You’ve gotten a Google Alert or a Press Hook email notifying you that you’ve been mentioned in the media. Then, you click into the article itself and see a little note next to the publication date: “updated May 5, 2023.” Your heart sinks a little bit, knowing that this may not be a brand-new, shiny press hit that you can plaster all over social media, add to your website, and more. What you really need to know, though, is why updated articles are actually great press opportunities.
While you might think that updated articles aren’t very good opportunities, there are a few reasons why that may not be the case. Here, we’re breaking down some of the things you should know about updated articles, from why articles get updated, to what you should do with the press hit when you see it.
Why do some articles get updated?
There are several reasons that an article may get updated and republished. One is if there’s a mistake or error in the article. That article would generally be updated with the correct information, and may also include an editor’s note explaining the change. Another reason that articles are sometimes updated is because it’s a seasonal piece that you’ll want to run again year after year, but you want to make sure the information is current. In this case, the article might be updated in the lead-up to the holiday or season. A third reason an article may be updated is because it’s popular! Generally speaking, unpopular articles don’t get updated over and over again—popular articles are updated, republished, and re-promoted because they draw eyes to the site. They may be articles from which people shop quite a bit, or just articles that get a lot of page views. Either way, this is a big win for you.
How can you tell if an article is an update?
The dead giveaway that an article has been updated is if it says “updated” next to the date it was updated. While this may not always be the case, many articles that have been updated and republished say so somewhere on the page. Some outlets add a blurb at the bottom of an updated article, telling you when it was originally published. If there’s no indication that an article has been updated on the page itself, you can sometimes tell based on the date that pops up in the meta description when you Google the article or copy and paste the link somewhere (it sometimes pops up in the little preview). If you can’t find any of these details, then it’s likely safe to assume that the article is new.
How should you respond to receiving a press hit in an updated article?
Ultimately, you should handle a press hit from an updated article just as you would any other press coverage. If you haven’t yet, it’s a great idea to send the writer a short thank you, particularly if you have a preexisting relationship with them. Then, promote it on your social media accounts (tagging the writer and outlet). If you haven’t yet added it to a press page on your website, created ads based on the hit, and the like, then now is the time to take advantage of those opportunities as well. The great thing about updates is that you may have already done some of this promotional work when it was initially published, but if you didn’t, it’s not too late to do so. Promoting your press coverage is a critical part of the PR process—don’t skip it!
Press Hook is a great resource to help you navigate your media relations process, whether discerning what to do with a press hit after you get one or if a particular journalist might be the right person to cover your brand. To learn more about how we can help, book a call with our team today.
