PR Newswire Waives Distribution Fees for Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Related News Releases
Organizations offering aid to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan as well as those offering disaster preparedness services and information for residents of Hawaii and California can distribute their messages through PR Newswire in the U.S. at no charge. NEW YORK, March 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- PR Newswire has waived fees for all news releases relating to aid in rescue and recovery efforts for the severe earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on Friday. Additionally, organizations in need of communicating disaster preparedness information to residents of Hawaii and California are able to use PR Newswire at no charge. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20000306/PRNLOGO ) PR Newswire will waive fees for organizations that wish to communicate their efforts of assistance to media and public audiences in the United States. All English language releases will also be distributed throughout Asia at no additional charge. "When we are in a position to help we do," said Scott Mozarsky, chief commercial officer, PR Newswire. "Devastations such as the earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan require an all hands on deck effort, and it is a privilege to be able to assist in connecting relief, recovery and disaster preparedness organizations with the critical audiences they need to reach during this time." To view news releases issued by PR Newswire members offering aid, please visit http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/earthquake-tsunami-in-japan-latest-news-.html, under earthquake/tsunami in Japan. About PR Newswire PR Newswire (http://www.prnewswire.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 56 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content - from rich media to online video to multimedia - and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a United Business Media company. Contact: Rachel Meranus Vice President - Marketing and Communications Phone: +1-201-360-6776 / +1-646-295-5401 SOURCE PR Newswire Association LLC
PR Newswire Turns Your Release Into An Online News Channel with XHTML Formatting
Your news release is seen by a large audience of journalists and the general public. Enhance its appearance, readability and ability to drive online traffic by taking advantage of XHTML formatting. Hundreds of Web sites render PR Newswire releases in XHTML, including Yahoo! Finance, AOL Personal Finance Channel, MSN Money, prnewswire.com, Breitbart.com and many more. Make the most of this exposure with these formatting tips. Linking: Provide readers with an easy way to get more information by using anchor text (i.e. hyperlinking a word to a specific URL). Simply embed links in your Word document: 1. Highlight the word or phrase you wish to link in your document. 2. Click on "Insert" on your main toolbar, and then select "Hyperlink." 3. In the Address box, enter the URL to which you wish to link. 4. Click "OK." Your keyword/phrase will now be hyperlinked to the URL you entered. 5. Submit your release to PR Newswire. Anchor text best practices: 1. Link keywords that support your message to deep, specific pages of Web sites. 2. Write out the full URLs (i.e. http://thewholeURL.com) to particularly important sites. Many third party sites do not render anchor text. Include full URLs in addition to anchor text so that interested readers always have a call to action and a place to go for more information. 3. Use anchor text in the body of your release, not the headline or subhead. Web sites will not render anchor text in your headline or subhead. Formatting: How you format your news release affects its appearance on different Web sites. Our own best practice is to use consistent formatting in developing content for the thousands of sites that display it. Formatting best practices: 1. Use bold text and italics. More and more sites are rendering our enhanced XHTML feed and are able to display releases that include these formatting elements. 2. Use bullet points. Many Web sites can't handle multiple, stacked subheads. Instead, use bullet points in your first paragraph to make your points. 3. Keep your headline and subhead as short as possible. Google only displays the first 63 characters of a headline in search results (including spaces), and Yahoo! only displays the first 118. 4. Use numbered lists. Lists appear handsomely with XHTML formatting. However, we may recommend slight changes to you to make releases more Web-friendly (i.e. for numbered lists, the format is 1., 2., 3., versus 1), 2), 3) ...). Important note: XHTML formatting cannot currently be used within tables, though this will be an option soon. Besides the XHTML formatting for the US-bound releases, it is also available for our Greater China distributions. Here is a presentation given by Lee Green, Director of Operations, PR Newswire Asia, about more details and features of the XHTML formatting in China. For more details, please CLICK HERE.
PR Newswire Launches ProfNet Connect, the Groundbreaking, Interactive Online Expert Community
Enhanced Communications Platform Allows Users to Interact Directly Via Forums, Blogs and Messaging Expert Pages Feature In-Depth Profile Building; Video, Photos, Multimedia Content New York – September 16, 2010 /PRNewswire/-- Building upon the communication industry’s leading expert database, PR Newswire today unveiled ProfNet Connect, the groundbreaking, interactive online expert community designed for communications professionals and the media. ProfNet Connect extends the core benefits of ProfNet, an essential tool for the PR community and the media since 1992, by delivering an enhanced set of social media and content management features that promote more targeted and interactive exchanges of ideas and resources. The new system is uniquely designed around a robust, centralized communications hub that brings together expert profiles, topical blog posts, and enables users to engage in real-time conversations through forums and groups. ProfNet Connect has replaced the ProfNet Experts Database. “ProfNet Connect not only represents a significant enhancement to the ProfNet platform, but it offers a leap forward in how professionals on all sides of the media equation organize their outreach, share information, and engage in conversation,” stated Sandra Azzollini, director, Online Content and Community, PR Newswire. ProfNet Connect also offers significantly enhanced profile building capabilities that allow subscribers and the general public, alike, to create detailed expert pages that showcase areas of expertise, viewpoints on issues, and general availability, as well as photos, videos, white papers and speaking abstracts accredited to the expert source. Reporters, bloggers, authors and event coordinators can then use ProfNet Connect to access the profiles to conduct research and outreach to the expert directly. All enhanced expert profiles on ProfNet Connect are made instantly available to the media and are indexed by major search engines. Azzollini continued, “Not only will ProfNet Connect change the way the media engages with experts, but it provides a new way for peers to interact, find like-minded influencers with whom to collaborate around topics, see how other experts are positioning themselves around relevant issues, and gives all users a look into what topics are percolating.” ProfNet Connect can be accessed, free of charge, via www.prnewswire.com/profnetconnect by all members of the media, communications professionals and the general public. Once logged in, all users will have the ability to create and search expert profiles. The foundation of the ProfNet experience – the daily email distribution of media queries – will remain an essential component of ProfNet. Subscribers will continue to have full access to breaking reporter queries and calls-to-action via the daily email distributions and online communications platform. Subscribers will also benefit from additional functionality on ProfNet Connect. About PR Newswire PR Newswire is the global leader in innovative communications and marketing services, enabling organizations to connect and engage with their target audiences worldwide. Through its multi-channel distribution network, audience intelligence, targeting, compliance, and measurement services, PR Newswire helps corporations and organizations conduct rich, timely and dynamic dialogues with the media, consumers, policymakers, investors and the general public, in support of building brands, generating awareness, impacting public policy, driving sales, and raising capital. Pioneering the commercial news distribution industry 56 years ago, PR Newswire connects customers with audiences in more than 170 countries and in over 40 languages through an unparalleled network of offices in 16 countries across North and South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and via unique affiliations with the leading news agencies across the globe. PR Newswire is a subsidiary of United Business Media Limited (UBM.L), a leading global business media company that serves professional commercial communities around the world. For more information, go to www.unitedbusinessmedia.com.
