The concept of “fake news” casts a dark shadow these days. With stories and fears of hacking, information tampering, and other elements designed to create what is commonly referred to as disinformation, people are finding it difficult to trust what they read. Disinformation is something that more people understand now than perhaps at any other time in history. Many of us find ourselves struggling to maintain an understanding of what we can trust, and what should give us pause.
Believe it or not, but this is a subject in which the press release can prove to be invaluable. As concerns over disinformation mount, it is easy to appreciate the PR’s potential to cut through the static, and get right to the heart of the matter.
What is the press release’s role in fighting disinformation? As you will soon discover, the role it plays is a vital one on a number of levels.
How Press Releases Fight Disinformation
Social media seems to be particularly plagued by disinformation. How many hoaxes have you encountered on Facebook in the past year? How many of them were very clearly designed to be observed as legitimate news from legitimate sources? This has created a lot of headaches for journalists and others. Again, this is where the press release can be of tremendous use in setting the record straight.
Yes, it is certainly possible to use a press release for disingenuous purposes. However, this is virtually impossible when your press release goes through the proper channels. By this, we mean that it is sent out to the leading, most-trusted news sources that are relevant to your business. This is what you get with working alongside a PR firm. If your press release sparks interest from these media sources, it will likely make the rounds on social media. In a landscape seemingly overwhelmed with fake news stories, your press release will quite possibly be treated as a beacon of hope.
More and more people are doing their research these days, in order to know without question that the material they are engaging is legitimate. If you go through the proper channels for a press release that actually has something to say, people are going to check up on whether your information is genuine. When they discover that to be the case, you in turn will have the chance to dramatically enhance your authority.
In other words, a good press release will benefit just about everything.
Fighting Fake News with Real Press Releases
Fake news probably isn’t going to leave our world anytime soon. If anything, it will become more insidious and difficult to recognize. Once again, press releases can prove to be invaluable at evening out the playing field as much as humanly possible. A press release can work to establish trust in an uncertain world. Being able to do that from the perspective of your business benefits not just your company, but the world at large.
Working with a PR firm can ensure your press release is created correctly and distributed through channels that people still trust.
