This case study is a perfect example of why a press release should be your first strategy, not advertising.
100,000 people downloaded this app, and they open it an average of 12 times per day. If you aren’t familiar with mobile ad revenue, this is generating quite a bit of money — enough for most people to live on.
Just a few months ago, I got the chance to work with MyLOL, the #1 dating site for teens in the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK. They needed a press release to announce their newest app, SpotAFriend.
Advertising is obviously a very powerful strategy, but the problem with advertisements is that everyone knows you’re selling something.
A press release, on the other hand, becomes a news story… and people trust those publications more than they trust businesses.
So when we spread the word about SpotAFriend with our press release, people were naturally more engaged. They actually took the time to read about the app, instead of dismissing it out of hand.
More importantly, because security was a concern for this teen meetup app, the age verification software was thoroughly reviewed, putting readers to rest.
That kind of trust just doesn’t come out of an advertisement. Sure, advertorials can be effective, but it’s not just about efficiency… it’s about price.
A single advertorial can cost as much as a press release (or even more).
And while that advertorial is only going to appear in one publication (and requires additional spending for advertising), just one press release can generate five, ten, or twenty stories in multiple different publications.
So if you want the best bang for your buck, a press release can blow away the advertising strategy.
We’re not anti-advertising. (After all, I’m a copywriter.) But too many businesses dismiss press releases altogether and focus on advertising.
In my opinion, you need PR as well as advertising to enjoy a successful campaign, but if you have to choose one, PR is usually the most efficient use of your money.
With the holidays coming up, this is especially true. It’s nearly impossible to compete with the billions of dollars being poured into advertising right now.
But a press release can keep you in front of the competition all season.
To learn how you can stay ahead of the pack, check out our free guide: 3 Ways to Stay Visible in the Blizzard of Holiday Advertising.
Good luck out there!
— Ryan
two potatoes 