BREAKING NEWS: It's Time to Get Rid of Your Website's PR Section

I have some good news for all you marketers and business owners out there looking to make some room in your overcrowded website navigation…

The time has finally come: You can go ahead and get rid of that “Company News” section.

Nobody’s reading it. In fact, a recent analytical report compiled by Chris Scott of Headscape suggests that the fewer than 1% of visitors who DO read your press releases tend to leave your site shortly after.

So there you have it: your company news page – with all its press releases, employee event descriptions, award notifications and job promotion updates – is actually driving your prospects away.

It’s Not You, It’s Me

Here in the 21^st Century, buyers are looking for information. But with so much of it at their fingertips, a random assortment of news clippings just won’t cut it anymore. Today’s buyers want the kind of consultative, educational information that helps to solve their pains and guide them to the right purchase decision. They are in search of fresh, engaging and (this is key) relevant content.

The fact of the matter is: your company news page is all about you. I’m sorry to say it, but your prospects don’t care about you… except when it comes to what you can do for them.

It’s a harsh truth, I know, but as someone who’s had to learn it firsthand, believe me when I say: the sooner you embrace it, the sooner you can turn your website into an inbound marketing, lead magnet and conversion machine.

Old News

So how did we get to this point? Back at the end of the 20^th Century when companies were just starting to become aware of the Internet’s business potential, suddenly everyone wanted a website. The trouble was, no one knew the rules of this new digital environment and so they looked to the past.

As many of you reading this now no doubt recall, most early websites were little more than online brochures that took their cues from traditional broadcast and static print advertising tactics.

As the interactive capabilities of this new media became apparent, companies started looking for more content to populate the seemingly endless virtual space at their disposal. And what better way to tell the world about yourself than by integrating that tried and true PR tactic: the press release.

And so, the company news section was born…but what now?

New News

This should come as no surprise to savvy HubSpot blog readers like yourself but there’s a better way to share news with your audience: by turning the old, outdated broadcast approach to content sharing upside down and embracing an inbound marketing methodology. Here’s how:

1) Press Releases

Instead of listing press releases on your website, use them to drive the right traffic to your website with newswire services that allow you to target your specific industry and demographics.

2) Blog Posts

Instead of announcing mergers and acquisitions, job promotions and other company news in its own section, write a blog post. Just be sure to tell your readers how these exciting changes and events will benefit them.

IMPORTANT: You also need to blog regularly about the topics, questions and concerns that are most relevant to your prospects. If you build up trust in your insightful thought leadership, your readers will be happy to get to know you a little better when the time comes for a post that’s more about you than them.

3) Social Media

Instead of showing pictures of your office holiday party or bring-your-dog-to-work-day on your website, utilize your social media accounts. This is the kind of informal content that social media was made for, after all. Providing this sort of behind-the-scenes look into your business not only adds personality your prospects might value, it can be a great recruiting tool as well.

Good News And Bad News

There are, as we all know, only two kinds of news: the kind that intrigues and engages your audience and the kind that turns your audience away or encourages them to tune you out.

The choice is clear... You can either continue the old, outdated approach of throwing your content away on a company news page or embrace the latest inbound marketing best practices and start creating the kind of news that your prospects use, share and embrace.

For more tips on how to harness the new buyer behavior and embrace 21^st Century news sharing practices, download our free guide below: