It’s a cliché at this point, but nonetheless true: Newsrooms are short-staffed, which means they’re always on the lookout for rich, multimedia content. Luckily for media outlets, PR can offer the stories and immersive experiences that audiences crave. From writing the perfect subject line to using innovative digital methods of distribution, attendees will gain a powerful understanding of the current state of the press release. PressPage is the leading technology provider for social media newsrooms, digital pressrooms and online media hubs.

1. Tom Gubbins
Sales DIrector North America / Senior Newsroom Consultant
t.gubbins@presspage.com
@TomGubbins
The role of an online newsroom in
press release distribution

2. What is an online newsroom?
● Simply put -- it’s where your company’s news lives.
● An active source of press releases, executive info, photos, videos,
etc.
● Your newsroom should be a reporter’s best friend!

3. What are the benefits of a newsroom?
● Allows the creation of a branded press releases (owned channel)
● Makes your website the origin and destination of your press releases
● Allows more effective distribution and amplification
● Stores your full press release archive, including digital assets
● Reduces distribution costs and increases ROI
Some examples...

4. Grabbing media attention
● Dynamic stories to tell, but little to no luck
in interesting the press.
● "We're actually in a media desert, and we
have very limited resources. We have a
very small staff."
● Within 3 months, the newsroom has
enabled the communications team to
successfully interest media and measure
the success of the stories.
● “Spinning gold out of hay”
● Read full article.
Governors State University, Chicago, IL

5. Grabbing media attention
● After six months with an integrated newsroom:
○ News readership quadrupled
○ Facebook page grew by 16 percent, with a
52 percent increase in reach.
● Newsroom strategy
○ “Our online newsroom is the hub for our PR and
marketing efforts. The newsroom allows us to
promote our various forms of content – press
releases, articles, photos, videos, infographics,
SlideShare presentations – via the channels where
our audiences are spending time. It brings readers
back to the newsroom and often to our hospital’s
general website for even more information.”
● Read full article.
Shepherd Center, Atlanta, GA

6. Crisis situations
● Speeds up editorial formatting, adds photos and
videos to press releases in seconds, and shares
campus news on social media networks instantly.
● Quick response to crisis comms…
○ Fast and efficient uploading of press
releases
○ People know where to go
○ Quick peer-2-peer dissemination
● Some results:
○ 182% increase in new visitors
○ 27% increase in social media referrals
○ 82% increase in unique page views
● Read full article.
California State University, San Marcos, CA

7. Reducing costs
● Traditionally press releases were sent out
over the wire services
● Wire services are not that effective
anymore; press release conversion >
earned media
● Press release in newsroom versus wire:
○ No brandjacking
○ Traffic driver
○ SEO
○ No related industry news
○ Easier peer-2-peer distribution /
sharing
● Costs
Wabash National & TransUnion

8. Building your social base
● Traditionally press releases were sent out
over the wire services, excluding all but
journalists.
● With a newsroom, distribution horizons
can be expanded due to social sharing.
● Examples:
○ Shepherd Center: Facebook page
grew by 16 percent.
○ CSUSM: 27% increase in social
media referrals.
○ Marathon: Newsroom assisted in
garnering 3,000 followers on
Facebook, and 34,000 LinkedIn
users.
Shepherd Center, Marathon Petroleum, CSUSM

9. Improved ROI
● Marathon Petroleum
Newsroom analytics show that 15-20
percent of the people exposed to a given
post follow through to the newsroom, and
they spend an average of 1.5 to 2.1
minutes reading the press release. Plus,
people are going on to explore the rest of
the site.
● H&R Block
In January this year, overall sessions
were up 12.35 percent compared with the
same month in 2015. All engagement
numbers have increased, among them
sessions, page views and time spent on
the site.
Marathon Petroleum, H&R Block