It is commonly known that press releases are a form of propaganda. But re-publishing them on your website may show your customers how are you attempting to spin the media?!
The Web is where we go because we neither believe the hype nor like being spun. The Web is the land of the thinking and researching customer. So, why do so many organizations still publish press releases?
Have you visited the US Department of State website recently? You will find a huge picture of the Secretary of State attached to a video of her greatest achievement. Not escaping another smaller picture somewhere on the side.
The government is not alone in its amateur hand-fisted attempts at using the Web for propaganda and electioneering (even when there is no election). Vanity publishing is alive and well on most of the government websites.
Press releases are released to the press in the hope of generating media coverage. A website is another form of publication. Any website editor should first and foremost review the press release and, if there is something interesting in it, link to it.
Why do you think any press release always begins with the name of the organization? Existence. They need to exist among the vast number of press releases. Journalists usually search for a specific press release based on the organization name.
Nevertheless, why you should never ever start a web heading with the name of your organization? Because the customer is already there at your website, they know who you are.
Why press releases usually have a couple of background paragraphs? Only to give the journalist some credibility for the press release. This is not the case when it comes to your website, the credibility has already been established and including such paragraph is an absolute waste of time.
Why pretty much most press releases begin with “Today”? Because they are like milk, if not consumed quickly, it will go bad. On the same token, how do you think a press release with “Today” in its text reads tomorrow, next week or even next month?!!
Bismarck has always said that you should never see how sausages and laws are made. The press release shows customers how the story is being made. In fact it shows how the organization is trying to spin the media. The press release primary function is behind-the-scenes. It was never meant to see the light of day.
On the other hand, the Web is not where you announce, it is where you do. For example: How should you use your website to launch a new program aimed to encourage women over fifty to get screened for breast cancer? Make it fast and easy to sign up for such screening.
When people arrive at your website, you already have their attention. They already trust you. Let them do what they came to your website to do and do not distract them with anything else.