EngineWorks

A recent announcement by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proclaims that companies can now use corporate blogs as replacements to traditional press releases.  This development  may enable your business to both save money, and publish official company information in a much more timely manner.

Traditional media press releases have served a purpose beyond just marketing announcements.  The US Securities and Exchange Commission requires public companies to disclose certain financial and business information via traditional press releases in order to satisfy full disclosure requirements.  However, during the past several years, Sun Corporation’s CEO, Jonathan Schwartz, has been lobbying for corporate blogs to serve as a recognized medium to disseminate full disclose information.

The SEC special counsel, Kim McManus, recently outlined guidance on how to use online media outlets, such as corporate blogs, in order to meet full disclosure requirements.  This announcement is a “game changing” development, given that it could spell the end for press releases via traditional media as the exclusive means of meeting SEC requirements.

Online marketing, especially new social media marketing avenues, is giving the SEC a lot of new regulatory issues to think about, as evidenced by this announcement. As you may be aware, social media articles, and optimized press releases, provide effective ways to drive online traffic and capture valuable leads. Now, they can also be used to fulfill the SEC’s regulatory rules, which can potentially save businesses money. Additionally, proper optimization and promotion of your corporate blog offers unique opportunities  to interact with investors and customers.