PR Newswire Sponsored 2010 China CFO Conference
From August 19 to 21, PR Newswire will join hands with CFO World Magazine and Beijing Government of Shi Jingshan District to co-host the 2010 China CFO Conference, themed "Re-evaluation of CFO in the Age of Capital." The co-sponsors include various organizations, such as CIMA, ICAEW and IMA. PR Newswire has been a devoted sponsor of the event, and has provided the leading Newswire service for it for many years. The globalization of the world economy has forced Chinese companies to recognize the importance of capital markets, and the to CFOs reassess their roles and responsibilities within an organization. The CFO Conference is purposed to reflect the trend and to reinforce the importance of communications between companies and institutional and retail investors, potential consumers, media and the general public. PR Newswire is the only information distribution services provider in the industry with round-the-clock operations in China, delivering a host of media and investor communications services to its customers throughout the country. Among its core offerings, PR Newswire provides press release distribution, media monitoring, Edgar filings, financial typesetting and printing, conference call webcasts, IR website hosting, and multimedia production and distribution. "The 2010 China CFO Conference provided a valuable opportunity for CFOs from publicly listed companies, large-scale enterprises, and IR agencies to share their insights and experiences. The purpose is in accordance with PR Newswire's commitment to our clients," said Mr. Yujie Chen, managing director of PR Newswire China. "We are committed to furthering communications with our clients and business partners in the future, and keeping on providing unparallel information disclosure and investor relations services."
PR Newswire Holds Media Coffee in Shenzhen
On June 25, PR Newswire Asia held a Media Coffee that was themed Making Corporate News Appealing to Mainstream Media. The four guest speakers were Mr. Dongsheng Cheng, 21st Century News, Ms. Yanwei Wang, Senior Reporter of China Business News, and Ms. Nergy Liu, Senior Editor of PR Newswire Asia. The speakers shared their insights on how to pitch ideas to journalists, and how to write great press release that will get noticed with over 50 marketing and PR professionals from 31 organizations and media, including China Merchants Securities, Ever Bloom, Guangzhou Liby Enterprise, Peking University HSBC School of Business, BYD, NYC Lighting, Hong Kong Commercial Daily and Manager. Mr. Dongsheng Cheng, a veteran financial journalist, shared his opinions on how companies draw media attention, respond to journalists and manage crises. Mr. Cheng believes that companies should have a long-term communication plans to create more reports on executive stories, news events, and make use of third-party services like Chinese ProfNet. Ms. Yanwei Wang has spent many years reporting on funds-related news and financial markets. She explained that journalists pay more attention to companies’ business strategies than product news. In order to help reporters generate in-depth news reports, companies should provide more materials like meeting notes. Driven by market competition, local and international companies in China have put more effort into public relations and brand building than ever. As the world’s oldest and largest corporate information distribution service, PR Newswire Asia has a round-the-clock team assisting companies and organizations in delivering text, images and multimedia press releases worldwide. Ms. Nergy Liu shared her years of experience in press release writing, and showcased the importance of photos for corporate communications. “PR Newswire Asia aims to grow as an industry leader of corporate distribution services. Besides the pioneering and quality information distribution services we provided, PR Newswire Asia hosts regular Media Coffees, bridging media together with corporate PR professionals to discuss the needs of news reporting and corporate communications. We would like to join hands with our partners and clients to promote transparent and effective public communications, and benefit companies, consumers, investors and the general public at large,” noted Mr. Yujie Chen, Managing Director of PRN Asia. About PR Newswire Asia's Media Coffees For over 50 years, PR Newswire has provided electronic distribution, targeting, measurement and broadcast services on behalf of tens of thousands of organizations worldwide, covering media communities in 170 countries. PR Newswire Asia hosts regular Media Coffees, bridging media with corporate PR professionals to discuss the latest developments in the communications field. PR Newswire Asia has continued this tradition since 2002 by hosting regular media coffees in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and now, Singapore. This has assisted hundreds of PR professionals in expanding their communications networks by directly interacting with local reporters and editors.
Three Pillars of Engagement: Intelligence, Communication and Compliance
Gathering intelligence in a low-visibility world Multimedia communications tools How one company uses video to reach investors XBRL boosts intelligence and communications Know thy shareholder is perhaps the first rule for any investor relations officer. But many IROs find getting the basic information they need in order to know their audience and communicate effectively is no mean feat. At a time when public companies have been compelled to share more financial information, disclosing everything from executive compensation practices to how board members are selected, many IROs lament that investors have been asked to share precious little, if anything, about themselves. In addition, shareholders are evaluating public companies on much more than just their 10Ks and 10Qs. Nowadays investors want to know a company’s record on climate change, green initiatives and other aspects of CSR. Compliance doesn’t stop at what the letter of the law demands. It extends to how effectively a company can communicate all its activities to shareholders, and to the broader market. In this new environment, market intelligence, communications, and compliance are no longer three distinct endeavors. Instead, they are converging, and the savviest IROs know how to use market intelligence to create cutting-edge communications and more comprehensive compliance. The ultimate goal? To use the latest technology and techniques to create a holistic view of a company, one that shareholders can appreciate from a range of vantage points. Market intelligence Since 1975 the SEC has required investors with more than $100 mn in assets under management to disclose their positions within 45 days of the end of the quarter. Unfortunately, the information is stale by the time an IRO can extract it from public 13F filings, and there’s practically no penalty for investors that don’t report on time. Compounding the problem is the rise of algorithmic trading and dark pools, non-public marketplaces that do not display their quotes before or during a trade. These developments have shone a spotlight on the need for market intelligence: the identification, analysis and targeting of a company’s shareholder base. IROs consider it vital to know who owns their stock, who owns their peers and why. Understanding what shareholders are doing in the market overall can help IROs target their message to retain investors over the long term. A good market intelligence provider can help analyze existing publicly available data and provide information about settlements within the Depository Trust Company (DTC) system and the movement between DTC banks. Market intelligence can also help IROs know who their shareholders are and identify the triggers for an investor to increase or decrease its position. What’s more, IROs often commission perception studies to learn everything from what the market thinks about a particular industry and a company’s position within that industry to understanding the Street’s perspective on a company’s strategy or message. When there is a common misperception, these studies can help an IRO determine how to project a more accurate image and hone its message to prevent future problems. Another key aspect of intelligence is keeping abreast of what’s being written or said about a public company online. Increasingly, financial blogs and internet news sources influence the behavior of retail investors. Given the growth in popularity of online channels, IROs should monitor what’s being said about