A Guide to Optimizing Public Relations Content

This guide to "SEOing" your PR efforts can help you get high-ranking search results for your press releases, marketing white papers and ezine newsletter content. Whether you are managing PR efforts for several online companies or just one website, you've probably wondered how you can increase your sites (more importantly, your work) overall impact in the Web community. While the answer lies less and less on traditional forms of promotion such as press releases, learning the tricks of the trade to qualifying for top search engine placement could be the most important thing you ever do for your company.

So how do you help generate visits to your website? By optimizing website content such as press releases, marketing white papers and ezine newsletter content you can increase the chances that potential visitors select your site from search engines. The reason (which you will learn how to do in this article) is because you will using alternate keywords and key phrases that are related to your business or service that are outside of the most popular terms that your search engine optimizer should be striving for, and your advertising efforts should be bringing in through bid for placement campaigns.

Identify Your Target Audience:

While traditional PR teaches us that it is wise to focus our efforts on reaching journalists, editors and producers (members of the media), effective online PR make us focus on reaching the "public" directly. If you provide a specialized product or service, web users may not know you exist if you don't appear in the search engines. If your search engine optimizer can't get a number one listing for the hot keyword for your site, don't worry, you literally have thousands of other keyword and key phrase options to choose from to generate publicity.

As a PR person, you probably have hundreds of articles, reviews or press releases about your company's specific products or services. The best thing you can do with them is to identify which audience is best suited to that content and be as specific as possible. This is typically called a "segmentation strategy." While the media should continue to be one of these "segments" don't eliminate the larger "segment" of general web users. These are prospects for your products and services and are searching with innumerable variations of keywords, many of which should be contained within your PR materials like press releases.

By actively segmenting your users into groups, the users you are attempting to attract are actively seeking information about products and services, which is exactly what you are providing with articles, newsletters, reviews and white papers. These readers will eventually be ready to buy from your site if you are selling what they are looking for!

Researching Your Keywords

Whether you realize it or not, there are probably thousands of keywords and keyword phrases that people might use to find information about the products or services that you provide. Since you have already segmented your potential audiences, a little research never hurt anybody. So sit down, find your competitors and see what keywords they are promoting their site with. You might also want to use popular keyword suggestion tools provided by bid for placement search engines such as Overture or 7Search.com. You will quickly discover the most searched words or phrases that people are actually using. Start with general descriptions of your services and move on to two or three word phrases. The more general your terms are, the more competition there will be for them. So instead of the keyword "Public Relations," how about "public relations firms in Chicago?" Instead of "baby gifts" how about "unique baby shower gift ideas." Picking more specific key phrases can increase your chances of driving quality traffic and generating buzz about your product. Use these targeted terms in your press releases, articles and white papers; better yet, use one targeted term and its derivatives in one article each and make the most of all your keywords and all your articles at once! Also, make sure the content reflects the audience segments you identified.

The Hack's Guide to SEO

SEO is complex and requires expertise to be truly successful, unless of course you follow this simple overall guide to optimizing your PR content. There are literally hundreds of guidelines that must be abided by that you should at some point try to understand. The first is to make sure the words that people use to find your product or service are included in your page and its content. These pages need to be useful, information rich and clearly and accurately describe your content. Then position the keywords (that's optimization). Make sure that the keywords and key phrases you have researched appear in important positions on your website. Each page's title tag is unique and should be as important to you as the headline of the press release posted on your page. Remember that optimization does not mean stuffing your meta-tags with every single keyword and key-phrase. Appropriateness is more important that quantity in this case. Make sure those keywords are relevant to the content appearing in your pages and that they appear high in the body copy of your page. When you think about it, these same "Inverted Pyramid" principles of press release writing should be used when you optimize your content: keep the good stuff at the top, just in case your visitor loses interest. Keep in mind that pronouns are just "dead weight" to search engine spiders so enter your press release "it." "its," and "ours" with specific keywords or keyword phrases for each page of content.

Go Promote!

