The Publicity Hound’s
\nTips of the Week
\nIssue #476 Nov. 3, 2009<\/p>\n
Publisher: Joan Stewart<\/p>\n
==========================================<\/p>\n
“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”<\/p>\n
===================================<\/p>\n
In This Issue
\n===================================<\/p>\n
1. Undo the New Facebook Change<\/p>\n
2. Linking from Press Releases<\/p>\n
3. Trunk or Treat & Thanksgiving<\/p>\n
4. How an Artist Can Defend a Lawsuit<\/p>\n
5. Help This Hound<\/p>\n
6. Hound Video of the Week<\/p>\n
7. And at My Blog…<\/p>\n
====================================
\n1. Undo the New Facebook Change
\n====================================<\/p>\n
Facebook users are still howling about recent changes to the
\nhomepage. If you’re one of them, there’s a quick fix to change it
\nback to the way it used to be.<\/p>\n
Ten days ago, with no warning, Facebook eliminated with the
\nTwitter-like feed of every real-time status update. Now, instead
\nof displaying everything from all your friends, Facebook uses a
\nsecret algorithm to display only the posts and status updates
\nthat are generating a lot of comments and responses. So you never
\nknow what you’re missing.<\/p>\n
If you hate the change, here’s a three-step process to revert
\nback to the old feed:<\/p>\n
–Log into Facebook. On your homepage, on the top of the left
\ncolumn, you’ll see “News Feed.” Go to the bottom of that column
\nand click on “More.”<\/p>\n
–Find the “Status Updates.” Click and drag it to the very top of
\nthat column.<\/p>\n
–Click “Status Updates” to load that view. Now, Facebook will
\ndeliver your feeds just like it did before.<\/p>\n
The News Feed option is still on the left. If you click on it,
\nyou’ll see the new view. And if you decide later that reading
\nyour Facebook feed is like drinking from a firehose, you can
\nalways revert back to the smaller feed.<\/p>\n
Whatever you choose, make sure you’re getting the most return on
\ninvestment for all the time you spend at this site. See “11 Ways
\nto Avoid Missed Opportunities on Facebook” at
\nhttp:\/\/budurl.com\/uqp3<\/p>\n
========================================
\n2. Linking from Press Releases
\n========================================<\/p>\n
Follow these three important rules when you’re linking to your
\nwebsite or blog from a press release:<\/p>\n
–Link to the exact page that dovetails with the “call to action”
\nwithin your release. If you want people to buy a specific
\nproduct, for example, send them to that product page. Too many
\npress release writers simply send readers to the homepage, where
\nthey’re left searching for what you’re writing about. Confused
\nreaders bail out.<\/p>\n
–Write the entire URL with the “http:\/\/…., preferably near the
\nend of the boilerplate or “about us” section. If somebody finds
\nyour release online and cuts and pastes the content into their
\nown blog or website but they forget to link your anchor text,
\nreaders won’t be able to find your website.<\/p>\n
–Use anchor text that includes one of your keyword phrases and
\nturn it into a link. How many? About one for every 100 words in
\nyour press release.<\/p>\n
Transcripts and audio from my Oct. 21 teleseminar on “How to Use
\nKeywords, the ‘Magic Magnets’ That Pull Journalists and Consumers
\nto Your Press Releases” have been delivered to everyone who
\nordered them. The illustrated handouts include a simple six-point
\nchecklist for anyone doing keyword research, the two best keyword
\nresearch tools, links to three videos that show you how to do
\nkeyword research, the three best free press release distribution
\nservices, and a sample press release that’s been optimized for
\nthe search engines.<\/p>\n
Grab ’em now at http:\/\/budurl.com\/pressreleasekeywords<\/p>\n
========================================
\n3. Trunk or Treat & Thanksgiving
\n========================================<\/p>\n
Get a head start pitching stories for Thanksgiving this month,
\nand for Halloween next year.<\/p>\n
These ideas are courtesy of publicist Michelle Tennant of Wasabi
\nPublicity, whose “blogger butt” I wrote about last week.\u00a0 They’re
\nalmost guaranteed to bring the TV cameras to your school or
\ncompany.<\/p>\n
Just before Halloween, host a “trunk or treat” event in your
\nparking lot for parents and kids. Everyone dresses up. Parents
\nopen the trunks of their cars, decorate the insides with a
\nHalloween theme, and give treats to the kids who make their way
\nfrom car to car.<\/p>\n
For Thanksgiving this year, Michelle suggests you round up a
\nbunch of kids, dress them as Pilgrims, and give them a big basket
\nof fresh vegetables and a box of toothpicks. Let them make
\n“Pilgrim people” out of the veggies, and ask them to explain why
\nthe Pilgrim people are thankful.<\/p>\n
TV stations that are scrounging for ideas during Thanksgiving
\nweek will love this one–great for schools, chambers of commerce,
\nbrick-and-mortar businesses, churches, libraries, day care
\ncenters and even home schoolers.<\/p>\n
You’ll find 22 ideas for October, 23 more for November and 10
\nmore for December on the handouts that accompany the CD, “103
\nSizzling Story Ideas from July through December.” These ideas are
\nyours to steal. Read more about them at http:\/\/budurl.com\/guu5<\/p>\n
=======================================
\n4. How an Artist Can Defend a Lawsuit
\n=======================================<\/p>\n
This week, nine Publicity Hounds have tips for John T. Unger of
\nMancelona, MI, whose fire bowls, original art which he’s been
\nmaking since 2005, have been copied by a manufacturer. He wanted
\nideas on how can he use traditional and social media to raise
\nawareness and money for his legal costs.