their companies on the internet. IROs are embracing tools to help them learn when their company is mentioned – and in what context. Arguably, keeping tabs on social media is particularly important for mid and smaller-cap companies. While more than 80 percent of shares in large-cap companies like those in the S&P 500 are typically owned by institutions, most mid-caps are 30 percent to 40 percent institutionally owned with the remainder of shares held by retail investors. With fewer available tools, retail investors tend to rely more heavily on financial sites and blogs. Finally, intelligence is critical for an IRO to perform well professionally. Whether an IRO reports to the CFO or the CEO, it’s essential that he or she can provide a well-informed explanation for why the company’s stock is behaving a certain way. Communications Increasingly, financial communication falls into two camps: pull and push. On the pull side, companies are expected to make their websites sticky through strong content and links to social media outlets. Attracting investors to your IR site is all well and good, but the mark of a superior online presence is getting investors to spend time perusing the site and returning to it. Beyond the IR website, however, IROs must also push information out to investors. While older investors still get the lion’s share of their information through traditional print journalism, Generation X and Y shareholders will probably use their laptops or mobile devices to stay current. The more ways IROs communicate, the more constituents they will reach. Public companies continue to issue traditional press releases to reach a broad audience, but they have also begun to create targeted press releases for smaller subsets of key individuals, such as analysts and portfolio managers. IROs are starting to experiment with some of the more cutting-edge multimedia and social media tools. In an acquisition, for instance, a company might issue a multimedia news release containing a two-minute video. This might feature an overview of the company that’s been acquired or an interview with the CEO or COO outlining the strategic vision behind the acquisition. Multimedia news releases have the added benefit of being conveniently shared on other web outlets. Tools like Twitter, Facebook, Digg or StumbleUpon buttons let a news release be distributed to a wider audience instantaneously. Social media aficionados may repost a public company’s announcement about its latest acquisition or earnings release, thereby spreading the word without an IRO doing anything additional. Annual reports are also evolving to incorporate the latest media. Some companies supplement the PDF version of the annual report online with interactive charts, PowerPoint decks and videos. Compliance By the end of 2012, all public firms will be required by the SEC to file their financial data in XBRL, a system for uniformly tagging financial data. Filing in XBRL allows investors using the tagged information to work more efficiently and make meaningful comparisons with other companies using XBRL. Although the SEC’s decision to mandate XBRL is widely viewed as a major advance in compliance, IROs are now beginning to see that XBRL can also be a critical tool for communications. XBRL provides a more direct link between public companies and investors, who will be able to review a greater number of public companies as financial statement analysis and modeling becomes more dynamic with XBRL. Excelling with XBRL is a badge of honor for public firms. Ultimately, the quality of the documents you file has an impact on how easily analysts and portfolio managers can work with your company’s data. Investors often perceive companies that file timely, error-free XBRL documents as being well managed and having strong governance. In addition, a firm’s XBRL data allow an IRO to compare a company against its peers – something critical for competitive intelligence. For instance, EDGAR Online provides tagged data from the last 10 years. With this trove of information, IROs can see how well they’re communicating financial data by benchmarking their filings against their competitors’ and follow trends over time. For example, say a company is considering pursuing a hedging strategy. The IRO can perform an XBRL search of other public companies that have used the same type of hedging strategy and see how their financials were affected. In this regard, XBRL is not only a compliance tool but also a very strong intelligence tool. IROs have always relied upon the latest and best intelligence to inform their compliance and communications. What’s changed is that technology lets them use integrated tools to reach multiple constituents both faster and with better-tailored information. As the lines between intelligence, communications and compliance continue to blur, IR professionals find themselves working within a very interesting landscape. Increasingly, they want – and need – a suite of integrated products to manage these three pillars of engagement in a unified fashion. Embracing the latest developments from XBRL to multimedia press releases and social media not only sharpens a company’s ability to gain valuable market intelligence, but also improves both its compliance and its ability to communicate effectively with a broad range of constituents.
PR Newswire Asia Holds Media Coffee on Communications Through Travel Trade Publications
On June 23th, PR Newswire held a Media Coffee that was themed "Communications Through Travel Trade Publications," in Shanghai. Over 10 marketing and PR professionals from several companies including Fiji Island Tourism, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Jinjiang Hotels, the Renaissance Shanghai Yuyuan Hotel, Millennium Hongqiao Hotel, Travelzen, Yododo, HUBS1, Shanghai Far East Boats attended. Media Coffee: Communications Through Travel Trade Publications Mr. Ning Ding, Shanghai Bureau Chief for China Travel News, Mr. Yan Le, Senior Reporter of China Business News and Ms. Iris Dai, Editor of PR Newswire Asia were invited as guest speakers to share their insights on communications through travel trade publications and press release writing with the attending guests. Mr. Ning Ding, Shanghai Bureau Chief for China Travel News Mr. Ning Ding pointed out the common mistakes made when writing press releases and gave advice on how to draft a press release for an event or when sending product promotion information. Mr. Ding suggested that companies provide a long press release to meet the different needs of financial media and trade publications. He also exhibited some press releases to explain how to ensure that a press release possesses news value. Mr. Yan Le told the attendees what travel industry news interests financial reporters and ultimately gain media exposure. Mr. Le advised that financial reporters have interest in information on corporate finance rather than promotions. Industry news and feature reports on company executives also attract attention. Mr. Yan Le, Senior Reporter of China Business News Ms. Dai, from PR Newswire Asia gave some recommendations on writing a good press release: + When writing a press release, PR professionals should include keywords in headlines to build visibility for the press release. Don’t use more than 30 words for news headlines. + Companies should include company profiles and a website at the end of the press release. + High resolution photos will help clients gain media exposure. Travel reporters like to collect pictures for future use. + The press release should quote an executive in the first two paragraphs. Ms. Iris Dai, Editor of PR Newswire Asia The guests were quick to thank PR Newswire Asia staff at the end of the event for giving them the opportunity to update their news writing skills, and for the chance to communicate with journalists personally and to understand their interests. About PR Newswire Asia's Media Coffees For over 50 years, PR Newswire has provided electronic distribution, targeting, measurement and broadcast services on behalf of tens of thousands of organizations worldwide, covering media communities in 170 countries. PR Newswire Asia hosts regular Media Coffees, bridging media with corporate PR professionals to discuss the latest developments in the communications field. PR Newswire Asia has continued this tradition since 2002 by hosting regular media coffees in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and now, Singapore. This has assisted hundreds of PR professionals in expanding their communications networks by directly interacting with local reporters and editors.
