Content-Savvy Marketers Combine Social and Traditional PR

MENLO PARK, CA--(Marketwire - Aug 1, 2011) - TGPR (www.tgprllc.com), the unconventional PR services firm, released the results of its 2011 Hype Report today, bringing into focus the latest PR methodologies of early stage software and hardware companies. For the fourth consecutive quarter, TGPR researched the use of traditional PR tactics such as press releases and contributed articles by marketers, while taking a close look at the manner in which social media tools like Facebook and Twitter are being deployed. The results paint a vivid view of social media emergence, and traditional PR resurgence.

Among the most telling stats:

• The number of Facebook posts increased nearly 90% from Q1 2011 to Q2 2011
• The number of Twitter posts increased almost 50% for the same period
• Companies profiled by TGPR posted an average of 134 tweets each in Q2 2011
• Twitter users followed 80,000 people and were followed by more than 60,000 people
• Companies issued an average of 5.5 press releases each in Q2 2011, a jump from 3.7 in Q2 2010
• Profiled companies secured 19 contributed articles in Q2 2011 -- 18 more than in Q2 2010

"The mix of companies we're researching has changed, but the trend toward more social and traditional PR has not," said Kevin Wolf, founder and president of TGPR. "Unsurprisingly, early stage software and hardware companies continue to expand their use of social media, while ramping up PR in general. We attribute the growth to overall economic improvement, increased venture capital investment in startup technology companies, amazing developments in the area of consumer and enterprise technology, and widespread understanding that PR is critical to every marketing plan. We're confident that use of social and traditional PR will grow, even as companies search for the best budget/resource combination."

About TGPR
Founded in 2002, TGPR, LLC is an unconventional PR services firm based in Menlo Park, California. Its business model, which eliminates the need for a fixed monthly budget or long-term agreement, is unique in Silicon Valley. TGPR offers services ranging from social media management and content development to customer reference programs and media relations. TGPR clients are primarily early stage software and hardware vendors in North America, Europe and Asia.