It's what you do best so go do it! Share your press release, articles, white paper and Ezine with as many people as you can. Since every major search engine uses links as part of its ranking algorithm, you can improve how well these newly created page rank if they get a lot of quality inbound links from other sites. Ask other PR webmasters like you for reciprocal links, submit articles to article directories, and get a professional SEO to submit your hundreds of newly optimized PR content pages!

The End


By Peter Prestipino

Building The Best Network

If you want to succeed, build a great team. A great team multiplies your prospects for success; it enables you to form relationships with powerful people who can make your dreams come true. A great network supports your strengths, fills in your weaknesses and allows you to d build on your teammates' accomplishments. When you have a great team, people assume that you are great and will stand in line to get to know you, do business with you, and help you. They will also be delighted to pay your price.

Okay, so you understand the value of a strong network. Now, how do you get started in building a great network?

Well, unless you've been living in total seclusion, you already have a network in place. And your network is probably more extensive than you realize. It may not be a great network yet, but it's a beginning and a place from which to build. Your network most likely consists of your family, friends, schoolmates and business associates. It includes people with whom you've conducted business, socialized or otherwise interacted. In addition, the members of your network members' networks are also members of your network. Therefore, if your accountant is a member of your network, so are all the members of your accountant's network.

To build great networks, you need great people: great lawyers, doctors, dentists, accounts, insurance agents, friends, etc. If a disaster arose in the middle of the night, whom would you call? Can you count on him/her? Would he/she solve your problem? If a disaster arose in the middle of the night, who would call you? How could you help? Could they count on you?

If you want to build a great network, you must continually expand and upgrade your existing network. Everything always changes and what constitutes a great network today, could be less than great tomorrow. Network members drop out and lose interest: they change businesses, interests, and their lives and so will you. In networking, expanding and upgrading is a never-ending process: heads of states, CEOs, established leaders at every strata of society are constantly seeking to find the best people and incorporate them into their networks, add them to their teams. So the process of expanding and upgrading never stops; it's what building a network is about.

To expand and upgrade your network requires focus. Once you realize that you have a network, it's time sharpen your focus and begin to see with new eyes. Continually look for new and better network members and search for links that tie your network members with virtually everyone you meet and everything you experience. Search for opportunities for your network members and help them reach their goals.

Follow the example of the successful people in your life. Have you noticed how frequently they take new information and relate it to their particular area of expertise? Have you observed that writers tend to see everything as material for potential stories, financiers always look at the bottom line, publicists think about promotional possibilities, comics turn everything into humor, lawyers probe for hidden liabilities and medical workers zero in on health?

Well, successful networkers operate on the same principle. They're obsessed with connections and instinctively search for them. Accomplished networkers see the world in terms of leads, contacts, and opportunities that will bring them closer to network relationships. They view the world optimistically and see every possibility as an opening that could lead them to their pot of gold.

Examine how the successful people you know process new information. Then apply their methods to your situation.

In most cases, your contacts have been around for quite a while. However, you confined them to specific niches. To you they were friends, family, business associates, or service people, not potential network contacts. When you expand your awareness to see those around you also as members of your network, you can refine your networking focus.

Focus on networking. Practice honing your networking focus until it becomes a highly-developed skill. Begin by:

* Asking yourself if people you know, meet or hear about could help you network.

* Clarifying precisely how these people could help. For example, introduce you to the mayor, recommend you for the membership in the garden club or inform you where they found their antique Venetian carnival masks.

* Find out what places and events would be worth attending to expand your contacts.

* Question how you can make the best use of information to connect you with your targets.

Developing networking focus isn't difficult and before long, it will become second nature. Work to get it down pat because the ability to focus sharply is a priceless skill that will bring you rewards for the rest of your life.

By Jill Lublin

Make the Media Your Friend

The media (newspaper, radio, television) can be of enormous help to the small and home based business. So, it is very important that you develop a relationship with them.

When you first start your business, inform your local newspaper by using a press release that you are starting a new business. Almost all newspapers have a section which announces new businesses. So check out that section, call the newspaper and ask who you would send your release to and in what format they want the information.