Making Your Online Newsroom More Customer and Consumer-Friendly
By:Dee Rambeau In this 24/7 news environment that we live in, everyone wants and watches breaking news. Many of us leave news channels on our televisions and news Web sites open in our browsers throughout the day. Additionally, we can now subscribe in a variety of ways to news sites via e-mail and RSS and its many forms like My Yahoo!. Historically, through the linear news path, a organization would send its news over a wire service hoping that a media professional would pick it up and use it to generate or perpetuate a news story through his or her paper or station. The Internet has obviously accelerated this cycle. Newspapers are facing extreme hardship as they are "yesterday's news" the moment they are printed. We as news consumers have a constant flood of online and on-air options from which to choose. No longer do we even have to wait for a news or media organization to deliver a organization's news to us given that wire services, Google News, Yahoo! News and even many organizations' online newsrooms can provide subscription options directly from their Web sites. Given this environment and the disintermediation of traditional media coverage, what can a organization do to make sure that their online mediaroom is working hard for them, not JUST in terms of their media audiences but also for us - the consumer and potential customer of the organization? The following are simple ways you can make your mediaroom more consumer-friendly: + Provide breaking information about a variety of topics - not just what would be considered "newsworthy" by traditional definitions. + Utilize social bookmarking tags within your site content. Digg, Delicious, Technorati search and other such quick links allow visitors to share content from your site that they might find interesting with others in their network or peer group. + Post more news in general. Even if the organization doesn't send the release over the wire, they should post it to the mediaroom. Search engines love fresh content and so do your subscribers. No one wants to subscribe to a news site that never puts out fresh news! Post announcements about new product features, or even just blurbs about something happening within your orgranization's community. Become a relevant resource to your site readers beyond the usual boring financial information that you're required to post for compliance purposes. + Optimize your content and your site pages in order to make them more "search-friendly." Search bots love fresh information, particularly content that relates to other content within your site by effective use of title tags, meta tags, hyperlinks and keywords. Imagine yourself trying to find your organization's content through Google. You wouldn't type in your organization name because maybe no one knows your organization name. Make sure you are searchable and can be found by terms and words that relate to your products and services. Use keywords that will lead users to your Web site. Why not use your online mediaroom as the portion of your site that has the most "attraction" to all audiences? + Post interesting multimedia. This does not simply mean pictures of your organization headquarters. Post YouTube clips of employees actively engaging in community outreach or pictures from the company picnic and other fun events that people want to see and share. In essence, "humanize" your organization to your customers. Large corporations need a robust online media room solution that can handle multimedia files, organize volumes of information for overworked journalists, and display background materials for quick reference. Click to view PR Newswire's MediaRoom Solutions Dow Jones: http://www.dowjones.com/pressroom.asp Delta Air Lines: http://news.delta.com/
Driving Marketing Results at Your Key Trade Shows and Events
by: Susan McPherson Inquire if the trade show's management is offering any special marketing and/or PR services/tools specifically for exhibitors. Ask for the registered media list well in advance of the show. Inquire as to what show management is planning to promote and market during the year. Your company could possibly participate in such a program and ride the coattails of its success. Planning for a Product Launch at a Trade Show If you're launching a new product or service, make sure to target the daily show magazine or newspaper, both online and in print. Also consult the editorial calendars of industry trade publications. Many will run show editions. Keep in mind that most magazines have long lead deadlines, so be sure to make contact early. Review the major social networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn for specific sites set up by the show management. Many events are now setting up temporary sites on these popular networks to help build communities. By joining the show communities, you can build relationships with the other participants, whether they are attendees, press, bloggers, analysts or other exhibitors, well in advance of the event. And last, but certainly not least, if you're launching a trade show-specific Web site, be sure to have the site populated with relevant content at least three to four weeks beforehand and make sure that you're able to update it while you're on the road. Use your special event URL in all show-related correspondence, news releases and invitations and include a link to it from your main Web site. A well-managed site could be the difference in converting leads to customers. What's the best way to manage a product launch at a show? There are a few simple steps for getting the most out of launching products at a trade show: Plan ahead. Develop a calendar of tasks to complete prior to the launch. The calendar should extend at least a month in advance and should account for such activities as drafting and finalizing the launch release and marketing materials, producing graphics or product photos, securing customer testimonials and performing media outreach. Then, align these activities within the timeframe of the trade show. Some tasks may need to be adjusted based on trade show rules and deadlines. If media coverage of your launch is a priority, preview your product for select journalists and analysts ahead of the event. Doing so will enable those reporters to break the story the day of your official launch. Make sure to obtain the trade show media list as far in advance as possible. A well-orchestrated product announcement is key to generating publicity. Check with event organizers to see if there's an official newswire sponsor and if there are any regulations for issuing news at the event. Create a standalone Web site or product page that can be updated quickly and easily. Populate the site with information about the launch, including marketing materials, the official launch release, photos, fact sheets and a link to encourage further communication. Make sure you have the right people staffing your booth. Product managers are essential if you're going to be demonstrating a new service. You might also consider asking satisfied customers who have used your product to act as live testimonials at the booth. Unless you're introducing the next iPhone or similar product, don't hold a press conference. The cost will outweigh the benefits. How should a company structure its product launch announcement if the news is being issued at a show? Follow the same basic news release writing guidelines as you would for any other announcement. Make sure to address the five W's -- who, what, where, when and why -- avoid jargon and write a catchy headline that directly relates to the news. The only major difference between a trade show-based announcement and a standard release will be the dateline. The lead paragraph should indicate that the launch is taking place at the event. This will add an element of timeliness to the news and attract the attention of reporters assigned to the show. What's the best way to secure media interviews? Again, plan ahead. Use the media list provided by show management and send out e-mails to reporters who will be attending the event. If the show doesn't supply a media list, search for past articles on the event and develop a list of publications and reporters on your own. The same reporter may be assigned to cover the show again. And if not, he or she should be able to point you in the right direction. Be sure to initiate contact at least two weeks prior to the show. Remember, your company won't be the only one trying to set up an interview. Reporters' calendars fill up quickly. And give the media a reason to take notice. Offer breaking news or a unique angle that distinguishes your company from the other businesses. Also look for opportunities to secure speaking engagements, either as a keynote speaker or as a participant in a panel discussion. Speaking engagements require extensive planning and creativity, so start early and identify several themes you're comfortable discussing. Don't focus solely on topics directly related to your business. The most enticing speakers are those who can branch out beyond the standard subjects. Which marketing materials should you have on hand? These should be kept to a minimum. No journalist wants to carry reams of paper, and with concern for the environment growing, no one likes to see waste. Consider placing all your marketing materials on branded jump drives. You should also include these materials on your trade show Web site or electronic press kit for easy download by journalists when the show is over.
Become an Industry Expert
by: Rachel Meranus Offering your wisdom to the media is a great way to further your brand. Using your organization's representatives as expert commentators in the media is a great way to gain exposure for your brand and position your organization as a thought leader in the industry. But marketing your contacts or executives as experts requires a different set of disciplines and reporter accessibility. For instance, how are you to know when a reporter is facing a deadline and in need of a source that ideally suits your spokesperson? What is the best approach to make your experts visible to reporters when those reporters are researching a story? For a firsthand, in-the-field perspective of the opportunities and challenges available to small businesses in marketing expert sources, I spoke with Lorrie Thomas, who heads a boutique online marketing agency, Web Marketing Therapy. We discussed how she was able to increase exposure for her clients by positioning them as experts to the media. What qualities does a good expert source possess? We work with clients in all industries who make their passion their profession. This quality helps to distinguish them from their competitors, and we use this principle when we design and execute marketing campaigns. We realized that the people who are responsible for bringing the passion to their profession make naturally compelling sources not only because they are most informed about the industry that they're working in but also because they truly enjoy what they do, and it shows. Opportunities to position clients as expert sources need not be limited to their profession. If a client has had success as an amateur athlete, has an interesting hobby or a unique personal background, these traits can provide additional opportunities to gain exposure for the talent behind a brand. How did you begin working on getting your clients' names out there as experts? Though our clients were leaders in their space, we needed the tools to translate that expertise into positive exposure. We researched various strategies and techniques for publicizing expert sources and realized that the only way we would be able to produce significant and repeatable results is if we employed tools that were recognized by the PR industry as best-in-class. How do you prepare your clients for their first interview? Fortunately, our clients are experts in their field and are very gifted communicators, so there is never a need for formal media training. What we do to prepare our clients is get a list of questions to them in advance so they are prepared. We also gather information about the audience our clients are speaking to. We understand the market, needs, wants and educational level. It is our goal to have interviews that educate and add value to the target audience--so we plan ahead. As a marketer, what do you see as the key benefits for building expert exposure? Were your clients generally receptive to the strategy? An expert in his or her field can become an authority with an exposure plan. Once an expert achieves authority status, it takes marketing to a whole new level. The media is more interested in our clients, their target market trusts them more, company morale goes up; the benefits are endless. Generally, our clients understand that they need marketing to build brand and boost business and are very willing to be catapulted to high expert status to grow their companies.
