Anyone who’s ever written a press release knows it’s all about the one-two punch:  You want people to read your release, and you want them to act on what they’ve read in some way.  Whether the goal is to solicit media attendance at the grand-opening of your new corporate headquarters, announce the launch of a new line of kids’ organic clothing to generate online sales, or notify the public of contaminated deli meats, the intent of any press release is the same.  Social media has become a driving force in the way we create and publish news, so making press releases more social media friendly is a smart communications tactic.  It’s not difficult, and it opens the door for having your content seen, shared and acted upon by more people.

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The conventional online corporate newsroom is set for some major changes in the next 12 months. Posting press releases solely for your audience’s consumption is a thing of the past, and won’t be enough to compete in this era of content generation and knowledge sharing. The advent of social media has introduced active audience participation via Twitter, Facebook fan page links, sentiment analysis and a raft of other capabilities, and has transformed the newsroom from a passive information source to one that solicits active participation and immediate feedback. We could call this a “Web 2.0 newsroom.” (more…)