-site SEO when trying to get visitors to a site. It's free advertising, and can be effective to the right audiences.

[grynge]

Press Releases are really a site based option, an entertainment site that gets upto date gossip, the press release will work, a large multinational that has some interesting release (or pays for it to get into the news) maybe picked up. For the majority of sites they really were only as crabfoot says a way of collecting links. There is I think 2 forgotten aspects for the press release. Local websites/companies and local media they can still work and Websites looking for governmental press releases. Kay I think your travel for the disabled site could be a good candidate for press releases that governmental sites/orgs may pickup.

[Kay]

Oho, Mr Grynge. I don't want to embarrass you but I'll risk it anyway. Sometimes you are a bl**dy genius with some of the stuff you come out with.

I usually think outside the box (or at least try to), but there I was plodding along thinking "Press releases? Nah." If ever a press release would work for any site it could be that one. I hang my head in shame for not thinking about it myself. Thank you.

[tke71709]

Press releases need to be interesting nowadays to get picked up by any form of mainstream media.

Look at the type of stuff that AshleyMadison puts out for example. There last one that I saw was "Which Superbowl quarterback would you rather have an affair with?". Now keep in mind that their site is about having affairs so it fits their profile but it's still the sort of stuff that makes the mainstream news.

Press releases today are what linkbait was 2 years ago. A punchy way of getting noticed and attention.

For your travel site something along the lines of "10 worst airports for the disabled in the world", "5 worst travel horror stories for the disabled", etc.... Something a little controversial, heck snub a few entire countries and see if you can get their tourism agencies to respond "The world's worst country for disabled travellers". The nice thing is that all of the above are subjective so you're safe from libel issues.

[Kay]

More great advice, thanks. I really wasn't thinking of my "disabled people's site" when I asked the question.

As for the worst airports for disabled people, we already have America's worst airport websites (not worst airports) on there. Maybe I missed a trick - I should've done some more press releases. However, when we published that series of articles about the worst airport websites, I contacted several of the local papers to ask them, "Did you know that your local airport has been named as one of the worst in America for its website?"

All that happened was that the press contacted the airports in question - and one of the airport managers went mental with me and told me NEVER to write anything about their airport again. LOL!

But I bet we could do something a little bit zany and new to make it newsworthy again. Good enough for a press release anyway.

This thread has completely changed my mind from thinking that press releases were a complete waste of time to now being enthusiastic about doing some. But only for the right site. Gotta see how the idea could be applied to some of my other ones. Grynge is crazy enough to come up with a reason why I should issue a press release for my food blog because I've published a recipe for deep-fried tarantulas. (He likes them.)

[meathead1234]

I'm a firm believer in just testing something rather than spending a bunch of time weighing up the pros and cons. For ~$100 you can get a decent press release written up and distributed to a bunch of authority sites. Worst case scenario, you just get a number of decent links. Best case scenario, you get picked up by a large site/press and get some extra exposure and even more incoming links/traffic.

Personally, I've always found press-releases to be effective. I actually owned a site before where the only traffic source was press releases, and that was a very profitable venture.

As others have mentioned, it does depend on the site, but I don't think there is too much point speculating until it's actually been tested. You might be surprised what works and what won't

[golles]

IMO - Press releases are definately worth it if done correctly.

We follow this rough process/guidelines:

1) Must have something news worthy - IMO no good just pumping our Press Releases for the sake of it - has to be a new angle, something funny, something new, something that helps, little known facts etc. etc. etc.
2) Always have PR people write them for us. - well worth the investment.
3) Always use PR Release services and we also send the release to individual media outlets for the attention of the a specific individual - PR people usually have good lists of editors etc.
4) Always list phone and email contact details.
5) Never look at PR as an instant ROI - they tend to have longer pay back periods.
6) We never look just for links - this is a bi-product.

I helped a friend do a few press releases for his printing firm last year and they ended up getting a slot on the local BBC news and a link from the BBC - just for one decent example.