New SMR builder gets buzz
The public beta version of a free social media release (SMR) builder called PitchEngine is expected to launch tomorrow. Founder Jason Kintzler hopes to differentiate the service from other SMR builders with its free distribution, the blending of SMR and traditional release functions, and new features.
Those features allow PR pros and users to ‘share’ or bookmark the pitch on Facebook and additionally stream a “quickpitch” – a release summary – onto a Twitter and FriendFeed page, as well as embed multimedia so that it appears on the release. The releases are also “comment enabled” to encourage engagement, explained Kintzler.
Future plans for PitchEngine include a feature that will enable journalists to create a personalized profile with targeted pitches through RSS feeds. And PR pros who want to pitch specific journalists will need to ask “permission to pitch.”
Given the recent clashes between bloggers and PR, some in the blogsphere, like Chris Brogan, eagerly embraced the new tool, which debuted as an invite-only alpha version in July.