PR Newswire Launches Interactive Multimedia and Social Media Platform
The ARC Engagement Platform Features Interactive Video Player Combined with Full Digital Content Access and Web 2.0 Posting Capabilities PR Newswire and its broadcast and multimedia division, MultiVu, on June 15 announced the launch of the ARC engagement platform, a multimedia and social media platform designed to provide public relations practitioners with a dynamic tool for engaging and interacting with customers via any online location. To view the multimedia press release, please click: /pr/10/06/100558721-1.html. Developed as a free-standing, interactive media player and landing page, the ARC (Access, Reach, Connect) platform offers the ability to combine and distribute an entire catalog of assets video, multimedia, photos, coupons and promotional content through a single platform that exists on its own in any Web-based platform. As users interact with the ARC platform, the system's comprehensive set of reporting metrics enables communications professionals to perform online activity analyses, real-time monitoring of impressions, views and streams, and in-depth social media monitoring and tracking. The ARC Engagement Platform "The ARC engagement platform is truly a game-changing tool for the public relations industry as it empowers companies to create a 'living and breathing' multimedia platform that when disseminated takes on a life of its own, growing and changing as users engage and interact with the content," said Bev Yehuda, vice president, Web Engagement, MultiVu, a PR Newswire company. "As more organizations create digital content, there is an increasing need for this content to update automatically and be easily shared by users. That is the power of the ARC platform, and the heart of today's increasingly interactive communications world." Central to the ARC platform's design is an interactive multimedia player, which can be modified to showcase up to five individual segments of encoded video or audio content. All video content is housed within the ARC platform and is also disseminated via PR Newswire's Online Video Distribution network, which includes sites such as YouTube, Yahoo! Video, Metacafe and AOL Video. Accompanying the video player, the ARC engagement platform provides direct access to customized multimedia and text content as well as Web 2.0 command buttons, enabling online users to embed the player on blogs, websites or social networking Web pages. As the ARC player is shared across the Internet, PR Newswire's Social Media Metrics technology delivers insight into how one's brand, key messages, competitors, and industry topics are being discussed on blogs, social sites and online forums. Yehuda remarked, "This is a key element of the ARC platform as it serves to create a bread trail of content that is initially disseminated by clients but then can be spread further by any online user. Since the ARC player can be easily embedded into any blog, website or social media Web page, video content and related messages have the ability to go viral without any additional effort by the client." Additionally, the ARC platform's customizable "call-to-action" buttons provide a stage where users can perform a host of functions that best meet the objective of the communications campaign, including click-to-purchase, social media tagging, and content sharing via sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The ARC platform also incorporates customizable text alongside the video player in order to maximize search engine optimization (SEO) and brand recognition. Yehuda concluded, "The launch of the ARC engagement platform solidifies PR Newswire's position as the only commercial news distribution service offering an interactive media player that can be distributed broadly on which all content can be dynamically updated wherever the player has been embedded. There is no technology available that matches what the ARC platform delivers to today's communications professional." About PR Newswire PR Newswire is the global leader in innovative communications and marketing services, enabling organizations to connect and engage with their target audiences worldwide. Through its multi-channel distribution network, audience intelligence, targeting, compliance, and measurement services, PR Newswire helps corporations and organizations conduct rich, timely and dynamic dialogues with the media, consumers, policymakers, investors and the general public, in support of building brands, generating awareness, impacting public policy, driving sales, and raising capital. Pioneering the commercial news distribution industry 56 years ago, PR Newswire connects customers with audiences in more than 170 countries and in over 40 languages through an unparalleled network of offices in 16 countries across North and South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and via unique affiliations with the leading news agencies across the globe. PR Newswire is a subsidiary of United Business Media Limited (UBM.L), a leading global business media company that serves professional commercial communities around the world. For more information, go to www.unitedbusinessmedia.com.
PR Newswire Asia Media Coffee in Shenzhen
Make Corporate News Appealing to Mainstream Media 14:00-17:30 PM, June 25-Yidutang, F3,OCT-Loft, Enping Street, Nanshan District, Shenzhen - Do you want your press releases to make catch reporters' eyes? - Why has your information been overlooked by the media in the past? - How do stories from some companies make headlines? PR Newswire Asia is pleased to offer a Media Coffee in our Shenzhen office on June 25, 2010. Senior journalists/editors from well-known Chinese media will share their insights on how to pitch your ideas to journalists, and how to write great press releases that get noticed. Speakers: Dongsheng Cheng Reporter/Editor, 21st Century News Wenfu Shangguan Assistant of Financial, News Shenzhen Special Zone Daily Nergy Liu Senior Editor, PR Newswire Asia Program: 14:00-14:30 PM-Registration 14:30-16:30 PM-Presentations and Panel Discussion 16:30-17:00 PM-Q&A 17:00-17:30 PM-Networking Venue: Yidutang, F3,OCT-Loft, Enping Street, Nanshan District, Shenzhen Please Note: Registration is limited, so please respond by the deadline June 24, 2010. To register and take the next step toward successful communication with the media, please call 86-755-82872236 or email melissa.luo@prnasia.com.
PR Newswire Receives 'China CFO's Most Trusted Investor Relations Management Services' Award
Award presented by CFO World as part of its "Top 100 Most Trusted Service Provider" poll PR Newswire announced today that it has been selected by CFO World, China's prestigious financial magazine, as a recipient of its "China CFO's Most Trusted Investor Relations Management Services" award. The award, part of CFO World's 2009 "Top 100 Most Trusted Service Provider" poll, recognizes PR Newswire's superior disclosure and investor communications services, as well as efforts to help Chinese companies listed on the various exchanges around the world with their financial and media communication activities. A committee of chief financial officers and media professionals chose PR Newswire as the award recipient after a three month process in which the group considered the merits of hundreds of service providers, including investment and merchant banks, law firms, auditors, securities agents, and IR agencies. “China CFO’s Most Trusted Investor Relations Management Services” Award "We are honored to receive this award, which is an encouraging recognition for our team of some 60 people in the four offices we have in China," stated Ninan Chacko, CEO of PR Newswire. "A very important reason for our success in China is our continuous commitment to educate the market, meet the needs of our local clients and deliver services in the most accurate, efficient and credible manner. PR Newswire looks forward to expanding our investment in the China market with new product developments and continuing our efforts in market education by working more closely with our customers and partners." PR Newswire is the only information distribution services provider in the industry with round-the-clock operations in China, delivering a host of media and investor communications services to its customers throughout the country. Among its core offerings, PR Newswire provides press release distribution, media monitoring, Edgar filings, financial typesetting and printing, conference call webcasts, IR website hosting, and multimedia production and distribution. "The investor relations industry in China is still young but is developing quite rapidly," commented Mr. Maoyong Tian, publisher of the CFO World Magazine. "Companies listed both locally and overseas are attaching greater importance to communications with financial media and investors. At the same time, investors worldwide are also showing increasing interest in Chinese companies. With its industry-leading reach and expertise, PR Newswire plays a very important role in providing a constant and effective communication conduit between the companies and the investors, helping Chinese CFOs maintain and build investor trust and confidence." During its seven years of operation in China, PR Newswire's services have become highly valued by Chinese listed companies. PR Newswire services are now used by over 250 Chinese companies that have gone public on various stock exchanges in North America, Europe and Asia. Additionally, among PR Newswire's clients in China, there are a growing number of companies that are listed on the local Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges which rely on PR Newswire's extensive local distribution network encompassing more than 12,000 journalists representing over 4,100 agencies in China. "PR Newswire China has become an essential messaging conduit in China, allowing companies, both public and private, to openly communicate their messages to investors and media in China and around the world," remarked Yujie Chen, managing director of PR Newswire China. "In particular, our ability to build direct, one-on-one relationships with the thousands of media outlets throughout China has been instrumental in building PR Newswire's reputation as a trusted source of corporate announcements in the region. We are very thankful to receive this prestigious award and look forward to continuing to serve the many tremendous businesses and organizations throughout China."
