With so many new and innovative ways to connect with your target audience, many people are forgetting about their websites. Today, we want to discuss the importance of going back to basics and using your website to communicate your purpose and set the foundation for your business.
The first place people go when they want to research a company is the internet, and – if you have one – your website. It’s not just your customers, peers and competitors that learn about you from your website, its media too!

Results of a recent survey conducted among a group of 100 journalists confirms that 97% of Journalists use a company website as their primary source of information when researching a story.
So essentially, there is a huge opportunity for companies to position themselves in and engage with the media by presenting the information that a journalist is looking for on their website. This doesn’t mean just having a media section on your site – although that is a good place to start – but it means actually writing your website content as though it were a virtual press release.

The first step for PR professionals:
Encourage your clients to invest time and money in updating their website and discuss re-writing their content, as you would construct a generic press release about the company. Be sure to include newsworthy developments or company announcements on the homepage as they happen – to stay current.

Converting website content into newsworthy content:

• Use reverse pyramid style-Include the most important information at the top of the homepage and be short and succinct.
• Headlines aren’t just for newspapers - Use catchy informative headings for your pages and blocks of text.
• A picture says a thousand words - Use professional images of employees or a CEO that make a personal connection.
• Become a news source - Include statistics and information that proves why the company fills a void in the market or meets demand in the industry. (Make sure you keep them updated.)
• Give them more - Include links to relevant sources for media – i.e. industry bodies or latest research surveys that back up your purpose.
• Create your quotes - Make official statements pertaining to recent developments within the company or news within your industry.
• Put a face to a name - Include names of each of the key staff members with a recent photo and detailed biography on the site – journalists may use this information to get background info on their subject.

Stay current …
It is important to continually update the information and images on your website. If a website is stagnant or filled with old information and images, journalists won’t trust that the information is current or useful. You wouldn’t send out a press release that is two years old so why would you offer old information to media on your website.

Get the word out…
Now that your website is ready to handle the influx of media attention… You’ve got to get the word out. Now it’s time for you to be interactive and get on forums, blogs and social media, posting links to your website. Keep in mind you need to engage with these mediums and create a two way flow of information in order for this to be effective. More on this soon…

Something to think about…Any thoughts?

So where do people go to get their daily dose of news nowadays?

According to the 2011 Edelman Trust Barometer Executive Summary, search engines rank number one as the first place people go to for information about a company, followed by online news sources, print, and broadcast media. See here: http://bit.ly/rFhj6N

This is not to say that traditional media is on the out, but it is important to be aware that things are changing and we need to go with the flow to have any chance of staying ahead. The great thing about all this change is that it has opened up so many new avenues to share news and information.Journalists get leads from social media, blogs, forums, newswires and even online searches and it’s not just the journalists who we need to see our news. Getting your news in the hands of anyone who wants to share it will increase your online presence and help establish you, or your client, as an authority in the field.

Think of the possibilities…

If perhaps someone who isn’t necessarily a journalist were to pick up one of your news releases online and find it particularly interesting or relevant to them, they’ll be more than likely to SHARE it. If one of these people who picks up the release has even 5,000 Twitter followers….. You do the math. Even press release syndication companies like PR Newswire, have implemented a ‘tweet’ button for Twitter and a ‘share’ button for Facebook at the top of their platform, to make it easy for anyone who reads your news, to share it easily. See: http://prn.to/rFF8tk

How to write a press release for the search engines!

Ways you can make it easier for journalists and the general public to find, read and share your information:

• Draft an amended version of each of your press releases and submit them to the online press release syndication sites.
• Be clear and concise so readers know what you’re trying to say straight away.
• Use the correct keyword phrases in your content for the body, title and tags of your release.
• Keep in mind: these keywords need to be words that people will be searching for (typing into the search engines).
• Relate to recent relevant breaking news or developments in the industry – basically spell out the impact your news will have on XYZ.
• ALWAYS include links inside the press release copy – linking to relevant news stories or reference sources online. This will give your readers the convenience of easy access to additional information to follow up on.
• Submit eye catching NEW images with your release – keep in mind some sites charge for this feature.
• Monitor your results by setting up Google Alerts and by searching your keywords in the search engines over the next couple of weeks.

Anyway….. As always, hope it’s been helpful!

Comment, comment, comment!!!

