Seat at the Table

The launch of PR Web’s trackback feature and PR Newswire’s del.icio.us deal are helping to break the mindset of the press-release-for-media-first. Their latest features force companies to view releases as content meant for public consumption (not press releases but information releases).  The result is that PR Wires are not just saving themselves, they are creating a whole new purpose and strategy around releases.

PR Web’s announcement that their release service now includes trackbacks is a huge step in this direction. By considering this feature, companies are forced to few their release not as an item primarily for the media but as an official information release meant to be read, and potentially discussed, by the larger public.

How these features evolve remain to be seen (will press releases become tightly integrated into the blogosphere?) and there is plenty of potential for misuse. However, it’s a step in the right direction when these servics push companies to view the press release as an information release that goes directly to the public.