When your business is doing something special for the community be sure to inform the media. Newspapers and radio stations love to get local stories. Just be sure it is newsworthy, and don't overuse it. Always check to see who to send your information to and what format they need. Never blindly send out a release.

Are there trade magazines in your business area? If so, do up a release on your new business. Or if you are an existing business, send a press release on a new product or service.

Another way to work with the media is to write a column. Go to a local paper, no matter how small, and offer to write a column on your area of expertise or on business in general. Don't ask to be paid for it, and promise not to promote your company. You won't need to - your byline, words (and maybe even photograph) will do that.

Just recently we did a review for a former newspaper publisher on his book on how to write a press release and generally dealing with the media. He's promised us a finished copy. Once we get it and re-read it, we'll let you know more.

So develop a relationship with the media, and watch your business soar.

Copyright DeFiore Enterprises 2002

Ramp Up Your Newsletter to Build a Strong Business

To survive in business, you've got to focus your attention on the areas that will guarantee you success. Your clients are your greatest asset. Taking the time to educate them and connect with them will pay big dividends over the long haul. There are lots of ways to spend your marketing dollars. But I've found that the number one most effective marketing tool around is a newsletter. This is the perfect time of year to fine tune - or develop - yours.

Hey! It's good news! What sets your newsletter apart from all the other stuff that comes across your clients threshold everyday is that a newsletter is perceived as good news. Think about it, the stuff in the newspaper is general pretty dismal. The rest of the stuff in the mail is either advertisements or bills. Take advantage of that perception of your newsletter being something good.

Please don't insult your clients' intelligence by cloaking a hard sell as a newsletter. Marketing surveys across the country have shown that newsletters are very well-received and the best way to stay in touch with your clientele. Make your message, and your practice, stand above the rest by making each issue interesting and informative.

More education equals more work for you Your clients probably have very little idea what all you do. Your newsletter is the perfect forum to raise their understanding and appreciation of the advantages of your services. By just elevating their awareness of the scope of your expertise, your laying the ground work for future business.

There's another added benefit that bares mentioning. When your clients know more about what you do, they talk about it to their friends. A personal referral is ten times more valuable than someone that responds to an ad. They're already prescreened and warmed up for you.The other plus of this educational approach to your newsletter is that it reminds your clients that they need your services. With so many distractions in our world today, things that are important tend to slip into the background. Each issue you send gently reminds them of the importance of your services

.Just because I said that you shouldn't use your newsletter for a hard sell doesn't mean that you shouldn't use it for promoting gift certificates or special offers or rewards for referring new business. It's the perfect place to unveil new services.

Above all else - reflect professionalism Never forget that your newsletter acts as your representative to all that see it. People who may have never met you personally will make judgments about your services solely by what they think of your newsletter.

Each issue may get saved and passed onto friends and associates. These are introductions to you services. They must make a high-quality presentation. Take some time to get the look and feel right. If you're using a word processing program, for example, to produce your newsletter, you're really selling yourself short. That may have worked all right 15 years ago, but in today's reality it's just not going to give you a professional looking piece. Of course, since I run a newsletter design service, I'm going to tell you to seek out the services of a professional - but that would be a sort of hard sell. At least, collect some examples of newsletters that you like and use them as guides.

The number one problem most people have when doing their own newsletter is to stress over content and then put too much into each issue. A good rule of thumb for a standard 4-page newsletter is three articles of 500 - 700 words. Be sure to work in some higher quality graphics to break up the text. Never, never, never use graphics that you've down loaded from the web. Their resolution is much too low to be of any worth in print. They'll just make your newsletter look tacky and low end.

Make the commitment When you send your newsletter consistently, it communicates to your clients that you're professional. You're establishing a presence and it says that you plan on being there for them in the future. This is guaranteed to help you build a stronger business that's not overly affected by outside economic factors.

This article was written by Barbara Saunders, owner of Newsletter Associates, a complete newsletter service helping companies and organizations build their relationships to fuel their business. For more information, visit www.newsletters-inc.com. (c) 2004 Barbara Saunders. All right reserved.

