The Publicity Hound’s Blog  

If you can’t afford your own photographer, or you take lousy photos, or you hate creating graphics, use a stock photo service to enhance everything from press releases to media kits in a PR campaign.

Royalty-free stock images can save you a lot of time and money trying to generate graphics on your own. Royalty-free means you can use the downloaded images forever and not have to worry about infringement issues.

Shutterstock has given me a complimentary subscription so I can try their service, and their photos come in handy at this blog. They’ve helped me compile this list of 13 ways you can use stock image photos in a PR campaign.

1. Blogs. Many bloggers are missing the opportunity to dress up their posts and make their blogs more attractive. Regardless of what topic I write about, I can usually find a stock image to accompany it.  
       
2. Ezines and print newsletters. Stock photos and illustrations can enhance articles in company newsletters and ezines. Now that so many ezine publishers produce HTML newsletters, stock images come in handy.
         
3. Press releases. Most press release distribution services allow customers to upload several images at no extra charge. If the headline doesn’t call attention to your release, the stock photo just might. Adding editorial stock images of premier events such as concerts or sports competitions can add weight and influence to a related press release, blog post or ezine article.
       
4. Presentations. Whether you’re submitting a proposal for a client, or you’re a speaker who’s presenting to an audience, compelling stock images used to illustrate business presentations can help capture the attention of your audience. Highlight key points with photos and illustrations in PowerPoint. 
       
5. Reports. Stock photos are a great way to add excitement to client reports and reinforce your accomplishments.
       
6. White Papers. White Papers often cry out for colorful stock imagery to break up text and hold readers’ attention. 
        
7. Media kits. Including stock photos and illustrations when designing a media kit or media kit inserts to add extra visual appeal. 
       
8. Event invitations and posters. Stock photos and illustrations allow PR professionals to create attractive event invitations. Stock images can also help create just the right mood for the event itself. Simply enlarge them to poster size and place them throughout the event location.  
       
9. Social media. Use them to enliven your your social media presence on sites such as Facebook, Twitter (Twitpic), Wikipedia, and more.  
       
10. Search engine optimization. By properly tagging a stock image within a release, blog or website, you can raise your site’s rankings. PR clients will appreciate the added value as well as your SEO savvy.
        
11. Your own website. Stock photos and illustrations are a great way to demonstrate creative flair and generate interest in your website, or your PR client’s.
        
12. Advertising.  If you’re buying an ad, a good stock photo can come in handy.
        
13. For the media. Offer stock photos to journalists if they’re coving a story about you, and the photos are a good tie-in. Sure,  the media have access to their own stock photos, but Rule #1 when working with the media is “Be helpful.” 

My ebook How to Use Photos & Graphics in Your Publicity Campaign offers thousands of helpful tips on how to  incorporate images into your publicity efforts.  

Posted In: Advertising, Blogs, Celebrity tie-ins, Facebook, PR Consultants/Publicists, Photos & Graphics, Press Releases/News Releases, Publicity Resources, Search engine optimization, Social media marketing, Special Events
posted On: 11/21/2009: 6:15 pm: By Joan
Comments: 3 Comments

The next time you write  a press release, don’t let youself lapse into gobbledygook.

They’re annoying, overused words most people wouldn’t use when they talk, but they don’t hesitate to use them when they write because buzzwords make their releases sound ”important.”

I’ve written before about aggravating words in press releases. In this week’s Daily Dog newsletter published by Bulldog Reporter,  Ken Makovsky comments on the most annoying, overused words in the workplace. When I saw the list of words—leverage, interface, viral, cutting age—I couldn’t help but think that the list is identical to words that should be banned from press releases.

If you think I’m exaggerating, just hop on over to PRWeb and glance through some of the press releases that were posted today. (The worst examples are those from technology companies.)

Instead of relying on buyzzwords, pay more attention to keywords. That is, words and phrases that people type into the search engines when they’re looking for information. Press release specialist Janet Thaeler gave dozens of kick-butt tips when she was my guest expert on Wednesday during the teleseminar on “How to Use Keywords, the ‘Magic Magnets’ That Pull Consumers & Journalists to Your Press Releases.”  

Here are four tips from that call:

• Use keywords in the headline, the first sentence and throughout the body copy. 
    
