Make Your Media Release Social
October 19, 2011 by Johanna Baker-Dowdell
By Johanna Baker-Dowdell, Strawberry Communications
You may have heard the term Social Media Release (or Social Media Press Release) and wondered what the difference is between this and the standard media release. Well, social media releases are all about the reader, making the content easier to access and much more useful.
A lot has been covered about writing media releases and why, including by me, but the media release has evolved. Not only has the audience for releases grown from journalists to now include bloggers, podcasters and the consumers themselves, but the way information is presented in release form is different too.
Social media releases include links to websites and supporting material, yes, but they are also optimised for searching with tagged key words, make sharing easier with links to bookmarking networks and social media platforms, plus add the multi-media element through images, video and audio.
Some social media release authors even deconstruct the release into sections, making it easier for journalists, bloggers and podcasters to focus on the point(s) of interest to them. Instead of introducing the topic, giving some background, offering quotes from a spokesperson and then showing where they can find out more, the author might use a slightly different format.
Here is a sample template for a social media release:
- Headline
- Key word rich introduction
- Supporting facts
- Quote(s) from one or more sources
- Embedded video
- Embedded audio
- Embedded images
- Links to supporting articles and references
- RSS for company news and product information
- Option to post/share in social network of choice, such as Facebook, Twitter, blogs, LinkedIn and bookmarking networks
- Comments
Once the social media release has been created…
It can be published in a number of different ways. This includes online media outlets, bloggers, traditional web services like PR Web, your own social media, blog and bookmarking sites and article submission directories like Ezine Articles.
Think about how much more “social” this format is than traditional media releases that tell the story, but then encourage the journalist to contact the author for more information. This way, the author is putting everything on the menu, allowing readers to pick how they consume it and encouraging them to share the story. It’s social publishing in action.
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Johanna Baker-Dowdell - Strawberry CommunicationsJohanna owns and runs writing and public relations service Strawberry Communications. The agency builds relationships with the media and key stakeholders on behalf of its SME clients. This service is provided through careful research and strategic communication, then maintained by telling the business’s story through amazing publicity and expertly crafted words. Strawberry Communications is based in Launceston and was launched in 2007. Johanna has more than 16 years experience in the media industry and is also a freelance journalist and blogger.
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Good article. There is a dearth of good advice about social media out there.
My concern is with Facebook and the changing restrictions on communicating/messaging existing personal networks and restrictions on numbers of links, their placement, and functionality.
I generally maintain a blog to support more flexible content but I am concerned because FB as the ideal place to network from is difficult to manage due to constant change and ‘manipulation’ of functionality..
Thanks Michael, Facebook is making everything very difficult as once you get used to a new way of using the platform it seems to change again!