Newsletter Associates is run by Barbara Saunders

Seven Tips To Get Your Press Release Noticed

If you're seeking to promote yourself or your new business on a limited budget, you probably cannot afford the benefit of hiring a public relations agency to work on your behalf - at least not in the beginning.

You've probably spent considerable money to get to the point of your grand opening or new product release, which could easily fail if nobody cares that you exist.

The cost of hiring a marketing professional is usually worth your money as what you're ultimately purchasing is results. In theory if they don't deliver, you don't pay.

However, there are no guarantees. It is probably easier, less time consuming and less stressful, to pay a professional to perform this work for you. But if you don't have a lot of cash as you start out in business, you can still get people and publications to notice you without spending a fortune to hire a public relations agency.

If you've been down the solo road of self-promotion in the past and were not satisified with the final results of your "PR" efforts, you are not alone.

Does the following scenario sound familiar to you?

You developed an innovative service or produced an incredible product. You did your homework on how to write an effective press release. (And it sounded so easy...)

You followed the standard directions to compile your targetted media list and distribute your announcement according to their preferred guidelines. (And it seemed simple enough...)

You invested in some stamps, paid to use a public fax machine or formatted your release for email submission. You finally got to the point of sending it off to dozens of online and offline publications.

You relaxed for a few days, figuring you'd better store up some energy, to field your anticipated flood of calls from editors anxious to interview you to get more details about the exciting offer outlined in your press release.

A week, maybe two weeks, passed and you were still staring at your phone waiting for it to ring...

You could wait another month or two for the sweet sound of some unknown editor's voice to surprise you on the other end of the phone.

Chances are you'll continue to hear your mother or ex-husband talking when you pick up the phone and won't that just do wonders for your hope and self-esteem?

If there is a positive aspect of this experience, it may be the knowledge that you are not alone.

Regardless of how remarkable your new offer is or how perfect your press release is, the results of your efforts to promote it to publications may not please you to say the least.

Why didn't your press release produce the outcome you expected?

There's a few possible reasons and facts about publications, editors and press releases.

Most editors get hundreds of press releases every week. Seldom do they have the time to read every single announcement.

Some press releases don't stand a chance of being read depending on the editor. If they do not immediately recognize the contact name or the headline does not scream success at them or if they're just having a bad day, your hard work hits the trash without a second thought.

Sometimes your press release never even makes it to the correct editor. It may get stuck in the fax machine or the mail room may accidentally deliver it to the circulation department. It may be at the bottom of a stack of unrelated faxes or letters and not see the editors desk for weeks, if at all.

What can you do to prevent this disappointing scenario from dampening your spirits and detracting from your potential success?

1 - Follow up every press release submission with a phone call. Do not settle for speaking to the receptionist or leaving a message on voice mail. Do not talk to the sports reporter, who happens to answer the phone, if your press release was intended for the features department. Keep calling until you reach the right person.

2 - Contrary to popular belief, the editor may not be the best person for you to promote your press release to. If you do not receive satisfaction by speaking to the editor, consider other contact options, like reporters, interns, or an assistant editor.

3 - If you're sending your press release to publications that you read frequently, you should be able to identify a few reporters, who write articles about the service or product you're promoting. Ask to speak to one of those writers by name. Request to be connected directly to a reporter's personal voice mail instead of the editors' general mailbox.

4 - If you don't know the names of any reporters, ask to speak to the "business" writer or the "features" copy-editor, based upon the type of product, service or event you're promoting.

5 - Think of any contacts or friends of friends whose name you could repeat to an editor or reporter as a familiar reference that may help to establish your credibility. It can make a difference in some cases.

6 - Try to remember any previous events you attended where a reporter was present. Even if you had a very brief encounter with him or her, it's worth mentioning. Generally speaking, reporters see so many faces and meet so many people every week that they probably will not be able to recall whether they were ever introduced to you or not.

7 - Compliment the reporter on his outstanding coverage of the latest celebration or in-depth series of articles about the best businesses of the year. Or schmooze the editor with similar praise of his writers, front page design or choice of featured content.

