Archive for March, 2013

Practical PR Book for Marketing Professionals & Business Owners

{ March 21, 2013 @ 9:44 am } · { PR Book, PR Brisbane, PR Marketing, PR Melbourne, PR Sydney }
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PR Book by Publicity QueenWe’ve been asked to write a media and PR book by one of Australia’s leading publishers, for business owners and managers that want to grow their companies’ brands and bottom-lines.

Firstly we’re very excited!

Secondly we’re taking a page out of David Meerman-Scott’s fabulous books so we’re going to get you involved in its development because we want to write a highly practical marketing and communications book especially designed for Aussie marketing managers and business owners…

Our belief is that people who are responsible for an organisation’s marketing, no matter how large or small, have a mandate to grow the company, increase its profile, engage its customers online etc etc; and are trying to achieve all of this in an increasingly complex (not to mention crowded!) media and communications landscape.

So what secrets do you want from us to help you be more dynamic?

What information and insights would help you in making your PR and communications more results-focussed and successful?

Is it how to write a media release; how to measure your PR activities; how to create a market-leading brand; how to navigate social media; how to leverage one promotional concept across multiple channels – what would help you?

You can send us your feedback by way of comment on the blog, or send us an email directly at info @ publicityqueen.com.au or ring us on 1300 PR QUEEN.  We’re committed to making this a great book so we’re looking forward to incorporating your feedback into it (and mentioning you on the acknowledgments page!)…

PR Brisbane

Yours in PR

Why Blogger Outreach Should be a Part of your PR Strategy

{ March 12, 2013 @ 11:24 am } · { Business Public Relations, Consumer PR, Corporate PR, Digital, Online PR, PR, PR Brisbane, PR Communications, PR Melbourne, PR Sydney, PR Tips, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Queen's Blog, Strategic Public Relations }
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Blogger OutreachThe influence of bloggers is gaining ground and should not be ignored as you develop your 2013 PR strategy.

Blogger outreach, better known as the PR side of social media, involves creating, building and maintaining relationships with the most influential bloggers within your industry. These valuable interactions can help you expand your reach and build brand awareness amongst your target market. With over 1.5 million new blog posts every day and 77% of active internet users reading blogs, coverage in the blogosphere can greatly increase your potential brand exposure and drive interest for you brand. Getting coverage with one of the key influential bloggers in your industry is worth more than any Google campaign! Your product or service can achieve instant credibility that greatly contributes to brand equity. What’s even more interesting is that 66% of journalists use blogs and 48% use Twitter to assist them with research and reporting (a trend that is ever increasing).

To successfully use blogger outreach in your public relations strategy, you will first need to find the bloggers who cover your space and topics. Free tools such as Social Callout or straight Google search, can help you build and research your list.

The rules to successful blogger outreach:

  • Never Spam. Sending spam is the best way to get your email address blocked by a blogger.
  • Personalise. Always address the person you’re pitching to by name, and individually tailor your approach based on your knowledge of their blog’s content. A little acknowledgement of their hard work goes a long way.
  • Socialise. If you really want to get the writer or blogger’s attention, read their blog and leave comments as well as interacting with them on social media such as Twitter so as to build credibility, interest and longevity.
  • Build Relationships. PR professionals work hard to cultivate relationships with the media… bloggers are no different. Build relationships with various bloggers through supplying consistent and frequent high-value content and follow-through.
  • Be Professional. Professionalism goes a long way in any industry; address the person by name, show you respect their time by being concise and to the point, and never demand anything.
  • Be Responsive. Nothing can kill a pitch more than being unresponsive to their requests. When a blogger requests additional information or resources, you get it them right away. Always acknowledge the request and communicate every step of the way with them.

The success of your blogger relations program also depends upon how well you translate PR and marketing messages into stories that will resonate with your target bloggers and their readers. Unlike the news media, bloggers don’t necessarily require the story to be new; relevancy is often more important.

Finally, make a commitment to be in this for the long-haul because blogger relations are very personal and an ongoing program is more effective than a one off campaign approach.

136d5eca5dd605591de0c90c68ce88adYours in PR

Why your business’ website needs to be mobile optimised

{ March 7, 2013 @ 9:26 pm } · { Digital, Online PR, PR Brisbane, PR Marketing, PR Melbourne, PR Sydney, Publicity Queen's Blog }
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Mobile optimisedLet’s face it: mobile web browsing is more popular than ever. In less than two years, we will access the internet more from our mobile devices than from our desktops. All around us, at any given time, someone is browsing on their Android or iPhone, tablet or any other mobile device connected to the Internet. On public transport, at cafes, in the line at the post office or in the supermarket, we are always connected.  This being the case, your business’ website needs to be mobile optimised (only one in five brands currently have mobile optimised sites).

Your customers, both current and potential are on the go, they are mobile. They want information about your company and its products/services available to them wherever they may be – and you need to provide it! If you don’t offer a mobile optimised website, your competitors will. And what’s even more alarming is that users are five times more likely to abandon the task they are trying to complete if the site isn’t optimized for mobile use; that means lost eyeball, lost sales and lost consumer advocacy! This is a big deal!

Consumers are using their mobile devices to search for products, reviews and prices, information gathering but also to shop. If your website isn’t mobile optimised, chances are you are missing out on a rather large customer base. Ever tried to read information, let alone BUY something on an un-optimised website while viewing on your iPhone? It’s not fun and I bet you gave up pretty quickly!

Not only is the layout and design for mobile important, but also the content you display to mobile viewers is paramount to their user experience! The content itself must always be directed at what a user will be looking for whilst out and about. Ask yourself what elements of your site would people be looking for when away from their computers? But never shortchange them! Make sure your mobile site displays information that is on your normal website, just cut down to the main points. And continue to display any rich media such as video.

Here are some tips to get you mobile optimised:

  • Your mobile optimised site needs to look good on any sized device. Make sure you test it out on a number of phones and tablets.
  • Think larger than life! The text, images and buttons all need to be larger than on your regular website for readers to be able to read and navigate easily without pinching and zooming.
  • Leave out any Flash animations. iPad and iPhone are not Flash enabled, and these users will not be able to view this information.
  • Customers are going onto your mobile optimised website because they want instant information. Make it easy to read, putting the most relevant information such as prices, opening hours, locations, etc in easy to find places.

People are arguably more connected to the little screen in their pocket than just about any other device so it’s time to give the consumer what they want! Make sure your site is mobile-friendly, not just in its layout but also the copy that is displayed. Be short, sharp and to the point. No one wants to stream through pages of endless (yet I’m sure exceptionally written) prose when they’re on the go! Websites that aren’t mobile-friendly annoy users and that’s just bad business.

136d5eca5dd605591de0c90c68ce88adYours in PR