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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

ePRs and Press Releases.. What the heck is the difference?

In our last monthly meeting we discussed Public Relations and there were some questions about the differences between press releases and ePRs. I thought I would pull together a breakdown of some of the common differences between them.

ePRs
Let's start with what ePRs means. Many think it is an acronym for electronic press release, which is actually not the case. ePR stands for electronic public relations. Public Relations doesn't have a simple definition because it encompasses many different areas, including Press Releases.. confused yet? In the Page 1 Solutions world, we refer to ePRs as syndicated articles.

They are basically informational articles, for example. "Breast Augmentation after Pregnancy" that links back to the clients' website. The type of distribution depends on the type of service used: if we submit to free ePR services the distribution is effective for link building purposes, but somewhat minimal in terms of sending traffic. A paid ePR gets a much wider distribution, because we pay the submission website to send the article to other media avenues.

There are different rules and benefits depending on where the article is submitted. Here is some basic information about ePRs:
  1. Submissions cannot be advertorial or commercial
  2. Content is informational and should not be sales oriented
  3. Submissions are usually around 300-500 words
  4. There are several linking guidelines that vary from different article directories.
  5. Good for link building and Optimization
  6. Free ePRs go to 5 different website directories
  7. Paid ePRs go to 24-7 press releases-which have their own distribution list. They are also sent to 4 free directories
  8. No time sensitivity
Press and News Releases
Press and News Releases are very different from ePRs. The biggest difference is that they are about the client. Press Releases should be about an announcement, such as a new facility opening, website launching or staff hires. News releases are used to comment on something already newsworthy, making your client the expert on the topic. Releases are really helpful both in developing organic search results and online reputation management.

Here are some common rules and benefits of press releases submission:
  1. It is not free advertising; it needs to be newsworthy, timely and interesting
  2. Reporters should be able to take pieces of it to re-write, or post without changing a word.
  3. When writing, ask yourself, "How are people going to be able to connect?"
  4. The first 10 words are the most important
  5. The 1st paragraph should be able to stand alone
  6. Great for optimization, they can be picked up by hundreds of websites and RSS feeds by only one submission to a paid wire release
  7. Inverted pyramid style writing, most relevant information presented first
  8. Should follow AP style
  9. Submissions are usually around 500 words (about one page)
  10. Should always have the following elements: media contact information, summary, dateline, boilerplate and a quote from your client

Both can help your organic search results, but press releases alone target online reputation and credibility. If done aggressively, they can significantly help optimization and reputation online. For more information about how press releases can help you, contact Page 1 Solutions today!

posted by Ashley Martin at 4:11 PM 0 comments

Toyota Recalls

As of the beginning of this month, the number of deaths related to the recalled Toyota vehicles has risen to 52 and the number of injuries is at 38. What exactly caused these injuries and deaths in highly popular vehicles manufactured by such a reputable company?

Allegedly, the following vehicles have had dangerous problems with "unintended acceleration":

2005-2010 Avalon
2007-2010 Camry
2009-2010 Corolla
2008-2010 Highlander
2009-2010 Matrix
2004-2009 Prius
2010 Prius
2009-2010 RAV4
2008-2010 Sequoia
2005-2010 Tacoma
2007-2010 Tundra
2009-2010 VENZA

This "unintended acceleration" has been a result of gas pedals being stuck in a depressed position and not returning to their normal/idle positions in a timely and safe manner.
There was also a Toyota recall back in November 2009 where gas pedals were becoming stuck due to the car's removable floormats. However, this previous recall is not related to the most current "sticky" pedal Toyota recall.

Toyota is still working on a solution that will entail replacing part or all of the gas pedal assembly. They are also working on a new gas pedal design. Toyota urges that if you own one of the above vehicles and start to notice any problems, pull your vehicle over immediately and call a dealership to come pick up the vehicle.

posted by Mandy W. at 1:25 PM 0 comments

Can SEO and PR work together?

SEO traditionally was used in order to increase business through site traffic. PR traditionally was focused on media. Press releases were written to appeal to the journalists and reporters, hoping to grab their interest enough to write a story.

PR and SEO are natural companions. Consumers and reporters are using the internet more and more to find news and product and service information. Because of this, online press release distribution has become more common to reach audiences, but 99.5% of press releases aren't optimized for the internet. PR is no longer just an avenue dedicated with the sole purpose of reaching the media. It has become part of an integrated sales and marketing strategy that can be better reached with SEO writing techniques.

  1. Here are some important things to note regarding online press releases:
  2. Distribution is becoming progressively more useful in organic search results.
  3. Have potential to direct consumers to an appropriate web page where they can request more information or inquire about the service offered.
  4. Enhance the effectiveness of company messaging. (Reputation Management)
  5. May also lead to an increase in sales and revenue.
  6. Search engines are the primary channels used to find news and information on products and services, so it is vital to have a good presence.
  7. Increase web presence and brand visibility.
  8. Contribute to one of the most important parts of SEO off-page linking.
  9. Put the power back into the press release make it an even more useful tool to organizations.

If you would like to learn more about how you can use Public Relations to your advantage, contact Page 1 Solutions today!

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posted by Ashley Martin at 1:17 PM 0 comments

Thursday, March 11, 2010

You Didn't Need Another Reason

As if anyone needs another reason to join Facebook, here is another. Searches originating from Facebook went up 10% from February to March according to comScore. Most other search engines showed little or no change in their numbers.

