Patrick Beeson, a content manager specializing in media strategy and Web development for the E.W. Scripps Interactive Newspaper Group in Knoxville, TN. says go with Ellington CMS hosted version.
I feel like I should now start my own small newspaper, lol! I wanted to do one for the MLM industry. Not because I love it but because I live near the mothership, worked at an MLM, have friends in MLM and think the industry use an upgrade.
I’m looking for cordless candle lamps for my windows this Christmas and the ones at Restoration Hardware are $25 each. So I found a site called Yardiac that had really cheap candle lamps (maybe too much the other extreme).
They had live chat, which I LOVE. I propose that every time someone calls or chats a question in which you don’t know the answer, you find out and BLOG about it. Like, how tall is that candle?
Anyway, smart to direct me to their blog. The first post is so helpful. It’s what I explain to small businesses a lot when they want to know what to post about. Thanksgiving is coming, they sell turkey fryers. They give useful information for people who are using this product.
Now, I think they should link the words “turkey fryer” or something similar to the product page, not just the picture of the turkey fryer. And they should add this information to the description or link to the blog post. It does a lot to build trust and when I shop online I want to know more because I can’t see the product.
I’m paranoid my husband will be bugged with yet another online purchase that wasn’t quite right. Interestingly, I rarely had this problem before I was married! That’s what I get for marrying a man who was in the naval academy for a year.
Anyway, I wanted to keep this post as an example to new ecommerce bloggers. It gives timely (it’s close to Thanksgiving) and helpful information. Plus they use their blog in marketing. If they had a post about the candle lamps, I would’ve been really pleased!
Someone asked me what I recommended to use as a CMS for a small newspaper (probably on a small budget). I don’t know so I asked my brother who works for a newspaper technology company. He suggested looking at Escenic and Publicus.
I also asked my Twitter network (you’ll see how valuable Twitter network can be for quick feedback, I got this in a few minutes after asking, thank you everyone).
It’s tough to summarize all of the replies, so I’m posting what I got back.
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derekcordeiro @NewspaperGrl http://apperceive.com/drupa… is interesting, drupal has a great community.
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asktheboater @NewspaperGrl You could also use LiveWire or Gazette from Woo Themes http://zi.ma/7210b2
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monicawright @NewspaperGrl all morris papers are in drupal. I know mainetoday.com is being redesinged in drupal. Good luck!
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Snowydancer @NewspaperGrl Hey NewspaperGrl: Check out the Mimbo theme for WordPress.
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Matt_Siltala @NewspaperGrl Drupal would probably work best IMO
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HeloNix @NewspaperGrl TYPO3 has a good news extension, but also has a pretty steep learning curve. Once it’s setup, it’s easy to manage content.
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WebsiteAnalyst @NewspaperGrl Small paper I would recommend Drupal, its more of a framework that’s going to scale better than WordPress
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PaulWilson @NewspaperGrl: I am a little bias but wordpress has a stronger community than the other open source products. Plus, it’s easier to use.
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jebro @NewspaperGrl Drupal was originally created for a small newspaper. It’s really gaining ground too.
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monicawright @NewspaperGrl Mostly Dupal from what I’ve seen (bakotopia.com, blufftontoday.com)
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“You have to stop thinking like a marketer, an advertiser and a communicator and start thinking like a publisher. Create information your consumers want, and they will share it…”
- David Meerman Scott
Lee Odden’s blog has a great summary of a presentation by David Meerman Scott’s on PR and marketing.
I love this rule: “Nobody cares about your products (except you).” And I’ll add, get over it.
He also said to stop using your own corporate speak and use the language your customers are using. To find out what words they are using, look at customer reviews for your products or products that reach your audience. There is a lot of information online. I like using it to write my product descriptions. Amazon reviews is a great start.
David shared the top ten overused words from a recent study:
* Next generation
* Robust
* Flexible
* World class
* Easy to use
* Scalable
* Cutting edge
* Well positioned
* Market leading
* Mission critical
Stop the fluff. Get to the point quickly. And give us a reason to care. That’s good marketing – and good writing.
Today I woke up and wrote the first chapter of my book on “what is an online press release?” I’m determined to spend at least 20 mins. each day writing. Like my blog redesign, it wasn’t fast, but eventually I’ll get this book done.
I wish I could listen in on every call or write down every question I’ve gotten when talking about online press releases. That would help now as I write my book. I’m closing each chapter with common questions and answers.
Do you have questions about online press releases? Submit them as a comment below. If I end up using your idea or quoting you, I’ll list you and your blog address at the end of my book (with your permission, of course).
I’m challenging myself to actually write and finish my book about online PR. To stay motivated and to get your input I’m going to post some of my progress.
