SEO PR Efforts DO Get Results!

The use of Internet search engines has become so pervasive, so matter-of-fact, that top public relations and communications professionals are blending Search Engine Optimization strategies and tactics with PR efforts.

Successfully deployed, these SEO PR tactics help create greater relevance for a product, service and/or company within the proprietary algorithms used by search engines (Google and Yahoo! being the most prominent) and produce a higher “organic” ranking for the particular words, terms and/topics. (In this context, organic ranking refers to a non-paid ranking or listing that occurs naturally.)

Hence, the savvy PR pro will sprinkle critical SEO terms and words within news releases and other PR materials. And just to be clear about this, this concept is just one SEO PR tactic that will help increase one’s results/rankings on the Internet.

Does it work? You bet.

How do I know?

(more…)

The Consumer Evangelist

Almost always, the end result of any marketing communications campaign is some form of action, whether it be purchasing a product, volunteering, attending an event or visiting a Web site. But there is another outcome that is perhaps most desirous to the hungry communications professional. It is the ideal outcome for any PR or marketing campaign. The outcome I am referring too is what we at Politis Communications (AKA: Betty Factor headquarters) call the consumer evangelist.

(more…)

Advice for Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook

Dear Mark & the rest of the Facebook executive team:

I’ve been following with interest the events of the past 72-96 hours involving the dust-up between Facebook and Robert Scoble. (See my blog post of tonight on Utah Tech Watch entitled “Who Owns Social Media Data? Scoble-Facebook-Plaxo Fracas Raises Questions.”)

Wow, what a mess!

Here’s my free advice: You need better public relations counsel. Specifically, outside counsel.

Obviously, I’ve got a vested interest here in that I’m in the PR field, and I own Politis Communications, a small strategic communications agency that provides PR consulting and services.

That said, I’ve worked with technology companies for nearly 25 years (including large firms like Apple, Novell and GTE, as well as other firms in all shapes, sizes and industries throughout the United States and overseas).

And even though our offices are in Utah, I’m a San Francisco native that was raised in the Bay Area. (Heck, I even spent six years of my life living in East Palo Alto just a few miles from your offices.)

For the record, I’ve been searching all over the ‘Net for the past hour or so trying to see if I can discover whether Facebook currently has a PR firm or not.

My guess is no, because if Facebook does, that agency is invisible. And if you do have a current relationship with a PR firm and they’re “invisible” on purpose, that’s a BAD IDEA!

Regardless, Facebook needs better PR advice, whether that advice is from an external source or not.

So, whether it’s with

• me and Politis Communications, or
• a firm down the block, or
• one of the largest strategic communications firms in the galaxy,

good luck in your search.

Because if you don’t get better advice, Facebook is going to continue to screw-up BIG TIME in what matters most — with your reputation in the court of public opinion.

Sincerely,

David Politis

P.S. Should you want to, I’m not hard to reach. My email address is easy: dpolitis @ politis.com, and my office number is 801-523-3730 xt. 11. Buena suerte. dlp

P.P.S. At the risk of sounding like I’m kissing up, I do feel that what you and Facebook have accomplished since its founding in 2004 is nothing short of amazing. And I wish you all the continued luck in the world. But as I wrote tonight on Utah Tech Watch, the Scoble mess makes three major public mistakes in two months. That’s NOT good, and I think you, Facebook and the Facebook members deserve better. Ciao.

Politis Pointer #2: Sending Unsolicited Emails

This Politis Pointer first ran on June 16, 2006 on DavidPolitis.com. It is re-purposed below with a few minor changes.

= = = = = = = = = =

Back to this same unsolicited email I received yesterday (6/16/06) from a job applicant, included in the To field were email addresses for 15 different companies, some of which are direct competitors of Politis Communications.

Nope, I’m not kidding. And in reviewing the addresses, it’s clear that this job applicant did a bit of Web digging/scraping and came up with potential employment email addresses. These included addresses beginning with contact@, employment@, info@ and resumes@.

Naturally, since I felt a lot of personal attention from this job applicant I had a lot of interest towards this person. NOT!

TIP:

If you’re going to send an unsolicited job application/inquiry to a company,

• take the time to identify a real person inside the company, and

• email that person directly.

To Comment or Not to Comment… ‘How’ Is the Question

I’ve read a few articles lately about the different perspectives on anonymous commenting for blogs. It’s an interesting topic to me as we as an agency delve into the blogsphere with and for our clients. Yesterday, I came across a post from a popular blog site that prompted me to write this post.

This issue came up with one of our clients and created some healthy dialog within our own office. The question was: Should we censor comments on a corporate blog? This question led to a couple follow up question: If we do (censor comments), will people turn away from the blog? Will it be seen as censorship? Are all forms of censorship bad?

Even though it was at the request of a client that we include a statement to the effect of ‘inappropriate comments on the blog will either be edited or taken down,’ we owed it to the client to make sure they were getting the best recommendation and advice possible about their decision.