Facebook is not the new Google and isn't coming close to the traffic that Google, Yahoo, Bing, Aol and Ask are getting, but people are searching there so you should be there when they do. Facebook has 400 million users and your future customers are some of them.

If you aren't on Facebook yet, talk to your Account Manager today and get started!

posted by Erica at 4:20 PM 0 comments

Friday, March 5, 2010

The Importance of Reviews!

Your online reviews are becoming more and more important. Consumers are getting smarter about how they use the internet and they are looking for more information about you and your practice than what you present on your website.

Having a first-page listing, an authoritative website, and a blog that lets consumers get to know you are all great ways to generate web business, but off-site information about you matters too. A big source of information about you are the reviews on your Google Local Listing.

Not only does Google use the reviews on your Local Listing to rank where you show up on a local search, but your potential leads are choosing whether to contact you based on the reviews they find in that listing. The more positive reviews you have, the better you show up and the more business your listing will generate.

Here are ways to get more reviews:
  • Ask for them! For doctors, a great time to ask for reviews is during a follow-up appointment. Patients have had a chance to get complimented on the work, they've lived with the results for a while and they are happy, so take advantage! If you are a lawyer, ask for a review right after you settle a case.
  • If your office sends out a newsletter, link to your Google Local Listing in it and ask for reviews.
  • Post a link to your Listing on your Facebook or Twitter page! This is a great way to use social media.
Ask your Account Manager for a one-page information sheet that explains how to post a review. We can customize it with a link to your Google Local Listing and you can give it directly to your clients. This is a great way to improve your online image!

posted by Erica at 3:33 PM 0 comments

Friday, February 26, 2010

6 Tips for Engaging Facebook Fans

It seems that February unofficial became social media month for me. I worked with several clients to setup new Facebook fan pages and discussed how to get more fans. But whether the client was new to Facebook or had a fan page for awhile, I found myself having the conversation of "How to make the Facebook fan page better?" over and over again. Here are a few tips.

Tip #1 - Start a Discussion
The entire basis of social media is to connect and share. By utilizing the discussion application, you open up your fan page from being a source of information about the practice page to an engaging social media page.
An easy way to start a discussion is to ask for opinions or questions about a recent news topic connected to your industry. For example, if you're a plastic surgery practice you could start a discussion about ABC News' story on Fat Transfer for Breast Augmentation. You can briefly share your thoughts about the procedure and/or story and end by asking fans what their thoughts are or if they have any questions they would like answered about the procedure.

Write a teaser and post a link to the discussion page as a wall update. If you're having trouble getting the discussion started, encourage practice staff or other people you know well to comment. I also recommend posting a link to the discussion on your personal page to get things rolling.

Tip #2 - Take a Poll
This is a quick and simple way for your fans to share their opinion. You can poll about anything, but keep it related to the practice in some way. If you've been thinking about doing a special on a service but not sure where to start, then ask your fans what procedure they would be most interested in getting if money wasn't an issue. As an extra incentive to cast their vote, you can offer a free or discounted service to one randomly chosen voter.

You can also make it as fun as well as research based. For example if you're a dental practice and a hygienist gets a new puppy you can have the fans vote for its name. Does your practice make philanthropic contributions? You can have your fans vote to determine which charity you'll give to or participate in. The possibilities are endless.

Tip #3 - Setup an Event
This is a great way to connect with your fans offline as well as online. I recommend keeping the event related to your business. For example, a plastic surgery center that has an Aesthetician can do a wine and skin care evening. You can add details about the event, receive RSVPs, and much more. The event application can also be used as notification tool if someone in the practice is speaking at an event, being featured on TV or radio, or is making any other form of public appearance.

Tip #4 - Join the Conversation
I've seen numerous pages that don't allow its visitors to comment on their videos, posts or photos. I highly discourage this. Even if you allow comments, you still have control over whether they are visible or not. But it is not enough just to allow comments. You must join the conversation! If someone leaves a comment, don't forget to comment back. To ensure timely responses, I recommend having a dedicated admin for this.

Tip #5 - Become a Resource for Information
The most common mistake I see are a fan pages that only talks about their business toting their own specials, blog posts, staff, etc. and nothing else. While it is a good idea to share that information on the page (after all it is your practice's page!), I recommend publishing interesting and relevant content about your industry. Have you recently read an interesting or relevant blog that someone else wrote? Then share it! This helps to make users not only fans, but repeat visitors.

Tip# 6 - Offer Exclusive Incentives to Fans
While I realize this may not be feasible for every business, for many businesses it is. When someone new becomes a fan, send them a welcome message with the incentive. Recently I began following a company on twitter and received a message from them thanking me for following them, as well as a code for 15% off one of their services!

In addition to sending out initial fan incentives, you can periodically send incentives to all of your fans or even just the fans that are active on your page thanking them for their input.

The fundamental basis of all social networks is connection and sharing. To do that it's essential to engage your audience. Need more help? Your Page 1 Account Manager can work with you to get the conversation started!

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posted by Jessica at 1:09 PM 0 comments

Monday, February 22, 2010

New Website

Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Keith Blankenship has a brand new website. He offers full service dentistry to people in the Jacksonville, FL area. Dr. Blankenship is an LVI fellow and has numerous memberships in prestigious organizations including Florida Dental Association (FDA). http://www.pontevedradental.com/index.html

posted by Millicent at 10:45 AM 0 comments