The bottom line is simple. If you write a killer press release, slip it in the mail to a slew of publications and wait for your phone to ring, you may wait forever.

An Inside Line To Editors?

Regardless of how well your press release is written (although spelling and grammatical errors certainly detract from its effectiveness), there's a few facts about editors and press releases...

Most editors get hundreds of press releases every week.

Seldom do they have the time to read every single announcement.

Some press releases don't stand a chance of being read depending on the editor.

If they do not immediately recognize the contact name or if they're just having a bad day, your announcement may be tossed before they get to the second graph.

Sometimes your press release never even makes it to the correct editor.

It may get stuck in the fax machine or the mail room may accidentally deliver it to the circulation department.

It may be at the bottom of a stack of unrelated faxes or letters and not see the editor's desk for weeks, if at all. The following ideas are designed to ensure that your press release gets read by the right editor!

(They come from a freelance newspaper reporter and former Public Relations writer - talking from experience on both sides of the fence...)

Follow up every press release submission with a phone call. Do not settle for speaking to the receptionist or leaving a message on voice mail. Do not be satisfied with talking to whichever reporter happens to answer the phone. Keep calling until you reach the right person.

Contrary to popular belief, the editor may not be the best person for you to talk to about your press release. If you do not achieve the response you're seeking by speaking to the editor, consider other contact options, like reporters, interns, or an assistant editor.

If you're sending your press release to publications that you read frequently, you should be able to identify a few reporters, who write articles about the service or product you're promoting. Ask to speak to one of those writers by name. Request to be connected directly to a reporter's personal voice mail instead of the editors' general mailbox.

If you don't know the names of any reporters, ask to speak to the "business" writer or the "features" copy-editor, based upon the type of product, service or event you're promoting.

Think of any contacts or friends of friends whose name you could repeat to an editor or reporter as a familiar reference that may help to establish your credibility. It can make a difference in some cases.

Try to remember any previous events you attended where a reporter was present. Even if you had a very brief encounter with him or her, it's worth mentioning. Generally speaking, reporters see so many faces and meet so many people every week that they probably will not be able to recall whether they were ever introduced to you or not.

Compliment the reporter on his outstanding coverage of the latest celebration or in-depth series of articles about the best businesses of the year. Or schmooze the editor with similar praise of his writers, front page design or choice of featured content.

Remember the goal of your press release. Be able to tell the editor and/or reporter in 20 words or less why your press release is important.

By Danielle Hollister

The Ultimate PR Edge: Getting Reporters To Open Your E-Mails

You know that getting publicity is vital to the health of your
business. You probably also know that e-mail is the way most
publicity seekers get in touch with reporters to score that
precious coverage. Here's what you don't know: The vast
majority of e-mails sent to journalists never get read.

Bottom line: if your e-mails don't get read, you have no shot at
getting the publicity you so desperately need.

Here's how to beat the odds:

Avoiding the Spam Trap

To a spam filter, your humble e-mail pitch may appear to contain
an array of trigger words and suspicious phrases. A server that
relayed your message may be on a blacklist - a "do not open"
list of known spammers. Or perhaps the filter's having a tough
day and has decided to start blocking things arbitrarily. You
can't prevent every instance of spam blocking, but you can take
some steps to help lessen the chances of your e-mail ending up in
a black hole.

The most important step is learning how spam filters think, and
creating e-mails that avoid the usual pitfalls. Fortunately,
you'll find that -- once you can do this -- many spam triggers
are easily avoided.

Rather than taking up space here with all the how-to's, allow me
to simply direct you a terrific site on the subject:
http://www.wordbiz.com/avoidspamfilters.html

Getting Your E-Mail Opened & Read

After beating the spam filter, next up is getting your e-mail
opened and read. The key: the subject line. No matter how on-
the-money your pitch, a subpar subject line will kill any chance
of getting the reporter's attention. You've got one shot at
getting your e-mail opened, make the most of it with a killer
subject line.