PR Newswire Asia Holds Media Coffee on Communications through Business Management Magazines
On May 27th, PR Newswire held a Media Coffee under the theme, Communications Through Business Management Magazines, in Beijing. Over 30 marketing and PR professionals from 20 organizations, including Hanvon, MacDonalds, Capital Airports, Dupont, Huayuan International Tourism, One Foundation and Sina attended. Mr. Maolin Wu, Editor in Chief of CEO and CIO, Mr. Zhenye Chen, Director of and Sino-Manager, Mr. Guozhu Li, Senior Editor of Contemporary Manager -- were invited as guest speakers to share their insights on positioning and interview topic selections of business management magazines with the attending guests. Mr. Maolin Wu, Editor in Chief of CEO and CIO Mr. Maolin Wu highlighted that both investigations and interviews are important for business management magazines, which need both in-depth reports and smart perspectives. Mr. Wu recognized the value of PRN Asia’s distribution service, and noted that the press releases distributed by PRN Asia provided lots of valuable news report threads. He advised companies to write the news report like news rather than advertorials. Mr. Zhenye Chen, Director of and Sino-Manager Mr. Guozhu Li, Senior Editor of Contemporary Manager Mr. Zhenye Chen, Director of and Sino-Manager, is one of the first recipients of PRN Asia’s press releases. He analyzed the positioning of Sino-Manager for attendees and introduced some important news reports finished by Sino-Manager’s editorial team. Mr. Guozhu Li provided some advice on how companies can better approach media and provided the journalists information to develop the company’s feature stories. About PR Newswire Asia's Media Coffees For over 50 years, PR Newswire has provided electronic distribution, targeting, measurement and broadcast services on behalf of tens of thousands of organizations worldwide, covering media communities in 170 countries. PR Newswire Asia hosts regular Media Coffees, bridging media with corporate PR professionals to discuss the latest developments in the communications field. PR Newswire Asia has continued this tradition since 2002 by hosting regular media coffees in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and now, Singapore. This has assisted hundreds of PR professionals in expanding their communications networks by directly interacting with local reporters and editors.
PR Newswire Asia Launches PR Training for Business Executives
An excellent spokesperson can save a company from crisis, whereas a poorly trained spokesperson can often feel like a fish out of water, resulting in slow, unprofessional responses and ultimately, failure. There are many executives in China that resent having to talk to the media. It feels like a chore best passed on to someone less senior. However, history shows us that this perception makes them miss out many valuable exposure opportunities, with brand building and sales opportunities lost as a result. Skillful executives and spokespersons, however, can avoid this pitfall by being readily available to provide concise and professional responses to the key questions being asked. This ability all but guarantees your company an advantage, and in today's extremely competitive markets, such an advantage can be the difference between success and failure. It's likely you've received numerous spam emails about training courses, and you may even have taken part in PR courses that promise the world. We here at PR Newswire believe that if you have ever taken a PR course and left wanting more, or if you just feel it's time to take the next step and become better at what is ultimately a core responsibility of any good executive and spokesperson, we have exactly what you've been looking for. PR Newswire Asia offers: •The only PR training program designed exclusively for business executives •Practice and role-plays to ensure more fruitful training results •Tailored training modules to meet daily work needs •After-class services provided to give follow-up solutions Training Modules: •CEO Speeches •Government and Company Spokesperson Coaching •Crisis Communications Training For more information, please contact: Beijing: +86-10-59539588 Shanghai: +86-21-61370118 Shenzhen: +86-755-82872107 Guangzhou: +86-20-86665766 Email: info@prnasia.com Website: www.prnasia.com
Making Compelling Web Video
Let’s face it. Most online video is unwatchable. It’s unfunny, uninteresting and a complete waste of time. However, for every hundred duds, there is that one gem that makes you realize the true power of the medium. So the question at hand is: What makes the difference between the very, very good and the horrid? Aside from inherent creativity (you can’t discount ability), it often comes down to a few basic principles and disciplines that when followed should ensure success. To assist my clients in getting started, I always ask the following seven questions at the outset of any video production: What is your message? Most messages inform, entertain or encourage engagement. Messages can sell stock, project an image or market a product. Make your message count. Who is your target audience? Business to consumer, business to business, women ages 35-50, singles vacationing to Costa Rica. Know who you want to target. What conversations do you want? Online video provides the opportunity to interact with audiences directly and allows audiences to provide feedback. Tagging a video as a “favorite” on a Facebook page, calling an 800 number or participating in surveys/ ratings/contests, are all types of engagement. Start the conversation. What are your in-house capabilities? Can you produce your video in-house or do you need a film crew to help with audio, lighting, producing and editing? Know your limitations. What is your budget? These days video production can be very affordable, however it all depends what type of quality you would like. Know how much you want to spend. How are you going to measure your ROI? It’s all about getting eyeballs to your video. Technology has made it very easy to get reports on how many users have viewed a video, how much time they spent watching it, where they came to the site from, etc. Measure, measure, measure. Where do you want to be seen? Company websites, video sharing sites like YouTube, Grouper, AOL, and Veoh, or social media sites like Facebook, Technorati, Digg, Del.icio.us, etc. Be seen. Additional Tips for Creating Quality Web Videos When creating Web video, always keep in mind that it is not for television—start thinking in terms of computer screens and mobile screens. Follow the KISS principle. Originally an acronym for "Keep it Short and Simple", it is now more commonly referred to as "Keep it Simple, Stupid". Try to make the video easy to understand and avoid complexity. Be original, credible, and transparent. Write a script or an outline before you record your video so that you do not waste valuable production time trying to figure out a storyline. Be short and to the point. Know who your audience is and how best to speak to them. Testimonials often make great pieces of video whether it’s from a celebrity or “Joe” the plumber. Engage your audience with a call to action and provide a viewer feedback mechanism, such as a comments section or direct contact information. Think about making your video “evergreen” to give it a long shelf life. You can do this by not including dates or tying it in to a certain time of year. Take a little risk, experiment and be creative. Humor is a great way to gain traction, just be careful not to push it too far. The Internet does not have the same standards as television and allows much more leeway in content. A few years ago, Anheuser Bush posted a commercial which was deemed inappropriate for prime time television to its bud.tv online site. The “Swear Jar” video was then posted to YouTube, where it has received millions of views. The general rule of thumb with regards to timing is to be brief in duration. Generally, short form content ranging from 30 seconds to 3 minutes is the way to go. However, it does depend on the audience. There are some audiences for which longer video are appropriate. For example, most visitors to www.or-live.com will spend well over 30 minutes watching a surgical procedure. If you are creating a long-format video, such as a webcast, you can always index and break apart your video and even have teasers. If you have a budget for production, hire a professional. Professional producers can still make your video look cool, vital and eye catching. They will know which close ups will work best, will ensure that the video has proper lighting, and will likely use a tripod, which will keep your audience from getting nauseated by a bouncy camera. Additionally, professional producers will be able to advise on the aesthetics of the shoot, such as the dress and appearance of the people on camera (solid colored clothing works best on film) and on post-production techniques, such as inserting text boxes in the lower area of the screen to indicate who is speaking. If you do not have the budget for professional editing, there are many off-the-shelf editing software packages that enable you to do it yourself. The most popular are Avid, Premiere, Media 100 and Final Cut Pro. These tools can help you enhance your video with photos and graphics. For images, it is best to use jpegs (720X420) and images that are at least 300 dpi. Also, incorporate upbeat background music. You need to get permission if it is copyrighted, otherwise you can get royalty free music from sites like www.gettyimages.com or www.royaltyfreemusic.com. Make sure you have enough bandwidth and test your video on different devices and media players. We all know that internet video has reached critical mass and will continue to grow. Have fun, experiment and be creative when making your videos. Most importantly, make your video accessible, easy to view, easy to use and most importantly, make sure it works!
