The press release, back and powerful as ever

With the emergence of social media as a powerful marketing tool to be harnessed, content creation has become an essential part when putting together a social media strategy. This is where an old tool, the press release, has returned with fresh purpose. Press releases allow us the controlled ability to surround ourselves and/or our business with news. A press release can be an inexpensive way of creating brand awareness but it does take time to put yourself in the minds of your audience and make sure you deliver something with value that is worth reading as well as sharing. This is where social media comes in as a vehicle with the potential to spread your message wide and far. Social media thrives on new content and a press release about your company, team news, or upcoming events are just the thing to start a conversation with your audience. Social media marketing is not the only place where press releases are providing new value to your company's marketing strategy, it also gives you some control of your appearance in search and your search engine rankings. Targeted keywords in press releases for services you offer help your online marketing efforts to be discovered via search engines. Press releases also allow you to use backlinks or anchor texts that lead to another page, preferably to your website or landing pages. Writing press releases allow your company to move up the search rankings. When you first meet people and they do their due diligence, they search you and press releases help them find your company. If they find you in enough places, they will begin to remember who you are. Remember when writing your press release that you make sure to include your name or your company's name in the title. This is one tip that will improve your chances that your press release will be one of the results listed on the first page for your name or your company's name. Eric Wilson is the director of social media at the New England Real Estate Journal, Norwell, Mass.