• Use keywords in anchor text that links to your website or your blog–about one anchor text link for every 100 words of copy. For example, if one of the keyword phrases in my press release was “free publicity tips,” and I wanted people to visit my website to sign up for my free ezine called “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” I wouldn’t say “Click here to sign up for Stewart’s free ezine on publicity tips.”   I’d say “Sign up for Stewart’s free ezine on free publicity tips.” If people were searching for free publicity tips, they wouldn’t be typing “click here” into the search engines.
      
• Use the URL again in your press release but spell it out, like this: http://www.PublicityHound.com. The place to do this is in the boilerplate, also known as the “About us” paragraph at the end of your press release. If someone cuts and pastes your press release and uses it on their website, or forwards it to a friend, but doesn’t bother to make the links live, people won’t be able to find your website unless your URL is spelled out.
      
• Janet’s favorite keyword research tools are the Google keyword tool and Wordtracker’s free tool.

Using keywords in press releases might feel strange at first because we’ve all been taught to concentrate on things like the headline, a great “hook” in the first paragraph and powerful quotes within the release. But the more you practice using keywords, the easier it becomes. And the more skilled you become at using keywords, the easier it is for people to find your release.

Posted In: Press Releases/News Releases, Search engine optimization
posted On: 10/24/2009: 3:28 pm: By Joan
Comments: 2 Comments

Most people who email me with questions about how to write press releases ask the least important questions:

• How many words should my release be?
     
• What’s the best free press release distribution service?
      
• Can you take a look at my release and tell me if it has the right “tone”?
    
• Should my name and phone number go on the top or at the bottom?

All good questions, actually. But no one has ever asked the most important one: ”How do I research and use keywords in my press releases so the search engines can find them and bring targeted traffic to the release, and then, to my website?”

Bingo. 

Most press release writers have a vague understanding or no understanding of how to use keywords. They think a tantalizing headline, scrumptious sub-head, enticing copy, kick-butt quote and even a call to action will pull traffic and convert to sales.

Problem is, if  their press releases don’t include the same keywords that people are typing into Google when they want a problem solved, those people might never find their releases. That’s the biggest mistake I see in press releases that people ask me to review.

How press releases have changed

Press release specialist Janet Thaeler, an expert at optimizing releases for the search engines, says  most people don’t realize that the world of press releases has changed considerably.

“The press release, as a way to reach the media, is essentially dead,” she said. “There are far better ways than sending out a press release to get traditional media coverage.”

Most of that includes responding to inquiries and building relationships with journalists. Online, you can get visibility through social media, your own blog and by using online distribution services to spread the news.

“Where online releases really shine is in getting you noticed online in search engines where it’s easier for people to find your news and therefore  your businesses…Many time the coverage you get online will take you much further than a great story in a newspaper or magazine. You can trace sales directly from a press release.”
     
    
Learn more about keywords Oct. 21

Janet will be my guest during a teleseminar at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, Oct. 21. She will discuss “How to Use Keywords: The ‘Magic Magnets’ That Pull Consumers and Journalists to Your Press Releases.”

Did you know, for example, that another big boo-boo in press releases is mentioning your company’s name in the headline? That’s the most valuable piece of real estate on the release, and one of the first places search engines look for keywords.

If you sell environmentally friendly baby clothing, and somebody is looking for what you sell, they won’t type your company’s name into a search engine unless they already know about you. They are more likely to type ”environmentally friendly baby clothing” or “green baby products” or “organic kids clothing.” Those keywords should be in the headline, and throughout the press release. 
     

5 tips for optimizing press releases

Here are only 5 of the many tips we’ll discuss during the Oct. 21 call: 

1. Before you write, do keyword research to learn what words or phrases relate to your news, industry or brand.  Wordtracker and Google’s Wonder Wheel help simplify and arrange search results.
      
2. Identify from one to three different but related keyword phrases to use, and include them within your release.
       
3. If your business serves a local area, use regional keywords.  For example: “Los Angeles yoga studio.”
       
4. Don’t assume you must use your company name in the headline.  That’s one of the first places the search engines look for keywords.  People who are searching for the type of product or service you sell, and don’t know about your company, won’t type your company name into the search engines.  Use the same keywords they’d use, based on your research.
       
5. Use keywords in the first paragraph of your press release.

Hope to see you on the call Oct. 21!

