May 6, 2010
Credit Union Management’s online-only “PR Insight” column runs the first Thursday of every month.
At my first public relations job, I stood in front of the fax machine for hours sending press releases to publication, radio and TV newsrooms. I was trying to get company news and information to as many outlets as possible, which meant faxing, mailing and phoning.
Since then, e-mail has made one-way communication (such as sending out press releases) easier and two-way electronic communication (such as having a dialog with reporters and editors) with the media possible. News distribution can now be better directed to a specific editor or reporter, and your PR team can quickly answer media inquiries and share additional information, such as photos, documents and Web sites.
In today’s world of social media platforms and news Web sites, we have more press release distribution options than ever before. We are also making our news more accessible to media as well as employees, members and partners. But where do we begin?
Once you have identified your credit union's keywords and written your press release 2.0, your PR team should consider the below options in its social media news distribution planning.
NOTE: Consider any information posted on the Internet to be permanent and viewable by anyone and everyone.
Your Own Web Site
First and foremost, your credit union’s news should be posted to your own Web site. You will want to use this link in all your social media outreach, so interested members or media can find their way back to your site for more information.
Tweeting is best for news that can be shared in less than 140 characters, including a shortened link back to your Web site. If you decide to tweet your news, we suggest:
- following other industry professionals, members of the media, competitors, customers, prospects, etc.;
- using Twitter tools (i.e., TweetDeck, HootSuite) to help manage Twitter;
- posting your news with a link to where the press release can be read in full;
- searching your credit union name and other keywords daily;
- responding to retweets and direct messages; and
- being prepared for comments that could be positive or negative.
Facebook is ideal for sharing credit union news and successes with employees, members, partners and the media. Post information about new hires and announce special events. Unlike Twitter, Facebook does not have a character limit in posting, but we recommend keeping your news sharing brief and encouraging readers back to your Web site for more. If you plan to post your news to Facebook, you should also:
- Understand that fans can comment on your posting. For the most part, you can expect positive feedback, but be aware that negative comments can be posted as well.
- Post your credit union’s news within 24 hours of the initial issue date/time. Your fans are monitoring Facebook constantly, so news can quickly become stale.
Web Posting, News Sharing Sites
Web sites such as www.dbusiness.com, www.creditunions.com and http://www.CUinsight.com/ are dedicated to aggregating and sharing news. Submitting your news to these sites is quick, easy and helps you spread credit union information. Posting news to these sites also garners immediate results from distribution, which may or may not have been gained from wire service distribution. If distribute your press release on a news sharing site, we suggest:
- being selective—limit distribution to a few, valuable sites; and
- avoiding sites that do not match your target audience and that are not well read.
Newsletters
Electronic newsletters help keep credit union employees, members and partners abreast of company events, product improvements, employee recognition and news. Since newsletters often have a more personal tone than news announcements, we suggest:
- repurposing news content to suit newsletter tone—avoid copying and pasting releases;
- providing links back to the original press release on your credit union’s Web site;
- matching the news you include to the audience receiving the newsletter; and
- making the newsletter available on your intranet and Web site.
Our communication options – whether you are on the marketing or PR team at a credit union – have grown significantly over the past few years. They have grown so much, however, that it can seem overwhelming or difficult to identify the right outlets for the right type of news. The above online outlets should become part of your everyday communication mix. The more comfortable you become with each outlet, the easier distribution will be … and the more people will see your positive credit union news.
Elizabeth McMillan, APR, is an account director for William Mills Agency, the nation’s largest independent financial services and technology public relations firm. Follow William Mills Agency on Twitter and check out the company’s FinTech Marketing blog.
