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PR for Inbound Marketing (GF402)

Professor: Todd Defren, SHIFT Communications

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PRforInboundMarke0ng

presentedbyToddDefren,SHIFTCommunica0ons

August2009

MassMediaNowBelongstotheMasses MassMediaNowBelongstotheMasses

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MainstreamMediaRequiresHeroicEfforts

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• Tradi)onalmediastrugglingtosurvive• Fewerreporters=morecompe))onforcoverage• Growingemphasisontraffic=controversialcontenttrumpsall• Ittakesincreasinglyheroiceffortstogainsubstan)vecoverageinMSM

PR:IncreasinglyInterac0ve,Interpersonal

Conversa0onalCommunica0on

ControlledCommunica0on

Conversa0onalCollabora0on

ControlledCollabora0on

Communica0on Collabora0on

Collabora0ve

Controlled

Conversa0on

Par0cipa

0on

PublicRela0onsPublicRela0ons

PublicRela0ons

Adver0sing Adver0sing Adver0sing

originalsource:RichardEdelman

Imagine:You’veBeenInvitedtotheWorld’sBiggestNeighborhoodPotluck

Whatkindofneighborwillyoube?

Wallflower?

Tooinsecuretobringadish?

Justlistening‐inanxiously?

Tooscaredtostrikeupaconversa0on?

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Blowhard?

Youbroughtyour“WorldFamousBBQRibs?”

Toobad.

Everyonehereisavegetarian.

OneofUs?

Youbroughtadeliciousfruitsalad!

Youkneweveryoneherewasavegetarian?

Howsweetthatyoudidyourhomework!

Thisfruitisamazing.Ihavetotellmyfriends!

WhatDoYouWantToAccomplish?

•  Youwantleads,right?Justwantpeopletovisityourwebsite?• Nobiggie,right?• Actually,whatyoureallywantisforqualifiedprospectsto:– find&visityourwebsite– havealookaround– sign‐upforademo

– askforasalespersontocontactthem– sitthroughademo

– createapurchaseorder•  YouareaskingALOTofyourself&ALOTofyourprospects• ALOTof)meandALOTof$$$

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Focus

•  First–we’retalkingaboutQualifiedProspects,not)rekickers,looky‐loos,orundesirables…notEVERYBODY,inotherwords

•  Research:– Wheredoqualifiedprospectsgettheirinforma)on?

– WhatkindsofGooglesearchesdotheyrun?

– Whoelsedotheytalkto,intheindustryandamongthecompe))on?

– Whatmagazines/blogsdotheyread?– WhatFacebookGroupsdotheyjoin(ifany)?

– Whichmembersofthetwidera)dotheyfollow(ifany)?

•  PRisnotjustabout“hits”–it’saboutfrequentlydistribu)ngrelevantcontentviatherightchannels,toboostcredibilityandfindability

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Frequency

•  “(PRis)aboutfrequentlydistribu9ngrelevantcontentviatherightchannels,toboostcredibilityandfindability”

• Howfrequentlyisfrequently?

•  Everyday.Notasingledayshouldgobyinwhichyoudon’t:–  putupablogpostorstartadialogueonarelevantblog–  contributerelevantcontent(yoursoranother’s)viasocnets–  pitchanewideatoajournalistorblogger–  showcaseanewmediahitinthemainstreammediaorblogs

–  analyzeyourwebsitetraffic&tweakyourSEO

–  adendaneventandbroadcastcontentfromvenue

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Relevance

•  “(PRis)aboutfrequentlydistribu9ngrelevantcontentviatherightchannels,toboostcredibilityandfindability”

• Howcanyoutellifyourcontentisrelevant?

•  Thecommunitywilltellyou.Yourresultswilltellyou.–  isyourcontentojendownloaded/sharedviasocnets&email?

–  how’stherawwebsitetrafficbeingaffected?–  no)cedanynewtrendsinGoogletermsusedtoreachyoursite?

– wherearevisitorscomingfrom?aretheyconver)ng?

–  isthecontentreflec)veofyourbrand?–  arecustomershappy?ordotheycomplainof“overpromising?”

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Content

•  “(PRis)aboutfrequentlydistribu9ngrelevantcontentviatherightchannels,toboostcredibilityandfindability”

• Whatkindofcontentarewetalkingabout?

