What is a Social Media News Release?
A Social Media News Release, or Multimedia News Release, is a press release designed for the online world. A Social Media News Release (SMNR) includes hyperlinks that make it easy to find out more information about a story or organization with a click of a button. SMNRs can easily be discovered through search engines like Google, Yahoo!, etc. These releases can include high-resolution photos/graphics, video, and audio components. When you think SMNR, think of a news release, but one made for the Web and filled with media. Compared to a typical paper press release a social media news release can typically be seen by anyone. With this in mind it is important that SMNRs are carefully formatted to inform not only journalists but bloggers and the overall public as well. According to Smart Blog social media news releases should be written for real people, search engines, and social networking sites. In my opinion a social media news release is a news release that is better formated for reaching today’s “social media crazy” world.
What are the advantages & disadvantages of a SMNR?
Advantages
- SMNRs are believed by many to have a wider range of coverage.
They are more accessible if online, giving them a wider window of coverage.
- SMNRs are more entertaining.
The possibility of video and audio components makes the information much more entertaining. Most people would much rather watch a video on the information than read paragraph after paragraph about it.
- SMNRS are “reader-friendly”.
- SMNRS should be more visually pleasing than normal news release.
- SMNRs allow for interaction.
- SMNRS use the multimedia! (which people seem to love).
Disadvantages
Cost- SMNRs can get pretty expensive.
Doesn’t work well in trying to reach “social media-illiterate” audiences.
When should a PR Practitioner consider using a SMNR?
A PR practitioner should consider using a social media news release when they have a story or an announcement that they think would be interesting/valuable to social media audiences and The Web. SMNRs can be used to make an organization and its information easily accessible and easy to share via social networking and media.
For help creating a SMNR visit these sites:
Copy Blogger’s post on Social Media Press Releases and Riffs, Tiffs, and What Ifs:Social Media News Releases.
Here is an example of an SMNR I found on PRUNDERGROUND:
For another example check out this SMNR by CIPR.
Tips for creating an SMNR:
- Don’t go link crazy – too many links could draw focus away from message.
- Distribute the release through a service that carries hyperlinks to downstream sites such as Yahoo!, AOL News, and Netscape.
- Use links to reinforce your message.
- Use social networking widgets
- Make your release easy to fin via search engines.
- Use bullet points and white space.
- Make them look neat and “fresh”.
- Provide Resource Links
Check out this SMNR by COLOUR that I thought did a nice job in the neat/ visually pleasing department.
Other Sources:
Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques-6th Edition- Wilcox, D.
Getting Started 
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