A phenomenon that his hit the press release world is the myth of the online press release as a SEO (Search Engine Optimization) vehicle. Reaching the media appears to be an afterthought. The goal of the online press release … well, no one agrees what is the goal of the press release, but SEO plays a part. (Read more…)

I have seen press releases generate tens of millions of dollars in publicity $399 at a time. If you don’t believe me, just visit: http://www.ereleases.com/testimonials/

Why didn’t your press release do the same? The likely answer is that you gave up, perhaps even after a single press release. (Read more…)

I follow the television industry. It’s a medium I devote about five minutes a day trying to follow largely by headlines and RSS feeds. Today I saw this headline and had to dig deeper: Big Media Sites Like Hulu “Anti-Consumer, Anti-Media Employees, Anti-America”? (Read more…)

It’s easy for public relations firms to overestimate the impact of media coverage. Unless you land your client on the cover of Time or the front page of the New York Times, it can be disheartening to see how little impact a single piece of media coverage brings. My own history with media coverage is an example of how difficult it is to quantify the benefits of media coverage in the public relations world. (Read more…)

New budgets, failing corporations, and a strained economy highlight the news in print, radio, and TV. Here’s another trend I’ve noted: business as usual. The Wall Street Journal has been covering companies big and small launching new products, hiring key staff, and just doing what they’ve always done. (Read more…)

You’ve just concluded the best media interview of your career. A very prestigious publication interviewed your CEO. You did everything by the book. You feel good, your CEO feels good, and the reporter obtained everything needed to write the story. You can’t wait for the article to appear. (Read more…)

When I was a journalist, I once wrote a negative news story about a major company, and unfortunately there was a slight problem. I was given a quote by the company, which addressed the issue at hand in a very roundabout way. I included the quote in my story, but it was subsequently eliminated during editing. (Read more…)

Event planning is a difficult process, whether you’re a layperson or a public relations pro. Schedules need to be coordinated, collateral material needs to be assembled, and presentations need to be prepared. Entertainment and catering services may need to be booked, and guests must be attended to. Securing a site for an event can prove troublesome depending on the budget, and setting an agenda can be a pain when too many people are involved in the planning process. But as I learned recently, sometimes the biggest secret to successful event planning is having a contingency plan. (Read more…)

Using plain language to communicate with journalists is not considered bland but effective. Whether your public relations campaign targets community or business publications, it is unlikely that reporters reviewing your press kit will be familiar with specific industry jargon. Providing them with information in plain language is the surest way to get your point across, significantly improving your chances for media coverage. (Read more…)

While today’s small businesses and small public relations firms have a number of economical means to reach national and international media–e-mail, on-line press kits, and press release delivery services, such as eReleases–the pitch will still need to be as good as the product to achieve results. Assuming merit exists for media coverage halfway across the world, crafting a press release around a hometown perspective can detract from a its news value. Even for editors in surrounding towns and cities, success stories about your immediate business community will be of little interest. (Read more…)