Measuring Your PR Success
by Rachel Meranus Your annual PR report should contain more than just media hits. Find out what you could be missing. Measuring your results against business objectives is critical when planning activities for the new year. PR professionals have used some of the same forms of measurement for decades. The most obvious and widely used is the number of media hits achieved, which can be compared from year to year. However, PR isn't just a numbers game, nor is it just about media coverage. To achieve long-term PR value, you need to embrace qualitative factors, such as relationships, awareness and positive perception. And while traditional tools are useful, less obvious measurements can help paint a more detailed, colorful and accurate picture. Reporter relationships One of the most valuable--but often overlooked--facets of a good PR strategy is the relationships forged with reporters. Take the time to assess the reporters you've built relationships with, the publication or media outlet they contribute to and how this association has affected your media coverage. This will tell you where you're doing well and which outlets need more attention. When a reporter knows you and you understand what information he or she needs that you can provide, you have the basis for enhanced media coverage. Looking at your list, evaluate how you see each reporter influencing your PR activities in the next year. What do you think they'll write about, and can your business be part of that coverage? Can they be used as a resource for contacting other reporters or gathering information? Another measure of successful relationship building is how often reporters contact you or your company without prompting. When reporters habitually contact you directly, you've hit the PR jackpot. A reporter seeking your input means you've established yourself and your company as a trusted, credible and valuable source. Look back at the past year and list the reporters who have called or e-mailed you. Note the type of media outlet--publications, websites and broadcast media--and, if possible, what sort of inquiries you received. Is there a pattern of communication? Is there any way you can further assist a reporter or prepare in advance for such queries? Finally, remember to add your reporter contacts to your holiday card list. Internal processes Take note of the internal processes related to your PR activities and evaluate what has worked and what hasn't. Have you established internal rules for speaking to the media and sending out news releases? How have you communicated your PR strategy to your team? If so, how have they responded? Also step back and look at the results from an outsider's point of view. Analyze what you need to do to achieve your PR goals. Looking at the situation from other perspectives will help you identify areas for improvement. Mentions in competitor articles Counting media hits usually involves the articles you generated or that feature your company prominently. An often-overlooked area is the number of times your business was mentioned in articles about your competitors. For a growing business, this can be an important indication of success, particularly in developing brand awareness. Once you have identified the number of articles your company was mentioned in, note how your company was portrayed in relation to your competitors. Was your business mentioned in a positive light? Over time, this analysis will indicate whether perception of your brand is changing. Managing crises In business, it's how you manage the ups and downs that matters. Analyze how you managed any difficult business issues from a PR perspective during the past year. Did you have a crisis plan in place and, if so, how effective was it? How did the media respond to the situation? Were you able to manage the process, construct key messages and ensure your side of the story was heard? If there was an article or other coverage of the situation, was it balanced and fair? Were you able to handle the situation and the media interest while running your business? When the crisis occurred, you may not have analyzed the effect the media coverage had on sales or other aspects of your business. Time and distance can help you assess the situation with a calm and rational mindset. If you have a crisis plan in place, take this time to review it and amend it based on what you've learned. And if you don't have a plan, now is the time to start. Sales activity and market share The ultimate function of PR is to increase sales and improve the bottom line. The connection between an article and a sale may not always be direct, but all PR activities should have that goal in mind. Track year-over-year sales to identify where PR exposure has influenced buying. When doing this, remember that PR, by its nature, is a slow process. But if you're achieving positive coverage and an increase in exposure, you'll likely see an upswing in activity at some point. These less-obvious PR measurements can reveal a lot about your achievements--and weaknesses. Over time, you'll see trends emerge; acting on them in the right way will help you grow your business.
PRWeek Lab Training: Experiments in Social Media Innovation
Wednesday, June 2 - Thursday, June 3, 2010 ET Keeping pace with the fast-moving world of social media innovation is one of the biggest challenges facing PR professionals today. By the time most in-person events are created, the agendas set, and the speakers recruited, a new social media application is just emerging. Focusing on the latest trends, tools and strategies in the area of social media, PRWeek Lab will provide a two-day, online resource for PR professionals - all without having to leave your office. This FREE conference will feature live webcast sessions and keynote presentations. Plus, visit virtual exhibitor booths to chat with experts and download helpful materials. AGENDA (All times are set in ET) WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2 11:00 a.m Lab virtual environment opens 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Explore the floor and network with PR professionals and experts in social media 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Educational webcast sponsored by Ogilvy PR 12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Explore the floor and network with PR professionals and experts in social media 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Keynote address: Jeffrey Hayzlett, CMO, Kodak 2:00 p.m - 2:15 p.m. Explore the floor and network with PR professionals and experts in social media 2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Educational webcast sponsored by Weber Shandwick Social Media on the Fly A real-time review with American Airlines and Weber Shandwick Featured Speakers: Billy Sanez, director of advertising, promotions, and social media, American Airlines Chris Vary, SVP, digital communications, Weber Shandwick 3:15 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Explore the floor and network with PR professionals and experts in social media 4:00 p.m Lab virtual environment closes THURSDAY, JUNE 3 11:00 a.m Lab virtual environment opens 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Explore the floor and network with PR professionals and experts in social media 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Educational webcast sponsored by PR Newswire Re-Imagining Communications to Drive Brand Engagement Featured speakers: Brian Solis, principal, FutureWorks, http://www.briansolis.com/ Tom Foremski, publisher, SiliconValleyWatcher Todd Grossman, VP sales/client services, MultiVu, a PR Newswire company 2:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Explore the floor and network with PR professionals and experts in social media 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Keynote address: Ben Edwards, VP, digital strategy and development, IBM 2:00 p.m - 2:15 p.m. Explore the floor and network with PR professionals and experts in social media 2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Educational webcast sponsored by Ketchum 3:15 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Explore the floor and network with PR professionals and experts in social media 4:00 p.m Lab virtual environment closes To obtain more information about this event, click here.