In case you haven’t heard, PR Connect is the latest online tool to connect public relations agencies with prospective clients Australia-wide. Created for Australian public relations professionals – and the organisations that need their services – PR Connect was formed with the intention of bridging the gap between agencies and their prospective clients.

If you are an Australian public relations agency, we welcome you to add your agency to our comprehensive directory to be found by clients from across the country.

If you are a company, organisation or individual looking for a partner in PR, feel free to search our directory and stay posted for helpful tips on how an effective public relations campaign could dramatically enhance your business and increase your bottom line.

“There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”
Oscar Wilde

 Reputation Management 

As public relations professionals of course you understand how important reputation is for any business, product or person….You teach your clients on a daily basis that it is imperative to maintain a solid reputation in the marketplace and all your PR efforts are essentially aimed at reputation management. However, how often do you stop to think about your own reputation?

Leverage your own success to generate new business

There are a few easy ways to implement online reputation management for both your clients and your own business.

• Create and manage your own social media – You manage social media campaigns for your clients, so why not create on for yourself? Remember to always have purpose when posting comments. Stick to this rule of thumb – If you don’t have anything interesting to say then don’t write a post that day. If your posts and comments are engaging you will create an interactive environment for yourself, your clients and prospects.
• Add a Blog to your website and keep it updated – Blogging can be a powerful tool and is fastest way to create awareness and direct traffic to your website.  Blogging allows you to position yourself as an authority in your field while enriching your customer experience by educating. If your blog is constantly updated with interesting content it has the power to instantly establish rapport between you and your followers.
• Produce and display interesting videos on your website – Create short video’s showcasing your latest events, product launches or even new clients you have brought on board. Your video’s should only be 30 – 60 seconds in length and should aspire to communicate purpose, engage clients and prospects, educate and enlighten! You can also syndicate your videos to the likes of Youtube, Metacafe and Viddler to give your agency massive online exposure.
• Article submission – Write press releases and engaging articles about your milestones, latest campaign successes or even securing new clients. The next step is to syndicate them all over the internet across industry forums and blogs. This will spread the word about your Agency, generate a buzz about you and eventually generate more and more links to your site.
• Leverage off your own success – Your client’s success is YOUR success! Spread the word about your latest achievements through the media, blogs and your own social media. Don’t be shy about tooting your own horn and sharing your success stories….But make sure you eat a slice of humble pie while you do it…

All of these tools will assist you in positioning yourself where you want to be in the marketplace. You’ll attract the attention of media, PR institutions and most importantly your prospective clients…. Remember the more you put into it, the more you’ll get in return.

Anyhoo….Thanks for tuning in to our blog, we hope it’s been interesting, enlightening and entertaining. To share feedback, request a topic or ask us a question, please feel free to email us at info@prconnect.com.au or leave a comment below!

Until next time…

Selecting the right PR agency is a very important decision. It can determine how your company, event or product is positioned in the marketplace and perceived by your audience. That’s why it is imperative you invest a considerable amount of time in finding the PR agency to suit your individual requirements. There are many factors you need to consider when choosing a PR firm, and to make things a little easier, we have listed the top 10 things you should consider (below).

Before you begin your search for your PR company, consider completing our questionnaire below. This will help you understand your objectives and assist you when briefing your chosen agency.

1. Ultimate objective- What do you want to achieve?
2. Your requirements - What services you need to achieve your desired outcomes?
3. Size matters – Do you want to work with a boutique agency or larger corporation?
4. Reach- Do you require a local, interstate, national or international service?
5. Deadlines- What is your timeframe to achieve your objectives – weeks, months or years?
6. Budget - How much can you allocate to your PR initiatives?
7. Inside reality versus outside perception - How do you want to be positioned in the marketplace and how do you want to be perceived by your audience?
8. Your expectations - What do you expect from your agency, PR campaign and yourself?
9. Working relationship - Do you want a PR partner or someone to will do absolutely everything for you from start to finish?
10. The big picture -Where do you see yourself, your company or your product in 5-10 years? (Mapping out a timeline will help you and your agency determine the best course of action.)

Attention PR pro’s – We put this list together for you too! Before you meet with a prospective client, why not email them this questionnaire or discuss it with them over the phone, so they can prepare a comprehensive brief for your initial consultation. The more your client can understand and communicate what they want, the easier it’ll be for you to deliver results!

