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June 20, 2016

24-7 Press Release Newswire has seen many changes in the press release distribution business over the past 12 years - including the near extinction of the fax. Businesses used to submit a press release to target the media with newsworthy information or a strong story. Things changed with the emergence of Google and online press release distribution.

As the popularity of online search and the emphasis on SEO grew, so did the use of hyper-linked keywords in press releases. This was done because using a press release distribution service (24-7PressRelease.com included) was a great way to get a multitude of high profile back-linked keywords which sent people back to the business' website.

Unfortunately, one negative consequence of the focus on hyperlinks was that the quality of the writing began to diminish. Business viewed getting backlinks to their website as more important than getting media attention in the form of good editorial coverage. It did not take long (it never does) before Google caught on and introduced the likes of Panda and Penguin (major algorithm updates by Google), which essentially placed less emphasis on hyper-linked content. When this happened, the online press release distribution industry came crashing down. Even the bigger players in the press release distribution industry were affected.

But the new paradigm led businesses and the public relations industry to adapt, and quality content again emerged as key to online visibility. We started to hear about the next "big things": content marketing and social media marketing.

You might ask, "What is content marketing?" If you perform a Google search for "What is Content Marketing" (http://ow.ly/m4jg301lhyW), the following explanation comes up, and it appears to be sourced from the influential Content Marketing Institute: "Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience--and ultimately, to drive profitable customer action."

Some of the channels used in content marketing include social media, blog and press releases through a reputable service. 24-7PressRelease.com has seen an uptick in business as companies once again are using press releases, with quality content, to engage their audience. The content we are seeing is not just fluff, its valuable information. Content marketing is becoming more and more prevalent, and businesses are dedicating budgets to support this strategy.

Another strategy we have seen is using a press release to promote an article on a website, and then integrating it with social media to promote both the press release and the article. This is an excellent way to increase your visibility with your target audience. This becomes an exceptional value when your audience begins to share your social information through of Facebook, Twitter or Google Plus.

We have talked a little about this previously, particularly in our article from February of this year titled 'Content Marketing and Your Press Release. Is it a Strategy or a Gimmick?'.

The key to success is valuable content. If you do not provide your audience with high-quality, well written content, content marketing becomes a waste of time. If you commit to consistently curating your brand's message, the rest will follow. Content marketing is not the next new fad--it is here to stay.

What's new at 24-7 Press Release Newswire?
24-7 Press Release Newswire already offers excellent statistical information after your news has been distributed. Some stats we provide include headline impressions, press release views and social media shares. Some of you may have noticed that we have just recently improved on our statistics to show you where in the world people are looking at your press release from.

About 24-7 Press Release Newswire.
A leader in online press release distribution, www.24-7pressrelease.com established in 2004, continues to bring on new customers; not because we offer a fancy new website that looks techy, but because we offer a great valued product. We do not claim to offer the Cadillac solution (we leave that up to the PR Newswires of the world). We also do not offer a Ford Pinto solution. 24-7 Press Release provides excellent, middle of the road, great value press distribution packages which are fair in the pricing.