Over at BusinessWired, the BusinessWire blog, there is a very good post advising on the principle getting better rankings with shorter headlines on your news releases.
According to the post, Google alerted BusinessWire that press release headlines should not exceed 22 words.
Read more about it here.
Worth Reading
BusinessWire is offering a free webinar later today so you can learn more about Learn more about EON: Enhanced Online News -- Business Wire's suite of services, some new and some already available, which improve the online display, availability and interactivity of your news release turning that page of content into a direct-to-consumer online marketing tool for your company's products and services.
In this webinar you will learn how to:
Title: EON:Enhanced Online News Webinar
Date: Friday, August 10, 2007
Time: noon - 1:00 pm CT
Systems Requirements
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See you there!
It's good to see BusinessWire blogging.
Check out their blog - BusinessWired (great name).
Today's post, "When is the best time to send a press release," begs the right question, but I don't think it's as simple as do this on Monday or do that on Tuesday. You should tie the release of your information based on the type of release you are doing and its objectives.
See my comments which are also on that post.
I'll make BusinessWired part of my daily reading.
Even while we use wire services like PR Newswire or BusinessWire, we still recommend the use a tradeshow press room, such as VON offers to its exhibitors. Here is a sample of what we are doing for our client, Surf Communcation Solutions, who will be exhibiting
Business Wire San Antonio Seminar Recap
Press Release: "Rumors of my Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated"
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the press release, Business Wire held a panel discussion analyzing the press release's origin as a media relations tool and its current incarnation as a social networking catalyst. Approximately 25 communications professionals attended the "Press Release: "Rumors of my Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated" luncheon seminar on November 16, 2006, at Oak Hills Country Club in San Antonio.
The panel included Christye Weld, Austin/San Antonio Regional Manager; Alan Weinkrantz, President of Alan Weinkrantz And Company, and Editor, SAtechBlog.com and 3Screens.net; Vicki Vaughan, Senior Reporter, San Antonio Express-News; and Rachel Brush, Managing Editor, Pluck Corporation and BlogBurst Syndicate. Christye Weld also moderated the forum.
Christye Weld, Austin/San Antonio Regional Manager, Business Wire
Weld led the meeting with a brief history of the press release, from its storied start in 1917 as a communications tool utilized by PR pioneer Ivy Ledbetter Lee to its current incarnation as an interactive marketing tool.
Alan Weinkrantz, President, Alan Weinkrantz And Company, and Editor, SAtechBlog.com and 3Screens.net
*The press release is a valuable tool in the communications arena as long as the issuing organization or company's communication strategy involves consistent messaging, outreach and follow-up.
*The press release is not just for media. For example, all kinds of people subscribe to news release RSS feeds to get information on topics they are interested in.
*Some reasons the press release is still a viable part of any public relations strategy:
1) The press release forces you to have a consistent message in your communications strategy something that is vital to the success of any company.
2) It allows you to be part of the Internet's search universe and places your news in search engines, news portals, in the news systems of targeted media, and on notable Web sites such as Google and Yahoo!
3) Your release has less chance of "falling off the radar" when you send news releases via a wire service.
*Less than 10 years ago, companies controlled their own news cycles, message, and editorial fabric. Now, with the boom of the Internet, news is dispensable, immediate, viral, and in the hands of proactive consumers, so companies must tailor their PR efforts with this in mind.
*Today, the media is a mix of the traditional hard-copy newspapers and magazines and the blogosphere, and is conversational. Companies should have a consistent message, reach out to bloggers, pitch to perhaps five key journalists/thought leaders before the news is live on the wire.
Vicki Vaughan, Senior Reporter, San Antonio Express-News
*Getting your message to the media still involves getting to know the media well and being aware of their beats. Many PR pitches go awry because PR representatives don't know the type of news the writer they are reaching handles, and often, the PR representative doesn't actually know what he or she wants to say.
*Email is very effective for reaching writers. Like many, Vaughn dislikes fax.
*Think of an angle on your story that would make the reporter want to use your news. The fact that your company is celebrating its 20th anniversary isn't necessarily of interest to a paper, but perhaps the story of two employees who have been at the company for 20 years and have seen it grow and change is of interest.