Practical Publicity – Making online PR a breeze!

With more and more people using smart phones, Ipads and other portable devices to get their daily dose of news, it has never been so important to increase your publicity efforts online.  The more people that go online to get their news and information, the greater the opportunity for you to reach the media through publicity online.

Like traditional print and broadcast publicity, online exposure creates visibility and awareness for your clients, which can be worth thousands of dollars. If managed correctly online publicity has the potential to reach a broader audience than traditional media therefore expanding your reach. There are many ways you can create, control and measure your online publicity, the question is, what are the best ways to get online publicity?

We have put together five sure-fire, cost effective ways to enhance your client’s online presence and generate publicity.

1.  Develop an audience – If you haven’t already created and implemented social media for your clients, it’s a great place to start. As soon as you have developed an audience you’ll have someone to target messages too. When you eventually start seeing results from your online publicity efforts, you can share them on your social media platforms so ‘fans’ and ‘followers’ are directly exposed to articles.
2. Engage the blogosphere – It’s also a good idea to sign up to popular blogs and forums relevant to your client’s industries so you can monitor what people are saying about your clients online and see what their competitors are doing online…. You know what they say…Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
3. Target on-line journalists – All major (and most minor) newspapers and magazines have a website nowadays so make sure you update your media contacts lists to include the editors and journalists that are responsible for the websites and online editions of your target publications.
4. Monitor your on-line publicity results- Google provides a free service called Google Alerts. This service scans the internet and Google News database to find what you’re looking for. It then captures this information and emails it to you, along with a link to the website it was mentioned on, just like a media clipping service. Use specific key words and create accounts for all your clients, this way whenever any related story appears online, you’ll be notified.
5. Use online sites to become a news source – There are many websites that help you to not only reach the media, but become the media! Not all of them will be right for every client but it’s definitely worth exploring online press release syndication sites like www.digg.com and www.prweb.com . They allow you to submit all your press releases for web distribution – essentially plastering your news all over the internet.

Pythagoras

To achieve excellence in any business you need to understand your target public, audience or stakeholder, right? The most effective way to discover and meet the needs and expectations of your target audience is to get to know them! Thanks to the phenomenal growth and popularity of the Internet, it has never been SO important for businesses to develop and increase their online presence.

Social media allows businesses to create effective communication channels to engage and interact with their target audience. Sometimes known as social networking sites, these communication platforms also allow companies to network with other businesses, potential customers and like-minded individuals. Think of these platforms like a virtual soapbox, intended to broadcast and share ideas and information between users.

Social media also offers the possibility of quick feedback from your audience, which enables PR companies to effectively monitor and measure feedback to determine the success of each social media campaign. Unlike traditional print media, social media allows companies an almost instantaneous representation of the effectiveness of a campaign so they can modify or improve strategies according to market response.

In our opinion, PR is all about reputation management with the intention of developing and promoting a positive perception in the marketplace. Social media is just another avenue in which this can be achieved.

Let’s re-cap the benefits of implementing social media into your PR campaign:

• Ability to interact with target audience
• Broadcast and share information
• Relatively low cost
• Instant feedback
• Networking opportunities
• Monitor your brand

Check out the following social media sites to learn more about the possibilities.

PR Connect’s top tip for social media management:

Now that you know what social media is and how it can work wonders for any business, it’s time to implement social media into your PR campaign. There are now many new platforms make social media management a breeze, whether you are managing one or multiple companies across one or many social media groups.

Our top tip for effective management of social media for your business or your client’s business, is to sign up to a site like HootSuite. Essentially, HootSuite acts as your online dashboard to manage your Facebook, Twitter and many other social media groups.

HootSuite in a nut shell:

• Manage multiple social media accounts
• Log in from any computer, anywhere
• Monitor your brand and see what others are saying about you
• Broadcast carefully constructed and timed messages to your audience
• Schedule your messages to appear at specific intervals
• Manage newsletter mail outs to multiple databases
• Track your analytics

For more information on HootSuite, click the following link to get started: http://hootsuite.com/

Anyhoo….Thanks for tuning in to our blog, we hope it’s been interesting, enlightening and entertaining. To share feedback, request a topic or ask us a question, please feel free to email us at info@prconnect.com.au or leave a comment below!

Until next time…