Marketing is a complicated issue, and many organisations will gladly help you. The problem is that many firms out there would gladly accept your money for a service that won’t help you much. Press releases are one example of such a service. Press releases are tried-and-true advertising that may be effective in certain circumstances. They’re great for a huge corporation wanting to spread the word about a new product. They could even be appropriate for a mid-sized business trying to break into a new market. However, they aren’t appropriate for a small firm undertaking basic marketing. Unfortunately, many marketing businesses provide press release marketing and make it seem tempting. A similar quirk harms you when it comes to publications like USA Today. When these firms mention USA Today, you immediately think of the main page. Instead, you’ll get a listing in their ads, which is far worse. It’s nearly always the same, no matter how you use press releases. Unless you’re a nationally famous brand, press releases virtually aren’t for you. Perhaps, a few tiny enterprises might be able to do it. Nonetheless, they’re mostly in fast-moving, high-churn areas like cryptocurrency IPOs, which are exclusively distributed through a network of crypto-blogs.

Alternatives to Press Releases for Small Businesses:

1. Livestream Events

Livestreams are a fantastic new method to spread the word about whatever your company wants to advertise. Almost every platform now has a Livestream option; Instagram has Live, Facebook has Facebook Live, YouTube has streaming, Twitch exists, and a variety of business-level streaming services, such as Periscope. Of course, you’ll have to put in some effort to market your Livestream to the appropriate audiences. If it’s a major announcement, you’ll want to generate anticipation around it to attract more attention, but it’s a fantastic alternative. Furthermore, the trick with business-level live streaming is that they don’t have to be live. You may pre-record a video and have it play live at a later time. You can still participate in live chat, but you don’t need to worry about live interactions and engagement through video for something like an announcement.

2. Video Announcements

Many of the same platforms as the live streaming services described above may be used to post video announcements. The most popular is YouTube, but Facebook is also a fantastic option. Videos may be hosted on Twitter, Instagram, and other video sites like Vimeo and DailyMotion. Plus, after the announcement, you can submit your “live” video and leave it up for anyone who wants to look it up for more information. Use brief teaser videos on social media sites like Twitter and Instagram to build anticipation for your live event. Use any suitable streaming platform you wish to host your live event. Then, upload the entire video using conventional video platforms such as YouTube and Facebook. You can upload longer and more elaborate trailers or videos later.

3. Industry Show Attendance

At least a few times a year, several sectors have large trade exhibitions. Make a reservation to attend. Build anticipation ahead of time, and use hashtags for advertising a major performance announcement. Then, when the show takes place, give your report. Attending trade events may be difficult and costly at times. Make sure you’re making a genuine, significant announcement. 

4. Infographic Marketing

Infographics are a terrific method to recycle old blog pieces, but they can also be used to promote something new and exciting. You may also distribute your infographics in a variety of venues. You receive many benefits that people associate with press releases but in a more visible, shareable format. Overall, if you’re ready to spend on the design of an infographic, it’s a strong alternative. Unfortunately, doing them can be fairly expensive, and you want to do them well if you’re using them to advertise yourself.

5. Social Media Campaigns

To some sense, press releases are a relic of a bygone era. They were created to allow businesses to reach out to the press – the media, newspapers, magazines, and other publications – to reach out to common people. Press releases were the greatest method to reach people before the internet when the only way to reach people was by direct mail or periodicals like newspapers. Do you know what the greatest approach to contacting people is these days? Social networking sites! You have direct access to millions of individuals via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms. Sure, you’ll have to spend some money to reach a larger audience, but you can, and it’ll be easier and more successful.