Press releases need to be newsworthy. Press releases need an “angle” that catches the eye of a reporter. Every company should be putting out press releases we’re told, and if they are lacking interesting news or an obvious “angle” they should create one. But why? Why add more unnecessary words to the pile of “stories” and “news” on an Editors desk? Most of it ends up in the trash anyway. In the same vein, why add more unnecessary words, bits and content to the Internet. Unlike our own desktops you can’t throw away all the useless information and it just keeps piling up. Yes, some companies (like Google) will profit by helping sort out the treasure from the garbage, but why encourage so much garbage and store it for people at no charge in the first place?
With all the benefits of technology and the Internet in distributing information far and wide often businesses don’t notice the growing littering problem or the fact that they are contributing to it. AI written content is only going to blast the content litter problem into the stratosphere. Anyone, anywhere can now write an article, a press release, a blog, a Tweet, an update on Facebook, an e-mail… and publish it instantly (and free) on-line for the world to see. You don’t even need to write it yourself anymore just plug in a title and boom.
The quality of the writing and whether anyone is looking for the information doesn’t seem to matter. As a business this communication bonanza can be the equivalent of printing up thousands of ad flyers and throwing them out the window of your car as you drive along the highway. Sure, someone might pick one up off the ground and read it but it’s still littering, and it’s still perceived as garbage.
Websticker is a small business and like every other business we’re told we should be Tweeting, writing articles, and distributing press releases. But, we need to consider the value of our time and value of the news and information we want to share. I write this Blog and think it is an excellent exercise for me to consistently research, write and think about marketing and custom stickers. I believe the Blog is of value to readers and people interested in these topics and perhaps might lead a few people to our company. Sometimes my writing may lead to an article idea, Facebook comment, or even a press release. But writing, publishing, e-mailing, talking… for the sake of just keeping our name out there without any new or valuable information is counterproductive in the long run and adds to the clutter of an already cluttered World. Yes, we have a story to tell (everyone should) about who we are and what we can do, but that story can be undermined just as easily as it can be supported by social media, articles and bad communication.
I have absolutely nothing I need, or you need me, to Tweet right now. I currently don’t have any breaking news or controversial ideas worthy of catching the eye of the press. When I have something of value to say I can do it on this Blog or our website. In my opinion Facebook has made it so easy to connect and “like” stuff they are diluting the overall value of all communications – they are creating more virtual garbage. Facebook and Twitter run the risk that at some point people look around and realize they no longer are more connected with friends, family and communities they are actually standing in a dumping ground of useless information. More badly written press releases and articles piling up on the Web that no one wants to read creates a similar virtual dumping ground.
So, how do you write and distribute information on-line without adding to the noise and “garbage”? Write as much and as often as you can and publish the best of it on a blog. Use a social network for quicker thoughts, news, and links relevant to your industry. From consistent writing will come ideas for articles worth publishing, press releases of value, and even books. Just don’t force writing out onto the Internet through every available channel for the sake of name “visibility” and search rankings. As has always been the case, you need to create valuable and helpful content to start a relationship and conversation with readers and searchers. Mass producing keyword content that you throw anywhere and everywhere on the Internet is not smart marketing – it’s just littering.
Keep on blogging man!