Give me Your Online Press Release Questions

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).

Outline for my Book about Online PR

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?

Where the Cool Marketing Girls Hung this Weekend

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.

Welcome to my New Design

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…

News Exists in Time

Here’s a good test if something is newsworthy. News exists in time - it is what is happening with your business or your industry at a specific point. Either something that has happened (past), something happening right now (present), or something that’s coming up (future).

News is NOT:

  • an advertisement
  • a statement
  • a form of bragging
  • or just about you (in today’s world you can’t exist in a vacuum)

Social Media Doesn’t Make up for PoorNetworking Skills

“If you don’t know how to network in the first place, all social media can do is give you the chance to screw up to a much larger group of people in a much shorter amount of time.”

- Peter Shankman

What is Twitter Good For?

Maybe I should rename this to be Why I Still Love Twitter. What do you think?

Shoemoney just posted a very detailed explanation of the value of Twitter. It’s a great read. Notice that even for him it took a few months to see the benefits. I like how he says it’s like IM but no one feels any pressure to answer your message right away. Also, 40% of new visits from his web site are from Twitter! That’s AMAZING. He’s already a popular well-known blogger. He’s expanding his reach through Twitter.

I wish I could tell you how that was going for me but my stats are down and I’m not bothering to fix it until I redesign this site (it’s being programmed as I type).

Almost everyone I know who starts Twittering wonders why they are doing it and think it’s a waste of time. With a little coaching and time they become converts. Then they get lazy like me and almost stop blogging ;)
I love that I can ask a question or get opinions on something within seconds after asking. I tweet 2 possible headlines and my network chimes in. I’m careful not to abuse this but it makes a great focus group. Also, I try to thank people and respond to their requests (though I’m not always perfect at this!). Besides, most people on Twitter are smart. Or at least my network is.

Here’s my favorite thing about Twitter: it has a feel of community. There is goodwill (some tweet fights break out but generally it’s positive). Contrast this with online forums which can be brutal. Twitter is a little less anonymous and real.

There are many reasons to love Twitter, not only that it can get you a job. I got the job of writing a press release for Shoemoney because of Twitter. I’m writing for Marketing Pilgrim because of Twitter. I also stay connected to my industry (stay up-to-date) and get to know the best thinkers in online marketing because of Twitter. It’s one of the few sites I’m on every single day.

PR Tip from SLC Tweetup: Join an Existing Event

I talked to David Binkowski (twitter: www.twitter.com/dbinkowski) at the Salt Lake City TweetUp last night. It was a lot of fun and many people I haven’t met because I’ve been somewhat out of the scene. Now that I have a more active family life and moved further away, my networking has slowed down. Which means I don’t know as many people when I do show up.

I learned from David how to host a successful event and reach bloggers. He said they (he works with Wells Fargo who sponsored the event) tried inviting bloggers to an event. Didn’t work. Because bloggers often have day jobs, families, and are busy. So he looked for cities bloggers were already meeting and offered to sponsor an existing event. He found pictures of past TweetUps, saw that Salt Lake had an active crowd, and offered to buy everyone dinner. Bloggers love free food (and it was great food). Twitterers do too.

This is a simple yet great advice. Better to find people you want to reach where they are already congregating than to create your own event and hope they show up. Offer to help out. Anyone who wants to sponsor a Utah blogger or TweetUp feel free to use my contact form. Or contact Ghennipher, who sets up the TweetUps.

My only gripe is this - I wish I had more background on Wells Fargo social media and why they were sponsoring the event beforehand. Perhaps a link to a blog post about the event with relevant links (like this one except to the source - too lazy to find!). I went in not knowing what to expect and I would’ve enjoyed talking to Tim Collins if I’d known more about him going in. I thought they were probably from a local office but Tim flew in from LA and David from New York.

A big thank you to Wells Fargo and to Ghennipher for setting this up (here’s her post on the event)!

Presenting at Academy Retreat for Women in Business

Kelly at Startup Princess is hosting a retreat for women in business. Startup Princess is a network of women who have started their own businesses. However this retreat is opened to women in business - no matter if you own the business or not.

The theme of the retreat is marketing to women online.

Friday and Saturday, November 7-8th 2008. Starts at 4pm Friday.

Zermatt Resort & Spa in Midway Utah

Cost: $299 double occupancy *bring a friend and save! $349 single occupancy

Rate includes 3 gourmet meals, lodging, event and materials, and a copy of the book: The Soccer Mom Myth: Today’s Female Consumer-Who She REALLY Is and Why She REALLY Buys ($24.95 value)

Speakers:
Holly Buchanan, Marketing to Women Online Expert “Smashing Stereotypes: Today’s Female Consumer What She Wants and How She Buys” 7:00-8:00pm
I’ll speak about SEO Press Releases
Gabrielle Blair, Design Mom and Co-Founder of Kirtsy will speak about social media
Barbara Jones speaking on Word of Mouth Marketing

Hope to see you there!

Amazing Google Stat of the Day

Sergey Brin said something on the last Google earnings call (which reported higher earnings than expected) that struck me.

Every 4 hours Google indexes as much information as the entire U.S. Library of Congress. According to their site, in 2007 the Library of Congress had 138,313,427 items in their collection. It’s the largest library in the world with the most books.

While everything Google indexes is not useful or quality information, this is awe-inspiring nonetheless.