Typically the three main reasons a press release should be written are:

• The information is news worthy – it makes for a good story
• It provides an avenue, not the only one, of communicating directly to the consumer about a new service line or physician announcement.
• It can positively impact search engine optimization (SEO) by creating links to your website or blog.

It is not the only vehicle to convey the above information – blogs posts, social media sites and your website also provide for release of information. Some recent research indicates that blogs posting and sites such as Twitter do a better job at getting the news out, for both large and small organizations, than the distribution of a press release. More and more marketing and public relations workers are moving away from the traditional press release. Is this the right course of action?

If the goal of your press release is to generate buzz on any website or news outlet, then a press release can be an effective method of communication. If you are seeking a more targeted outlet or even a mainstream media outlets, your chances of attracting attention with a press release are significantly diminished. A March 2009 study by PRWeek/PR Newswire indicated that a little over a third of journalists do take the time to read press releases from commercial outlets that they have previously opted-in to receiving the releases; some journalists (27%) use newswire services for specific research for content elements in their articles. If your goal is to generate SEO, then traditional releases can be useful in generating links. The same is true of social networking sites and there is no evidence to date that having an either/or strategy works better than utilizing BOTH, so employing a press release distribution endeavor can assist in increasing your number of inbound links which will favorably impact SEO.

So, to answer the question – does it still make sense to write a press release? The answer is a definite maybe. Maybe if you have time and are seeking a specific media outlet. Maybe if you are employing an integrated outreach strategy and want to be thorough in your approach, you will employ a press release distribution strategy along with blog posting and social network dissemination. And maybe if your goal is to increase inbound links to your website or blog for the purpose of SEO enhancement.

It is also important to think about relationship building. This is not the only time you want to gain attention from a media outlet. Chances are you will have bigger needs down the road. So, consider your approach in terms of a continuum. Make it easy for journalists to work with you and your organization. Be a resource for them on health information. Consider providing links and quick summaries on newsworthy items on your website, i.e. health care reform, H1N1 vaccinations, obesity research. The more information you provide that is relevant and useful for journalists, the more likely journalists will start to see you as an information asset.

And one final note – a good story is a must. If your news is not newsworthy, the chances that it will get picked up are significantly reduced. Spend time and effort making your story compelling and appealing both in format and in writing. If you have a new physician who does life-changing procedures, take the time to add the patient view and make the story more dramatic from the patient’s perspective. Why should they care? The extra effort spent in content and presentation does make an important difference.