Releasing the Corporate Announcement from Middle Child Syndrome

As the oldest of two children and the mother of two children, I can’t claim to have an inside perspective on the middle child experience. But when I hear my colleagues declaring that “corporate announcements have middle child syndrome” I definitely get the joke. From social content to news media, we are seeing an explosion of two contradictory forms of storytelling: extreme short form exemplified by the success of publications like Axios, or deep dive, in-depth, long-form reporting. Stories that are either snackable or require a commitment, with little in between. This is resulting in the decline of typical one-day news reporting that gives light to announcements of new ventures, new hires, and other corporate developments.??

Many reputation strategists are reacting to the decline in short-form news by eschewing corporate announcements, and their justification echoes a well-worn trope about middle children: “Everybody ignores them.”?Well, I’m here to tell you that whether that statement is directed at middleborns or corporate announcements, it simply isn’t true. First of all, the trade press still covers a healthy amount of corporate news. And those staying up to date through the trades include mainstream reporters who cover your industry, as well as a wide swath of prospective clients and partners. But even when there is zero coverage resulting from the disclosure of material news, it doesn’t mean a there’s lack of impact. Corporate announcements – also known as press releases or news releases – are short-term narratives that occupy a permanent place for your brand in the public domain and provide a long-term benefit to recruiting efforts, valuation, and SEO.?

Cultivating Colleagues?

American companies are in a war for talent. And while those battles are largely won or lost based on compensation, benefits, and corporate reputation, prospective employees are always on the lookout for signs that the company is on the rise and showing signs of momentum.?Earned media is always helpful, but those signs don’t necessarily need to come from the press outlets. A steady cadence of press releases, put out individually and in sequence, can play a pivotal role in that research process and reinforce your value as a potential employer.?

Verifying Value?

Regardless of your capitalization structure, the value others project onto your company will always be relevant. Corporate news announcements help construct the table of contents for the book that tells the story – and establishes the valuation – of your company. When the analysts from venture capital firms, investment banks, and possible acquirers conduct research on your company, even the most perfunctory disclosure is thoroughly digested and factored into their assessment. Patent approval announcements that humanize the technology, partnership news that conveys an upgrade on the food chain, and cogent explanations of downturns and write-offs; the traditional press release continues to be a primary method of getting this kind of information on the record and the potential benefit has no expiration date.?Quite candidly, it's your platform and your opportunity to frame the story in any way that you want. The media can ignore news involving your company, misinterpret it, or use it against you. But a well-crafted news release in the public domain will forever be there to provide awareness, clarification, or rebuttal.??

Solidifying SEO?

No disrespect to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, or USA Today, but Google is really the most important news outlet today. When your news lands on Google, it can be served up to anyone at anytime and for any reason. And although Google’s algorithm may favor news results from legacy publishers at times, it remains a more open environment for promotional content compared to Wikipedia. While Google has gotten wise to those gaming the backlink system and generally dismisses press releases that are clearly stuffed with keywords and URLs, substantive press releases sent over credible newswires can still generate meaningful search engine visibility for brands at key moments.??

The purpose of the corporate announcement has indeed changed. Unless it’s major news, it’s not getting vast coverage. And typically, really big news like high-level mergers and acquisitions tend to get leaked before the press release. In my experience, clients now fall into one of two categories: Those who still want to announce everything, and those who think press releases are a waste of time. I think the answer lies somewhere in the middle. You certainly don't have to announce everything, but silence isn’t always safe because a lack of news can be perceived as a lack of activity or even worse, a lack of momentum. A corporate news release over the wire might not be the sexiest form of communication, but it’s a solid one.?

As for middle children – whose ranks include Abraham Lincoln, Martha Stewart, and Warren Buffet -- there’s plenty of information out there to dispute the unfounded theories applied to them. In “The Secret Power of Middle Children: How Middleborns Can Harness Their Unexpected and Remarkable Abilities,” Dr. Catherine Salmon and Katrin Schumann illustrate how adaptive strategies middleborns develop during childhood translate into stronger friendships, lasting marriages, successful careers, and effective parenting. For more information on their book, click here to read a press release from the year 2011 that I discovered on Google!?