\nFrom Cheryl Pickett:<\/p>\n
“Establish a Facebook fan page with full explanation and invite
\npeople to follow what’s going on. Those kinds of things seem to
\nget passed around pretty regularly. Keep everyone informed on the
\nblog as to what’s going on and also invite them to the other
\nthings you do as well.”
\nFrom Bonnie Boots:<\/p>\n
“John should email The Crafts Report, which covers business for “He should also contact the American Craft Council at “Stories like this are just asking to be linked to and tweeted Read all the responses to this week’s “Help This Hound” question Email your own Help this Hound question to ================================= Cheryl Muskus of Oak Creek, WI, writes:<\/p>\n “I’m the owner of The CarmelRose, a floral shop, and I’m looking “Even though our industry is hurt to a large extent when “What ideas do your Hounds have for events I can sponsor at the “Also, suggestions for using social media would be appreciated.”<\/p>\n The Publicity Hound says:<\/p>\n Local businesses like yours, Cheryl, can benefit just as much ================================== It’s NBA season, so here’s a cute video of a dog joining the http:\/\/www.funnydogsite.com\/videos\/basketball.htm<\/a><\/p>\n Dog Jokes & Quotes Ebook: 170+ G-rated dog jokes and quotes, BONUS: Buy the ebook and you also get a compilation of the 50 ================================== Learn how to pronounce names of radio\/TV broadcasters, ================================================<\/p>\n Joan Stewart The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week Issue #476 Nov. 3, 2009 Publisher: Joan Stewart ========================================== “Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity” =================================== In This Issue =================================== 1. Undo the New Facebook Change 2. Linking from Press Releases 3. Trunk or Treat & Thanksgiving 4. How an Artist Can Defend a Lawsuit 5. Help\u2026 Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","iawp_total_views":0,"wds_primary_category":6,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[11,16,13,9,5,27,14],"class_list":{"0":"post-250","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-tips-of-the-week","7":"tag-art-marketing","8":"tag-facebook","9":"tag-press-releases","10":"tag-publicity-for-niche-markets","11":"tag-publicity-tips","12":"tag-social-media","13":"tag-social-networking","14":"entry"},"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Joan Stewart","author_link":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/author\/jstewart\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=250"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nthe professional crafter. Their contact page is here:
\nhttp:\/\/www.craftsreport.com\/contact-us.html<\/a><\/p>\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.craftcouncil.org\/<\/a> Click on “The Council” at the bottom
\nand then “Staff” on the left. You’ll find the email addresses for
\nthe senior editor, managing editor and assistant editor.\u00a0 Email
\none of them (I’d try the assistant editor first) and ask them to
\nsuggest the names of any writers they know that might be
\ninterested in this story.”
\nFrom Brisbane, Australia:<\/p>\n
\nabout. I think you will be far more successful promoting the
\ninjustice rather than an actual fund raising event. Also, try
\ncontacting the stores selling their products. I’m sure they would
\nmuch rather be selling your legitimate products.”
\nThe Publicity Hound says:<\/p>\n
\nat http:\/\/budurl.com\/firebowl You have one week left to submit
\nyour own idea in the comments section at my blog. The Hound who
\nsubmits the best entry wins a beautiful shovel mask, valued at
\n$59. The winner will be announced here next week.<\/p>\n
\nmailto:Jstewart@PublicityHound.com<\/a>
\nand include your city, state and province.<\/p>\n
\n5. Help This Hound
\n=================================<\/p>\n
\nfor ways to generate publicity in a very competitive market.<\/p>\n
\nobituaries state ‘in lieu of flowers, the family suggests
\ndonations to…,’ we’re trying to form relationships with local
\nfuneral homes so they can refer us to families that are buying
\nflowers for the funeral. I’d also like to target the local
\ncorporate market, because revenues from local businesses that
\nneed floral arrangements can be significant.<\/p>\n
\nshop or elsewhere, story ideas I can pitch to the local media,
\npress releases I can write, photos I can offer the local media,
\nopportunities for getting onto local TV, and joint venture
\npartnerships I can form with other businesses?<\/p>\n
\nfrom online publicity as bigger companies, so you’re smart to
\nwork that into the mix. Let’s see what ideas my Hounds can offer
\nat my blog at http:\/\/budurl.com\/dcye<\/p>\n
\n6. Hound Video of the Week
\n==================================<\/p>\n
\ncompetition. I may have already shown you this, but it’s worth a
\nsecond look:<\/p>\n
\nperfect for a dog-lover, your favorite vet, or just for a few
\ngood laughs.<\/p>\n
\nbest websites for dog humor.
\nhttp:\/\/publicityhound.com\/dogjokebook\/<\/a><\/p>\n
\n7. And at My Blog…
\n==================================<\/p>\n
\njournalists
\nhttp:\/\/budurl.com\/l358<\/p>\n
\na.k.a. The Publicity Hound<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"