DC bloggers, social media and PR pros got more than a taste of SEO (search engine optimization) at Saturday morning’s Basic SEO for Blogs training hosted byMopwater PR in Columbia Heights. Nakeva Corothers of Nightlife PR gave an outstanding presentation on keyword research, driving traffic, how search engines work, and how to write your blog titles to drive traffic to your blog.
How #BSEO4B Came To Be
This workshop was essentially born after I heard an amazing keynote presentation by Lee Odden of TopRank Marketing during the Vocus Users Conference in June. Lee got me all fired up about search engine optimization, and shared a few tips after his presentation and I was so excited. Being the nerd that I am, I’d videotaped his keynote on my flip and uploaded the first 10 minutes to YouTube and posted it here on Mopwater. Nakeva saw the vide0, and commented on the blog post.
Fast forward to Digital Capital Week at the Media Bistro Social Times happy hour. I run into Nakeva and we start discussing, what else? SEO. In the middle of this jam-packed social scene, cocktails beer and whatnot, we’re totally NERDING OUT on the topic of alt tags and keywords. I immediately knew that she knew and understood the value of search and how PR pros must be thinking like search engines since journalists begin their stories oftentimes with search engines. I asked Nakeva to speak, Gia our intern began corresponding with her and the rest is SEO history so to speak.
Take Aways
If you weren’t at the presentation, you missed a great learning opportunity and some great coffee. But we used the hashtag #BSEO4B. Enjoy a few of these choice “Twitter Takeaways,” but be sure to search the hashtag on your own, and add your own SEO tips there as well.
@alexpriest Press releases should always be SEO’d too. Everything goes online. #BSEO4B
@jaywalk1 Quote of the day: “Title is your intro, your blog’s strobe lights. Subtitle is your blog’s red carpet.” #BSEO4B
@socialmediadc: Tips for bloggers. Link when appropriate to your competitors. Great for SEO. #BSEO4B
@ccooks3 Tagging metadata for photos is like having invisible keywords #BSEO4B
@misstorilynn The light bulb just came on. I know what my new blog will be about. Thanks to #BSEO4B for sparking that plug.
I had the pleasure of meeting today’s TDMJ PR Pro a few weeks ago, and was so compelled by her story that I knew you would be, too. In addition to being a new wife and mother like myself, Mrs. Lara is a tenacious public relations professional who started out in the world of academia and leveraged a thirst for knowledge and willingness to work hard to create her own opportunities. For Lara, this has translated into a pretty impressive career track only a few years out of college-not bad for someone who didn’t study communications in college! Already a senior account exec with several agency positions under her belt and a consulting practice in the works, Mrs. Lara is one to watch.
Name: Jacqueline Lara
Age: 26
Current City:Silver Spring, MD
Job Title: Senior Account Executive, Lyons Public Relations Owner, Mpact Communications
Length of Time in this Role: 18 months
Mopwater: Describe your path to PR. How did you wind up in this field?
JL: My path to PR was nontraditional, but I wouldn’t change it for the world because each step has molded my experience. I received my B.A. in Sociology and a business certificate from the College Park Scholars program at the University of Maryland. While I enjoyed my major and loved analyzing groups of people and their behaviors, as well as organizations and the key factors influencing their effectiveness, I often wondered what profession I’d pursue after college. I felt pigeon-holed between working in HR and becoming a social worker. Neither of these options appealed to me, so I took a few communications courses and was intrigued by the power of words and the way media pundits ‘spun’ messages to advance their platforms. Read the full story
Eleventh Hour Requests: Turn it down or turn it around?
Ah the constant considerations and mental multi-tasking that make up the ever-evolving job description of the public relations professional. We’re the unofficial keeper of the company brand. The assessor of image and public sentiment. But we also keep up with the daily duties that must be made systematic; the tasks that without our thinking must become second nature, commonplace, routine.
Long-range and short range pitching and planning. Searching for angles, securing opportunities for spokespersons, leveraging excitement around campaigns/seasons/holidays. The list goes on. Yet all of these tasks fit neatly into a package that clients and the public will eventually see as a finished, polished product.
But how do we get there? And how do we handle those eleventh hour requests from would-be clients who think it’s so easy to get there?
How many times have you been approached by an amazing potential client with an amazing story or an amazing product for which you could create an amazing pitch except this would-be client gave you absolutely no time to do your job? As in, one week to pull off a campaign? Or better yet two days? [Yes, this has happened to me.]
While this may fly at a large agency that has minions working around the clock, you may be dealing with 2-3 people max when you are working with a smaller firm. As PRos, we have to ask for, no, we have to demand time. And this may mean explaining that hey, when you work with a smaller firm you’re not dealing with layers of bureaucracy, or dozens of junior staff members. You’re dealing with a greater attention to detail, a higher level of customer service, and of course a lower overhead.