In this case, we decided to recommend adding the statement and found several sites with disclaimer statements that validated our position. Why? As mentioned in the article above, sometimes in business, as in life, people will take the gift of online anonymity to say things they would not be comfortable saying to their face. In the case of our client, such comments had already been made, often times by competitors whose best interests were being served when they made themselves appear to be the moral leaders in the field.

This does not mean a healthy discussion is discouraged, but defamatory, slanderous or false remarks don’t lead to a positive outcome. However, well-thought-out and articulated disagreements, honest questions and new insights will always work to help and strengthen a debate, and 99 times out of 100, they make for better reading, too.

“Experts” Generate Greater Media Coverage

It’s always nice to see your name in lights (or be quoted within a story, as happened yesterday for me and Politis Communications with the KSL radio story on “Cyber Monday“).

The truth of the matter is that since I moved to Utah in 1987, I’ve made myself available to local reporters and media outlets as an expert on all things techology-related, someone who can simply and quickly explain the most technical subject for the average layperson. As a result, I’ve been used as a media resource throughout Utah — in print, on the airwaves and behind the scenes — for more than 20 years.

It can take some time to get to the point where journalists trust that you

• really are a subject matter expert,
• can string more than one cogent sentence together, and
• that you are a reliable resource.

However, the benefits of becoming a trusted expert resource to media outlets are invaluable.

I’ll provide a specific list of action points in an upcoming post about how to become a trusted subject matter expert that journalists will call on again and again. And as a result, how you can generate greater media coverage than ever before.

KSL-AM Turns to David Politis for “Cyber Monday” Story

The Monday after Thanksgiving is now known as “Cyber Monday,” supposedly the biggest online shopping day of the Holiday Season.

KSL-AM’s Paul Nelson turned to Politis Communications founder David Politis for his insights about what Utah companies would likely do well today.

Included in his list were Overstock.com, BYUBookstore.com, DeseretBook.com, CampChef.com and HobbyTron.com.

Read or listen to the story here: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=2220726.

Seasoned Journalist Offers Advice to PR Pros

The idea that anyone, let alone a public relations professional, would speak with a journalist while chewing food is mind-boggling.

But that’s what award-winning, Salt Lake Tribune Reporter Paul Beebe says that at least one PR “pro” did last week while visiting with Paul at last week’s Speed-Pitching Event produced by the Utah Valley Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America at Utah Valley State College.

The first-time activity was a fun and helpful PRSA get-together designed to allow PR reps to spend four minutes pitching a story idea to one of six different journalists, of which Beebe was one.

This was obviously a worthwhile chance to meet one-on-one with local journalists, so we had one team each from SOAR Communications and Politis Communications on hand (with clients in tow) to take advantage of the opportunity. And in my opinion, it went quite well; then again, the proof will be in the pudding (are stories written/produced about our clients or not by these journalists).

But back to Beebe’s 11/18/07 article, entitled “Let a hack pitch ideas to a flack.”

First off, for the uninitiated, “hack” is an unflattering nickname for what Beebe terms “a mediocre writer.” Conversely, Beebe writes that “flack” refers to someone who “nag(s) reporters on deadline with bad ideas for lousy stories.” OUCH (on both parts)!

If you have a moment (assuming the link above to the story is still “live,”) check out Beebe’s full article. As I would expect, it’s well-written, direct and pulls no punches.

However, since I’ve noticed in the past that Tribune stories often become unavailable after a week or two without a subscription, I’m going to republish below Beebe’s complete list of advice to PR practitioners everywhere.

So (with Beebe’s permission), here is Paul’s list:

• Do not talk with food in your mouth. That’s gross, and it happened last week.
• Never say you just started your job yesterday. Saying, in effect, you know next to nothing about your client doesn’t inspire confidence.
• Make eye contact. Speak in short sentences. Don’t drone on. Avoid hype. Avoid jargon. If you can’t describe your company in English, you’re in trouble.
• Know what you are going to say before you start your pitch.
• Tell me immediately what you want. Don’t expect me to figure it out.
• Don’t repeat yourself unless there’s a good reason.
• Anticipate this question: Why should I care?
• Bring a business card (some folks last week did not). I expect one. Don’t just circle your name at the bottom of your press release.
• Pitch real stories. Telling me your company is wonderful and your CEO is a great person is usually not persuasive.
• Ask yourself, would you really want to read what you are offering? If the answer is yes, your idea will usually sell itself. Otherwise you’re in trouble.
• In that vein, don’t ask me what I want to read. I’ll know it when I see it.
• Don’t ask me who covers what or who to contact at the newspaper. It’s your job to know.
• Understand what newspaper journalists do. They report news and trends, often on deadlines. Their interests are not necessarily aligned with yours. Tell them why their readers should care about your client.
• Be aware of business or economic trends and how your company fits in.

I STRONGLY recommend any person preparing to speak to a journalist read (or re-read) Beebe’s list and adhere to his advice.

For although most of Beebe suggestions should be second nature to PR professionals, the fact that he wrote the story/column at all proves that some PR practitioners and spokespeople have some basic improving to do.