Posted In: Press Releases/News Releases, Search engine optimization
posted On: 10/8/2009: 5:16 pm: By Joan
Comments: 5 Comments

With all the focus on social media, you’re probably scampering to create new content for sites like EzineArticles.com, Facebook and Twitter. 

You may be writing articles, creating tips lists, and offering quizzes.

That’s great. But don’t make the mistake of abandoning online press releases, which is all too easy to do when you’re consumed with posting every day to Facebook and Twitter.

Here are eight reasons why you should continue posting them to your website:

1. Optimized press releases pull in traffic. 
   Make sure you use relevant keywords in the headline and throughout the body copy.  But don’t stuff the release with keywords, or that will be a red flag to the search engines. Take advantage of StomperNet’s excellent seven-day free email course on search engine optimization. Each lesson in “7 Deadly SEO Mistakes” takes just a few minutes to review. 
            
2. They save time for visitors.
   It’s a great way to show journalists, bloggers and others what’s new and important, without making them spend a lot of time investigating your site.  New product launch?  They’ll find it in a press release.  New CEO?  There should be a release at your site that announces that.  Special promotion under way at your company?  Write a release that explains it.  Put a link to all your releases in your online pressroom.
           
3. You can use them to reach consumers directly–and promote.
   Years ago, we had to write printed press releases and cleanse them of anything that sounded like hype or promotion before sending them to journalists.  Gone are the days, thankfully, when we had to genuflect at the altar of traditional media, say a prayer and hope they covered our story.  Online press releases let us reach consumers directly without relying on the media gatekeepers.
            
4. Video and audio links.
   Video and audio links  can lead visitors to content that goes into more depth on a particular topic.  It’s a convenient way to get that information in front of visitors instead of making them wade through page after page at your website.
           
5. They help bloggers.
   Online press releases make it easy for bloggers to provide more information for their readers.  All they have to do is link to the release from within their posts.
            
6. Links to landing pages.
   From an online release, you can link to specific landing pages at your website where readers can find more information.  Yes, you can even link to sales pages where you list all the benefits of the product you’re selling, and then ask readers to hit the “Buy Now” button.  How cool is that?
       
7. They keep your site looking fresh and updated.
   This is assuming that you post them regularly. It just dawned on me that it’s been several months since I’ve posted a new release, and I’ve just added that to my “to-do” list for today.  
            
8. They can help you build your tribe on social networking sites.
   From the releases, you can provide links so readers can connect with you at social networking sites. Why not include a link to your Facebook Fan Page, like I have here?
         

Two tips that will help anyone who wants to post online releases:

From the press room at my website, I link to my at ExpertClick.com: The Online Yearbook of Experts.  This subscription service lets me post up to 52 press releases a year with no additional per-release fee.  It also gives me a page in their online database of experts, which journalists search frequently when looking for sources for articles. If you subscribe, tell them I sent you and they’ll knock $100 off the subscription.

If you want to learn more about how to write and distribute online press releases, you can opt into the free 12-week tutorial I created on “89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases.”  More than 6,000 people have taken the course.

Posted In: Blogs, Business Promotion, Facebook, Press Releases/News Releases, Publicity on the Internet, Search engine optimization, Social media marketing, Twitter, Video
posted On: 6/26/2009: 9:44 am: By Joan
Comments: 7 Comments

If a journalist uses the search engines to search for a source with your expertise, Google may return to her a long list of possibilities on the left side of the screen.

There’s a clever trick you can use to prod that journalist into picking up the phone and calling you—even if she’s on deadline and she doesn’t have time to review each website one by one.

When I discovered this trick, it was one of those “duh” moments.  I slapped my forehead, and yelled “Of course!”  I was embarrassed that I hadn’t been doing this.

Here’s the best part.

This trick works just as well if you’re trying to encourage potential customers and clients, joint venture partners, book buyers, meeting planners looking for speakers, or anyone else to call YOU instead of your competitors.  Get a prospect on the phone and they’re as good as closed.

This is Mistake #3 in the complimentary email course “7 Deadly SEO Mistakes” from StomperNet.  Each email lesson, delivered over seven days, is a quick read.

If you don’t like getting your hands dirty with this technical stuff, forward the lessons to whoever manages your website.  Better yet, read these tips, and then see how many of the mistakes your webmaster is making.

Posted In: Authors & Publishers, Business Promotion, Search engine optimization
posted On: 5/19/2009: 7:50 am: By Joan
Comments: No Comments