Edit This with Steve Gamel

Blogs, Newsletters, Or Press Releases: WHICH ONE DO YOU NEED?

by Steve Gamel, Owner of Edit This

Three popular content writing strategies that help small businesses stand out and reach their intended audience are blogs, newsletters, and press releases.

But which one do YOU need?

A few benefits include:

• Build relationships with clients

• Drive traffic to your website

Technically, you could incorporate one, two – or all three. There’s no rule that says you have to pick just one. • Improve SEO and keywords • Build brand awareness

• Convert visitors into customers

With that said, blogs, newsletters, and press releases each serve a specific purpose in your overall strategy. Using them as they were intended is critical, as is choosing the one that best fits your long-term goals.

What’s a blog?

Blogs are short, informal web articles. You post them to your website (usually under a specific blog tab or page) as often as you like – daily, weekly, monthly, etc. – to share news about your business, ideas, industry trends, educational tips and tricks, fun topics, etc. Blogs are visible to anyone, and the more of them you write consistently, the better.

• Establish business as the authority • Easily sharable on social media

What’s a newsletter?

Think of newsletters as being your company newspaper. You pick the content and send it to whomever you want – clients, email lists, employees, etc. Unlike blogs, most people publish newsletters monthly, quarterly, or even yearly. Also, blogs traditionally focus on one topic (5 tips for hiring the right roofer). Meanwhile, newsletters can cover several snippets of information in separate articles, such as company news, employee updates, educational tips and tricks, special offers, coupons, etc.

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A few benefits include:

• Covering multiple topics in one document

• Staying in touch with clients and contacts

• Providing gentle reminders to customers

• Keeping internal staff informed • Setting you up as the authority on your craft • Fostering deeper relationships

What’s a press release?

Press Releases help you share relevant information about your small business that is happening right now. The goal is to reach a larger audience, so you publish them in news wires, magazines, newspapers, and the like. Maybe you want to announce a new partnership or new hire, a new technology exclusive to your practice, or a recent award. You may be wondering, “Well, can’t I publish this same content on my website as a blog post or as an article in my company newsletter?” Yes, you can do that. But while blog posts are more conversational and informal, and newsletters are limited to a select audience, press releases are more objective, to the point, and newsy. Click the image to read an example.

A few benefits include:

• Keeping people informed • Instant exposure to a broader audience

• Celebrating successes • Brand your company as an industry expert • Boost social media presence • Included links push visitors to your website