Issue #901 March 24, 2015
Publisher: Joan Stewart
“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”
In This Issue
- Printed Media Kit: A Dinosaur?
- Google Loves Press Releases Now
- “How Do You Know About Me?”
- Hound Video of the Week
This Week in the Hound House:
My dog, Bogie, is hoping for a little publicity. Each week, Dawgs in Motion, her doggy day care center, features a few photos of its “day campers” in their online newsletter. I’ve been taking her there for five years. But still, no publicity for my pup. If she gets it, I’ll be sure to include the link here.
1. Printed Media Kit: A Dinosaur?
Here’s a frequently asked question about media kits:
“If my media kit is online, do I need a printed kit?”
Probably not. But if you do, be ready on a moment’s notice to create it.
When dealing with journalists, bloggers or anyone who wants to promote you, give them what they want in the format they want it.
Here’s the good news. It doesn’t have to be expensive or fancy.
You don’t need a heavy-stock, high-gloss folder that has your logo imprinted on it. Buy an inexpensive folder from an office supply store and staple your business card to the front. Tuck your press release, bios and other materials inside. You can include a thumb drive that has your high-resolution photos scanned at 300 dots per inch. Not all computers have disc drives for CDs.
People who need the media kit don’t care about the window-dressing. They care more about what’s inside.
I still see a fair number of print media kits at trade shows. But don’t create stacks of printed media kits so anyone can help themselves. It’s too expensive, and there’s too much waste. If you’re going to a trade show, take a few printed ones only for people who ask for them. A journalist who wants to cover you and wants a printed media kit that you don’t have probably won’t think twice about accessing your online media kit.
As for your digital media kit and how to present it at your website, keep it simple. I like the way Joel Friedlander does it at his website. Notice how he has one link where the visitor can download the entire kit.
Also keep all materials in your media kit in a zipped, digital folder, ready to email to anyone who asks for it.
This is a good time to remind you again about Google’s April 21 deadline for making your website, including your online media kit, mobile-friendly. If you missed the item I wrote several weeks ago about this, you can read about the Important Google Deadline here.
2. Google Loves Press Releases Now
Don’t let anyone tell you press releases are dead.
Google has made a small change in its algorithm that now allows companies’ press releases to rank near the top of search results when users search for information on businesses.
That means your press release could rank higher than a story about you in the New York Times. Google says it’s all about timing and “to get users the right answer at any one time as quickly as possible.”
For self-promoters like you, this is big news.
3. “How Do You Know About Me?”
Ask this when a journalist calls you for an interview.
Ask it when someone emails you with a question. Ask it when someone orders a book, product or service from your website. Ask, ask, ask….
The answer will tip you off to things you should continue doing.
Did they meet you in a LinkedIn group? Keep participating in that group.
Did they find you in Google search results? If so, ask what phrase they used to search, and use that phrase when you write articles and blog posts.
Did they read a comment you wrote at someone else’s blog and clicked on the link to your website? Keep commenting at blogs!
Did they hear about you from someone who you don’t know? Do a Google search for that person, follow them on social media and say thanks.
You might be surprised by some of the answers. But you won’t know unless you ask.
4. Hound Video of the Week
It’s the first time outdoors for these adorable 26-day-old Basset Hound puppies. Enjoy!
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