PR Newswire Launches Enhanced Event Marketing & Communications Platform
Virtual Press Office now integrated with PR Newswire's Global Events division Mr. Peter Brand Vice President, Global Tradeshow Services, PR Newswire PR Newswire announced today the launch of its new tradeshow marketing and communications platform, signaling the full integration of Virtual Press Office (VPO) within PR Newswire core suite of services. PR Newswire acquired VPO in December 2009, bringing together the leading global providers of tradeshow news distribution solutions and online press office management. PR Newswire's enhanced Global Events platform provides event organizers and exhibitors with an unparalleled package of communications services for maximizing exposure to tradeshow attendees, media and consumers. Combining best-in-class tools and technologies from PR Newswire and VPO, the platform enables event promoters and marketers to manage all stages of the tradeshow communications cycle, from news alerts and event promotions to media and consumer interaction to sales lead generation and management. Core elements of PR Newswire's Global Events platform include: -- News Distribution - Empowers event organizers and exhibitors with the ability to disseminate news to a broad, global audience as well as to niche markets and media groups. -- Exhibitor Online Press Kits - Enables companies to feature press releases and multimedia content in an online press kit that is accessible via the official trade show website. Companies can set up automatic news updates and retrieve detailed measurement reports on who has accessed their content. -- Social Media - Avails companies and event planners of the most wide-reaching and detailed tools for tracking, analyzing and acting upon tradeshow social media activity. The system combines PR Newswire's Social Media Metrics and VPO's recently launched EventBuzz. -- Sales Lead Communications - Enables companies to execute an entire email campaign, from planning and logistics, to targeting and distribution, to real-time lead development and analysis. -- Multimedia Production & Distribution - Includes a full array of multimedia tools and services, including video production, webcasting, multimedia news release development and dissemination, and direct photo distribution to media and consumers. "The integration of VPO with PR Newswire's Global Events division provides an unmatched communications platform where event organizers and exhibitors the world-over can truly maximize their tradeshow activities. This fully integrated solution along with newly designed products will serve event organizers and exhibitors like never before," stated Peter Brand, vice president, Global Tradeshow Services, PR Newswire. "As tradeshow marketing continues to expand from 'on-the-floor' to 'on-the-go,' planners, companies and attendees expect to have access to a full array of traditional, online and interactive tools that allow all those involved to engage in the promotion of and participation in an event." About PR Newswire PR Newswire is the global leader in innovative communications and marketing services, enabling organizations to connect and engage with their target audiences worldwide. Through its multi-channel distribution network, multimedia, audience intelligence, targeting, measurement and compliance services, PR Newswire helps corporations and organizations conduct rich, timely and dynamic dialogues with the media, consumers, policymakers, investors and the general public, in support of building brands, generating awareness, impacting public policy, driving sales, and raising capital. Pioneering the commercial news distribution industry 56 years ago, PR Newswire connects customers with audiences in more than 170 countries and in over 40 languages through an unparalleled network of offices in 16 countries across North and South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and via unique affiliations with the leading news agencies across the globe. PR Newswire is a subsidiary of United Business Media Limited (UBM.L), a leading global business media company that serves professional commercial communities around the world. For more information, go to http://www.UBM.com .
Increasing Search Engine Rankings with Syndicated Press Releases
Optimized Press Releases Drive Increased Website Visibility and Traffic Public relations professionals and search engine optimization experts share a common goal of building brand awareness for their organization, and both groups achieve that by writing optimized Web content (like product pages and press releases) that can be found by target audiences in searches. However, one important factor in the content optimization picture is how much traffic and how many links are pointed to company websites. This is an area in which PR Newswire’s online syndication network can really help your site optimization efforts. In addition to providing access to company news for subscribing journalists, PR Newswire syndicates press releases across thousands of websites that are relevant to the content of a given release. Many of the websites carrying the PR Newswire feed – including their own high-visibility site – render the anchor text links in press releases, and these backlinks can help search engine rankings. How PR Newswire News Syndication Drives Search EngineVisibility: +Content is pushed to thousands of relevant, authoritative websites, including high profile sites like PRNewswire.com +A single release distributed via PRNewswire can produce dozens of backlinks and significantly increase website visibility. +Significant, immediate traffic is driven to releases, as they are posted on the websites that news search engines such as Google News and Yahoo! News rely upon as information sources. +Google Real-Time search means additional direct traffic and increased real estate for your message, as it includes content from social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and others. Backlinks are links pointing to your website from another. Search engines view backlinks as a “vote” for your site from another – they’re a critical component of search engine optimization (SEO). 1.Utilize “Soft News” To build visibility for critical keywords, you need to increase the number of relevant backlinks to your content. This can be done by repackaging promotional newsletters and syndicating “soft news” releases – articles that foster reader engagement like seasonal tips and suggestions, polls and surveys – across PRNewswire’s vast content network with anchor text links. Take a look at the content your organization has produced, both online and off, and chances are good you'll find soft news that will be appropriate and effective in this application. 2.Target Narrowly Defined Keyword Terms When writing the article, it is important to target specific keywords, by utilizing those terms in the headline, lead and anchor text links. Focusing on more narrowly defined, specific terms is generally more effective than utilizing widely used, less descriptive language. Not only are these keywords less competitive which makes them more easily ownable on page one rankings, they can drive traffic from highly motivated consumers that are ready to buy. The words contained in the anchor text that link to relevant content are weighted heavily by search engine algorithms and can help determine the ranking that the content will receive on search engines. Take this example: an athletic wear retailer has optimized a page on its site for a keyword phrase such as “women’s Nike running shorts”. When they link to that page from the phrase “women’s Nike running shorts” in their press release, they increase that page’s relevance for their target search phrase while directing traffic from hundreds of niche websites posting the release. 3.Press Release Content Increases Backlinks and Rankings In iCrossing’s experience, the strategy of syndicating a press release, specifically optimized to meet a client’s goals, has increased the number of backlinks and subsequently improved search engine rankings nearly every time. This is true for more generic keywords as well as more specific, directed keyword phrases. In the examples shown in these charts, the number of backlinks to the target URL went from 0 to 24 over a five-week period, and the client’s position for the target phrase increased 85 percent, moving from page seven to page one in search engine results. The chart exemplifies how press releases of Starwood drive increased website visibility. It shows the dramatic increase of search frequencies through Baidu.com, the most used search engine in China. 4.Bringing it All Together: Tactics for PR Professionals As you integrate your news release content strategy with your company’s broader marketing and search objectives, here are a few things to keep in mind: Understand the long-term and near-term SEO goals: This syndication strategy requires that PR professionals understand both immediate and long-term company SEO goals and work closely with those responsible for website optimization to ensure a unified approach to targeting keyword terms. The results will be well worth the time and effort. Use what you have, create what you don’t: PR professionals are wise to survey their company’s external communications and leverage the online visibility afforded by press release syndication. Does your company already create email or online newsletters, case studies or white papers that can be optimized and syndicated through a news distribution service? Look at the content you have and make sure you get the most out of it – it can build your organization’s relevance and authority to both search engines and the world at large. Know what keywords have been mapped to specific website URLs: Different areas of your organization’s website will likely already have been optimized for specific terms. When you know a term that has been used to optimize a given page, use that term in the content you distribute and link that term back to its associated page, you build that page’s relevance for that term in the eyes of search engines. In-depth keyword research and a syndication strategy based on your marketing or promotional calendar often helps to set the stage for a powerful boost in site optimization. Taking full advantage of news syndication services closes the optimization loop, driving visibility and traffic for your company and brand. Anchor text – the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink – links readers to more information, and syndicating relevant anchor text in a press release can improve the rankings of targeted URLs.
