Press Release Services VS Pitch — Which is More Beneficial to Marketing

The press release has always been one of the major factors behind the growth of a business or a brand. However, in recent days, some negative things are being said about the necessity of press releases. And a pitch, on the other hand, has risen to the occasion on providing a brief introduction. To say the least, it can be mentioned that both these tools are different and bring in different advantages. Press release services are still being preferred for marketing, while pitches are playing other significant roles in the growth. Small business owners or entrepreneurs need to use both the tools to their benefit and need to be pretty smart while implementing the effects.

The difference between press release and pitch has been going on in the industry of marketing since the coinage of the terms. And, the recent publication of the quotation ‘press release services are dead’, has stirred up this rivalry again. However, this fact is not at all true as a press release is still a major contributor to online marketing strategies. This comparison has led the entrepreneurs towards the dilemma of whether to go for a pitch or a PR to make the audience aware of the things to be introduced. A wrong decision can cost a lot of time and energy, and therefore it is very important to get detailed knowledge about both the tools.
Well, let’s start from the very basic and that is the definition.

Pitch

A pitch can be termed as the compact version of a press release. A pitch contains just the enough amount of information that is needed to allure the audience. It is exciting enough to instigate the audience and ultimately leading them to read the entire story for all the information. Through a pitch, the answers to all the Who, Where, When, What, and Why, get provided but completely on the surface level, not reaching the depth of the content. It is kind of a teaser to the press release, which contains all the required information.

Press Release

A press release is nothing but an online news release that is used to make some announcements or making people aware of something newsworthy. Written in the third person, a press release not only provides answers to all the Who, Where, When, What, and Why, but also the complete information about the concerned content. However, it is not the complete story, but a well-designed presentation of all the facts.

The content of a pitch

A pitch must always contain some details about the service or product on which the content is based or about a person, and certainly why the audience needs to and where to read the entire story related to the content. One can also use this tool to make comments on news related to the respective industry. Through a pitch, one can provide a writer with the reasons of getting picked for comments, such as proficiency in that particular sector.

The content of a press release

An appealing or effective press release must always consist of an alluring headline, a group of sentences that provide the readers with all the needed information, leading to a more detailed version of a pitch.

The uses of a pitch

A pitch covers a whole lot of areas regarding online marketing strategies, but in a way which is kind of a more summarized version of a press release.

A pitch can be beneficial if one is looking to share his/her company’s stories, share tips or some certain services and products, and present oneself as an expert. It can also be used to introduce one’s brand for wider press coverage or hook on to a trendy topic as well as provide information about the said topic.

The uses of a press release

Being a more illustrated version of a pitch, a press release can be used to bring in a lot of benefits to the owner of the content.
Not only has a press release helped in sharing a story, but also in creating a buzz around it. One can make people aware of the launch of new services or products of one’s business or brand. It can also be used as a statement of a survey or result of new experiments. Also, if a company gets recognized in its field of interest, a press release can be used to make the customers know about it, in order to attract more consumers. The content can also pivot a big announcement or the launch of an important event. As press releases are SEO friendly, it can help people find you or your brand through Google.

The differences

Having provided with all the basics of both pitch and press release, now it is time for the actual differences.
As mentioned above a pitch provides the brief of Who, Where, When, What, and Why, but a press release offers detailed content about the same. Being a teaser or a trailer, a pitch is constructed with minimal information, serving just the borderline information, instigating enough to catch the eye of the audience. It is used to reveal very few details regarding the demonstration of a product or a service, or whatever new is coming up with the owner or the owner’s brand. On the other hand, unlike a pitch, a press release is a published content, which provides the readers with all the information that the audience must know.

The relation between a pitch and the story is equivalent to that between a cover letter and the resume. Through a pitch, one just wants the story to get noticed or picked by a journalist. On the other hand, a well-structured press release is a story that the audience is looking for. It helps in reaching a wider audience compared to other tools. Since it is SEO friendly, it also helps in the owner’s website appearing at a higher rank on the search engine results. This leads to increased online traffic and ultimately increased sales. Press releases have always been one of the key role players in the industry of online marketing and have helped many people and brands reach their respective goals. This is exactly why the need for press releases hasn’t ended yet.

While drawing an overall comparison, it can be said that both the tools are necessary for promotional strategies. While crafting a pitch, one must always make sure that it isn’t long, which ultimately kills the reason for its invention. However, on the contrary, a press release must always be filled with all the information that is needed to attract the audience or make them aware of something. One must always maintain a fine balance between both the tools, one of which will help get greater press coverage and the other will help in letting the people know that whenever there is a need, there is someone who can be contacted for detailed information on the respective topic.