Here are the 12 chapters (in rough draft form):
1. What is an online press release
2. What are the benefits of the press release
3. What is newsworthy? Finding news to write about.
4. Expanding relevancy for bigger coverage by tying your news into bigger trends
5. Writing for the Internet and how it’s different than regular PR writing (anyone can read anytime, many audiences, no jargon! no bragging!)
6. Search engine optimizing a press release
- identifying keywords
- keyword placement
- optimizing the URL
- anchor text
7. Distribution – how to get the word out online
- PRWeb
- PRLeap
- paid vs free sites
- traditional pr wires and online together
8. Assembling a database of PR contacts in your industry
- Email don’t call
- Make it relevant to the news
- Use HARO
- look up local small business writers and bloggers from online newspapers
9. Reaching Bloggers
- Reporters read blogs for story ideas, how to reach bloggers
10. Enhancing online distribution with blogs and social media
- SEO optimized blog post about the press release
- Using Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn Answers, social bookmarking & other tools to expand your reach
11. Submitting your press release to PRWeb
the intricacies of the PRWeb submission process (with diagrams)
12. Not one press release, a campaign
I’ve learned so much since I started writing the first version. I have a tough time completing the task. That’s why I love press releases – so straightforward. It’s much easier to write one document than an entire book. But I want to have this for my own reference and for clients.
Feedback?
I’ve gotten used to geeky events and they’re what I expect. Branding isn’t much of a thought. You’re judged more on content than looks. We can even stomach bad presentation skills if the information is good enough. That was my blog too. Until now with the redesign! Now I feel like I can hang with the cool marketing girls I met this weekend at the Startup Princess Retreat (#princess on Twitter).
Let me start with the energy. The room could’ve generated it’s own electricity if you just hooked up a generator to Gwen Bell. Add the rest of the presenters and you’d be able to sell it back to the power company. I couldn’t sleep that night or on the way to Wendover for a quick getaway. My husband wanted me to stop talking!
Have you ever noticed that a lack of sleep greatly prohibits multi-tasking?
Amazingly, women from the retreat along with people following it on Twitter met the last night at a trendy cafe and talked some more. At that point I couldn’t recall my own name.
After hearing Holly Buchanan speak I realized again how marketers have stereotyped women as they go after the mythical Soccer mom. She clearly showed us how to re-write our sites to reflect different styles – including the most common style of woman, the spontaneous connector (I’m sorry I can’t remember her term right now.) Anyway, we pretty much all related to that group. I could go for a whole presentation just on web copy and design for the most common type of woman (generally speaking of course).
I missed Gwen Bell‘s presentation but she really played up the princess theme – wearing wings everywhere. I’ll forever remember her with wings and her magic wand. Apparently she wore wings all over town, drawing attention whereever she went. Which was a great way to market for Startup Princess (too bad no flyers to hand out). She started inventing the Startup Princess Twitter group and showing everyone how to get involved. I got some new followers. The enthusisasm! The love! Oh, and she met her finance on Twitter.
Barbara Jones fascinated me with her experience in the music industry. She was promoting no name bands who became big names. She got gutsy and started a company where women can participate in word of mouth marketing for fun perks. In other words, she became a Startup Princess – the gutsy women who start their own businesses. I signed up immediately.
Gabrielle Blair has great fashion sense as she should as a Design Mom. I’m sure you’ll see that when you see our pictures. She had everyone captivated as she explained her blog’s rise to fame. Somehow she manages to be mom to 5 kids and still be hip! Must learn. Thanks to her sponsorship and Kirtsy we had internet access and people could try what they learned on the spot.
Kirtsy is so cool, now can we have a Wikipedia for women!? The popular crowd doesn’t actually allow editing any more, except if they approve! Now I need to sign up.
The presentations were beautiful slideshows and polished but real. I loved seeing old friends and meeting new ones (if I wanted tshirts designed, I’d talk to Cheeky and Swank. I love the concept of You Can Make This. I think of all of the ways they could spin off: seat covers and utility sewing, maternity clothes, ski pants and sports gear, and home decor.
Loved meeting Ellen and coaching Quinn because she immediately implemented what she learned. Take a look at her store – Created By Mom. I met many more great women who I’m now cheering on as they start and grow businesses. Fun times.
It’s been a long time coming – but NewspaperGirl has a custom WordPress theme I wanted a cleaner,
updated look and a logo
I got a new headshot, thanks to Justin Hackworth, a destination wedding photographer who shot my wedding here on location in Utah (ha ha ha). I also found THE Wall Street Journal hedcut pro Kevin Sprouls to do a pen and ink drawing in true newspaper style.
I like the more natural, authentic look. In the beginning I was trying to get a certain look and maintain a certain distance. I was just starting out and I didn’t really get that social media is about putting yourself out there.
I’m still finishing the last details but let me know what you think so far…
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