Here's how to do it: 1) Place the word "News" or "Press Info" or
"Story Idea" at the beginning of your e-mail subject line, in
brackets e.g.: [Story Idea]:

2) Try to incorporate the reporter's first name also at the
beginning of the subject line.

3) If you know the name of the reporter's column, for instance
"Cooking with Linda", also try to incorporate that. One more
thing -- if the reporter doesn't write a regular column, try to
at least include their beat (e.g. Joe, re: your future pieces on
the wi-fi industry).

With these three tips in mind, a successful e-mail subject line
might read:

[Story Idea]: Linda, Here's a Tip for Your "Cooking with Linda"
Column

That's a heading that will stand head and shoulders above the
rest.

Here are a few more e-mail do's and don'ts: Do:

* Make the information you place in the subject line short and
to the point. Often, reporter's e-mail software cuts off the
subject at only a few words.

* Don't get cute or be too vague in your subject line. For
example "Here's a Great Story!" is vague and sounds like spam;
"This Will Win You A Pulitzer!" will make you look silly (unless
you're delivering the scoop of the century, of course!).

* Try to make your most newsworthy points at the top of your e-
mail message - don't expect a reporter to scroll down to find the
news.

* Include your contact information, including cell phone, e-mail
address, regular address, fax number & website URL at the
beginning and end of the e-mail.

* Include a link to your website if you have additional
information such as: photos, press releases, bios, surveys, etc.

Don't:

* Include more than a short pitch letter or press release in the
body of your e-mail.

* Allow typos or grammatical errors.

* Include an attachment with your e-mail. In this day and age of
sinister viruses, reporters automatically delete e-mail with
attachments.

* Place the following words (by themselves) in the subject line:
"Hi", "Hello" - the media's spam filters will pounce and
destroy.

* Send an e-mail with a blank subject line.

A cool tip: Use Google News (www.news.google.com) to search for
recent stories that have appeared relating to your industry or
field of interest. Then, e-mail the reporter directly (use a
subject line such as Re: Your July 5th piece on electric cars).
Give positive feedback on the story and let him know that, next
time he's working an electric car story, he should get in touch,
as you're an expert with provocative things to say. Give a
couple of supporting facts to back up the assertion, include your
phone number and web link, and ask if he'd like to see a full
press kit. This technique really works!

By Bill Stoller

How To Get Zero Cost Publicity For Your Business Part 2

This is the ending to my previous article, How to get no cost publicity for your business. Some other options include signature files, joint ventures, free for all links, informational articles, webrings, and giveaways.

Signature files are great ways to get free publicity for your business. It's just a short blurb at the end of your email. It's not considered spam. Of course, you shouldn't just send blank emails to people, just so they'll see your signature file. That might be considered spam to some people.

Joint ventures are also great ways to get free publicity for your business. Joint ventures are fairly easy to set up. Just find someone who is not in direct competition with you that may benefit from your book, product or service. Ask them if they will promote your product to their list in exchange for a link on your website or an announcement to your list. Most business owners will agree to such an arrangement as this is a win-win for everyone.

Another way to get free publicity for your business is to join as many webrings related to your business that you can find. Once again, this costs you nothing, and you get new traffic. A good place to find webrings is http://www.webring.com I also host a webring for people that are in the online marketing and advertising business. You can join it by visiting http://f.webring.com/hub?ring=marketingandadve or by visiting my website at http://www.pnewsletter.com and looking for the Marketing and Advertising webring.

Also, you can gain free publicity by writing informational articles. My suggestion is that you post these for free and include a resource box at the end of your article with your contact information and a short blurb about the product or service you are trying to promote.

Another source of free publicity is free for all links. A free for all links page is just what it sounds like. Anyone can list their url on this person's page. The only catch is that some pages may collect an email address from you and send you a lot of emails. I would just put in an email address that I didn't mind getting a lot of emails at.

Finally, giveaways are an excellent way to get free publicity for your business. You could give away a report, an e-book, or even a coupon for discounted services. These are just a few of the ways that you can get free publicity for your business. I'm sure your creative minds will come up with some additional ways.

By DeAnna Spencer