*Before pitching, ask yourself, Does this news publication have a history of writing about what's in my press release?
*Avoid flowery language in news releases. Reporters don't want to wade through a long release with useless adjectives.
*Make sure the contact person on the release is available. Writers usually are on tight deadlines and need
information on demand. When they don't get it, your story may not make it to publication.
Rachel Brush, Managing Editor, Pluck Corporation and BlogBurst Syndicate
*Social media allows Internet users and a company's customers to communicate, control, and create through content such as blogs, photos, comments and discussion groups.
*Web sites everywhere are undergoing a fundamental change: Open wire content, in-house content and user-generated content form a company's social network and community. As this is processed and presented with editorial insight, what results is a trusted brand.
*Message control remains the hub of any communications strategy. Social media/networking are key, but do not forget the importance of the press release. A certain audience wouldn't be captured and stories wouldn't get picked up if the press release was not involved: Three-quarters of people go to news releases to get their information.
*Blogs are a huge community and are industry influencers, so be aware of what people are saying about your company. Make sure your communications directors and PR pracitioners are fully knowledgeable in the social media space and monitor what is being said at all times.
*Social media will not replace traditional media. However, social media and networking do augment today's news in a powerful way.
If you would like more information, please contact our speakers directly:
Alan Weinkrantz:
alan at weinkrantz.com
Vicki Vaughan:
VVaughan at express-news.net
Rachel Brush:
Rachel.Brush at pluck.com
Today I am on a panel to discuss the current state of the press release at an event sponsored by BusinessWire.
My take on the subject is:
1. The the press release is alive and well and in full swing
2. You are well advised to use wire services in order to get your news on the Internet and major search engines
3. Start thinking about using more elements of social media your outreach. Here is a good example of social media press release template. I am not saying you have to go to this extent, but on major announcements providing facilities for social media certainly merit exploration.
You may download the presentation here:
Last week, our rep from PR Newswire, Jennifer Miller, and her compadre Cyndi Baumgartner came by our offices to update us on 'waz up with her company.
They are now offering a news service called "Search Engine Visibility" (SEV), will Jennifer says will give you the ability to see exactly what phrases Web users use to arrive at customers' news releases.
These reports, generated by their partner, icrossing, will help can help you tailor future messages by providing relevant feedback on the most- used keywords and actions taken by Web users viewing the news release.
"One of the biggest challenges facing PR professionals and marketers in the Internet age is, 'How do customers and influencers find my news release online?' This service not only helps to place PR Newswire members' news releases in higher rankings on leading search engines, it also tells them how much traffic they are receiving from these engines, and reports on which search phrases were entered.
We'll be testing the service this fall.
Look for updates on my take on this.
Photo of me on a glacier in Iceland trying to 'search.' (c) Alan Weinkrantz - 2005 All Rights Reserved.
Aside from working for our clients, we also treat our firm as a client. Today, we made another announcement about my upcoming Corporate Blogging seminar in Israel that we are doing with PR Newswire / Israel.
The release is out in English and of course, in Hebrew, which you may read here:
Download alan_2_205725_hebrew1.doc
.
Today, we issued a media advisory for our client, VoiP pioneer, Jeff Pulver, pointing the media to today's blog entry on what he called a "new communications war." Today's blog entry highlighted what he saw as a battle between Internet Access Provider and Internet Application Provider.
The idea here is to try to get the media to come to Pulver's blog as a source for expert opinion, insight and "virtual quotes" that they media can use for story development ideas.
We recently distributed an announcement for our client, Mercom Systems, in Asia through PR Newswire's Asia pack. You can buy regions of Asia or specific countries such as Japan, Korea, or China. Each country has its own language and character sets, so you have to allow ample time for set up and translation.
Here are links to recnet coverage we acheived on this project. While you have to be fluent in the respective language to know what you are reading, you can note that they put the name of the company in English.
See: Yahoo China
CBI News
XY Fund
Xinhua PR Newswire
eFinet.com
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