2008 December

EzineArticles.com adds 17 new niche market categories

12/17/2008 By Joan 1 Comment

You can now choose from 17 new categories for niche markets where you can submit your how-to and advice articles at EzineArticles.com:

Animation
Career Advice
Consulting
Job Search Techniques
Workplace Safety
Radio
Budgeting
Content Management Systems
Futures and Commodites
Elder-Law
Collectible Jewelry
Adventure Travel
City Guides and Information
Golf Travel and Resorts
Menopause/Hormone Replacement Therapy
Publishing
Technical Writing

If you haven’t written articles and posted them to this site, or it’s been awhile since you’ve posted, spend some time reading the Editorial Guidelines. You’ll learn valuable tips that will help you write a better article while optimizing it for the search engines. Later this week, I’m returning to that site to tweak several articles I’ve submitted so the search engines will have an easier time finding them.

If you need more help, see “How to Write How-to Articles.”

Filed Under: Authors & Publishers, Search engine optimization, Writing Articles

Help promote a Wisconsin retirement community art show

12/16/2008 By Joan 6 Comments

Kendra Hinzmann of Oshkosh, Wisconsin writes:

“I am the director for a fine art exhibit space within an upscale retirement community. This new venture was mostly set in place as life enrichment for the residents, but I really wanted to include the community as well.

“I got on board with the local Gallery Walks (over 40 local businesses) that occur monthly. That proved to be a good move and attendance had been building with the last shows at 80 and 100 (including public) respectively. I was thrilled to have booked an internationally known artist for November. He is very prestigious in the art world and thought the community would be as ecstatic as we were to have him. He generously donated his time for a great presentation and an art piece for a silent auction that would benefit our non-profit.

“I feel like I used all the correct avenues—tying it to another community event that pertained to the show’s holiday theme, printed press releases, inviting pillars of the community, Chamber of Commerce advertising that went out to 1,600 recipients, and on and on. I was shocked at our lowest turnout yet!

“Do your readers have any ideas to salvage and re-promote this show (without the artist present) that ends Jan. 15?”

Filed Under: Advertising, Press Releases/News Releases, Publicity for Niche Markets, Special Events

NPR canceling ‘Day to Day,’ ‘News & Notes’

12/11/2008 By Joan Leave a Comment

National Public Radio is canceling “Day to Day,” and “News & Notes” March 29 and laying off 7 percent of its staff, after experiencing sharp declines in funding, especially from corporate sponsors.

Twenty-two journalists will lose their jobs, including hosts Madeleine Brand and Farai Chideya. The shows are both based in Culver City, Calif., at NPR West, a major satellite operation.

Day to Day was designed as a midday complement to mainstays Morning Edition and All Things Considered, while News and Notes, a successor to The Tavis Smiley Show, was intended to draw more African-American listeners.

The good news for Publicity Hounds, however, is that NPR remains a powerful media outlet for your message, especially for authors. Use the search box at the top of the page to search for programs by topic. Many of them are archived. Listen to a few of the shows so you’re familar with the content, and then pitch if your topic is a good tie-in with the show. (See “How to Get Booked on National Public Radio.“)

Filed Under: Authors & Publishers, Radio Publicity

How to write a guest post for Copyblogger.com

12/11/2008 By Joan 4 Comments

If you’re an expert in copy writing, Internet marketing, info products or blogging, and you can write well, one of your goals for 2009 should be to submit a guest blog for Copyblogger, the wildly popular blog that teaches its massive following how to generate traffic, gain subscribers, attract links and sell something.

I’ve been wanting to submit a guest post for months, but never got around to it because I hadn’t figured out whom to contact. This week, Sonia Simone, an associate editor for Copyblogger, gave me the nudge I needed by writing What Makes a Great Copyblogger Guest Post?

Briefly, your information must be useful, relevant and well-written.

Publicity Hounds include writers and authors, advertising executives, publicists, bloggers, editors and proofreaders, Internet marketers, publishers, journalists and others who have expert advice that’s a perfect fit with Copyblogger’s audience.

Why write for Copyblogger? Because it has more than 40,000 subscribers and over 100,000 unique monthly site visitors, and you can get a backlink to your website or blog. Its “About Us” section says:

The Guardian named Copyblogger one of the world’s 50 most powerful blogs.

Advertising Age ranks Copyblogger as a top 5 blog about marketing.

Technorati says Copyblogger is one of the most popular blogs in the world, and a top 20 favorite among readers.

The editors of Performancing honored Copyblogger founder and editor Brian Clark by naming him the most influential blogger of 2007, and he came in at number 30 among the 50 most influential bloggers compiled by top blogger Leo Babauta.

Visit the Copyblogger site, read the most popular posts in the right-hand column, and then figure out if you have a topic that’s a good fit. They welcome guest bloggers and would love to hear from you—me too, I hope.

Filed Under: Advertising, Authors & Publishers, Blogs, Information Products, Publicity on the Internet, Social media marketing, Writing Articles

Freelancer needs a way to keep track of media contacts

12/9/2008 By Joan 10 Comments

In this week’s issue of “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” Publicity Hound Erin Portman of Austin, Texas writes:

“I am a freelancer and have a ton of media contacts. My new year’s resolution this year was to find a better way to track and capture information about the media I work with. Excel spreadsheets are getting old. Also, I should note that I use a Mac, which may be limiting in some instances.

“I’d be interested to hear about how other Publicity Hounds keep track of their media contacts.”

Email your own “Help this Hound” question, along with your city and state, for consideration in an upcoming newsletter.

Filed Under: PR Consultants/Publicists, Publicity Resources