•  Thisisnotrocketscience,folks.Here’sasampling:–  pressreleasescontainingactualnews–  video(got10productfeatures?make10one‐minvideos)

–  podcasts(interviewexecs,influencers,compe)tors)–  ar)cles(aboutyou,aboutindustry)–  blogposts,blogcomments,tweets

–  research‐whitepapers,surveys,etc.–  feelin’ambi)ous?makeawidget,FBoriPhoneapp

– whatareyourbestcompe)torsdoing?doitbeder

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Rightness

•  “(PRis)aboutfrequentlydistribu9ngrelevantcontentviatherightchannels,toboostcredibilityandfindability”

• Howdoyoudeterminetherightchannels?

•  Thisisimportant.Didyoudoyourupfrontresearch?–  didyouuseTechnora),GoogleAnaly)cs,Cision,Compete,etc.to

determinerelevantpubs/blogswiththemosttraffic&authority?

–  you’rereading/commen)ngattopindustryblogs,butdoyouuseBacktypetoseewherethebloggersthemselvesareac)ve?

–  you’recrea)ngvideocontentbutareyouusingserviceslikeTubemogultospreadthevideosacrossnumeroussites?

–  youconvincedyourbosstoletyoutweet,butareyouusingTweetreachtoshowherhowfarthewordisspreading?aretheRTshipngrelevantinfluencersand/orprospects?

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Credibility

•  “(PRis)aboutfrequentlydistribu9ngrelevantcontentviatherightchannels,toboostcredibilityandfindability”

• Howimportantiscredibility?

• Veryimportant.(Didyoureallyneedtoask?)–  “Mediaprominenceaccountsforapproximately25%ofbrandvalue…

thisunderscorestheimportanceofmanagingandgrowingbrandvaluethroughPRefforts.”

»  source:ContextAnaly)csMediaProminenceResearchReportexaminingInterbrand’sTop100globalbrands

–  PRconvertsbederthantargetedSearchEngineMarke)ngcampaigns

»  source:ContextAnaly)csclientresearch17

Findability

•  “(PRis)aboutfrequentlydistribu9ngrelevantcontentviatherightchannels,toboostcredibilityandfindability”

•  You’renolongerinMarke)ngDept.You’reinFindabilityDept.

• Howdoyouensureyourcontentisfound?– MakeSEOafactorineverythingyoudo

• usePressReleaseGrader.comtovetpressreleasecontent

• useappropriateandconsistent)tles,tags,acrossallcontentposts• keepthespidersbusy:putalotofcontentoutthere–GooglelovesSocialMediabecauseit’salwaysfresh,usuallyrelevant

• useGoogleAnaly)cstodeterminehowpeoplefindyoursite

• useGoogleInsightstodetermineemergingkeywords,compe))veterms,etc.andplanaccordingly

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WhatNOTtoDo

• Don’tchaseajereveryshinyobject– Fishwherethefish(a.k.a.yourprospects)are…

• Whereverthefishare,swimwiththemnotagainstthem

– Ex:Don’tspamtheWallorDiscussionForumsinarelevantFBGroup.TryreachingouttotheGroupAdmins

• Don’tborethefish– Whenwasthelast)meyouwatcheda10min.YouTubevideo?Howmany20min.podcastsdoyoulistento?

• Don’toverfeedthefish– Nooneexpectsnorwantstohearfromyou20Xaday

• Don’tbringalawyerintotherowboat– Setgroundrulesearly,toavoidplayingwithworms

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WrappingUp•  TheMassMediaisindecline

•  Youcanfind,listento&interact• withprospectsonline•  Youcanreachthemasseswith•  yourowncontent,bypassingMSM

– Cheaply!– Wheretheyarealreadyhangingout

•  Iffolkslikeyourcontent,they’ll•  passitalong,withtheirkudos•  Thisapproachmakesyoucredible•  andfindablebyprospects

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• InventorofSocialMediaRelease• AgencyoftheYear(07)• NewMediaAgencyoftheYear(08)• 85employees(BOS,SF,NY)

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ThankYou!

ToddDefren@tdefrenonTwider

tdefren@shiecomm.com415‐591‐8423or617‐779‐1853

www.shiecomm.comwww.pr‐squared.com