Don’t be ashamed to turn down a project because there isn’t enough time to turn it around. Believe it or not, just because you are a public relations pro, doesn’t make you a magician. As with anything else, it takes time to do a thorough job and produce professional results. Clients expect nothing less than that from you. Demand that same level of professionalism from your clients.
So…a few people have mentioned to me that they would be freelancer by now if they only knew how to make it happen. I’m here to tell you, there’s no magic formula: but talent and persistence will certainly get you far.
I was inspired to post this by one particular PR pro who I know is going to light the Midwest ablaze as soon as she figures out how awesome she is. If you’re looking for help getting started with a new business idea, or as a freelance copywriter or marketing/public relations professional, you may benefit from my experience. It’s certainly not a road map for everyone, but for those looking for a little direction, it may be a start.
You know the feeling. You’re working on a new project and you’re in the zone. Your brain is rapid firing idea after idea; you’re drowning in a deluge of creativity. You’re thinking to yourself, “Wow...this client is doing some amazing work in the community,” or “This campaign is briliant; it’s so cutting-edge, the PR element needs to be over the top…” Especially when you have a new client whom you are trying desperately to impress, it seems that the ideas just keep coming and coming; you’re ready to produce the YouTube video and tie the Twitter campaign to a creative giveaway. PR superhero to the rescue!
Not so fast. Hang your cape back up on its hook.
If you find yourself working on a project and the scope seems to grow in medias res, take the time to solidify the details of your compensation before you continue doing your work. It can be nearly impossible to do for those of us who tend to get inspired and want to just do the good work. But a big part of our jobs as communications professionals, frankly, is communicating these evolving scopes with our clients. Educating the client on how long things take, what steps are involved and how much things cost is all a part of that communications challenge.
Should you find yourself ready to rush to save the day, keep these things in mind first:
Don’t Squeeze: The same way you wouldn’t try to squeeze size 8 thighs into size 2 jeans, don’t try to fit a 2-Year campaign Into a 6-Month Contract. When you do, you’re setting yourself up for failure. If your client has limited time and goals that would normally exceed the time frame, let them know that in the future they should plan ahead so that everyone has the time to do a great job. And then let them know what in your professional opinion can be successfully achieved in the time they have left. Read the full story
Name: Anne Williams Age: 36 Current City: Washington, DC Job Title: Customer Services Program Specialist Company Name: DC Office on Aging Length of Time in this Role: 1 year Twitter Handle:annieb1113
Mopwater: Describe your path to PR. How did you wind up in this field? AW: As a radio,tv & film production major at Howard University, I had interesting internships that sparked my interested in the public relations field: promotions department at Majic 102.3 and the White House Office of Communications. After HU, I got my graduate degree in public communication from American University. I’ve worked at a non-profit organization in the DC area and a marketing and PR firm in Northern Virginia. In 2000, I landed in the marketing and communications department at BET Networks where I stayed for a little over seven years. Now, I work for the DC Office on Aging.
Mopwater: What aspects of the industry are you most excited about? AW: Entertainment PR. I have always been a huge television and movie addict and pop culture junkie, so everything entertainment related really excites me.
Mopwater: Describe a typical workday including your work hours. What do you do all day? AW: My work day begins at 8:30am and ends at 5pm. On a daily basis, I manage the ADRC website, create publicity and marketing materials for upcoming events and agency initiatives. Because all media related public relations is being centralized under the Mayor’s communications team, I work on collateral publicity and marketing materials. A lot of time is spent using desktop publishing programs to create flyers, brochures, advertisements, program booklets, etc. I also design and edit the ADRC newsletter.
Mopwater: What are your favorite and least favorite PR tasks and why? Do you love to pitch? Dread writing releases? Adore blogging for your brands? AW: I love writing! Being creative and making people take a second look at what would normally be considered “the usual”. I’m an optimist so I try to find the positive an every situation. I’m not as big a fan of pitching but with digital media, that aspect of pr is evolving. You can establish relationships and creatively pitch clients via email, Facebook, and Twitter a lot faster and reach a broader audience. Pitching has become so much more than just a phone call to a reporter. Read the full story
Name and News Organization: Kate Michael, KStreetKate.net and The District Dish Beat: DC topics (People, places, events, charities, businesses) Job Title: New Media Personality Length of Time in this Role: 3 years Web Site and/or Blog: K Street Kate/ The District Dish Twitter Handle:@kstreetkate
Mopwater: What kind of stories/people/companies are you most interested in covering, and in what context? KM: Both the online magazine and talk show feature the best of DC, lifestyle stories that highlight the real District of Columbia and its eclectic neighborhoods.
Mopwater: What’s the best pitch you’ve gotten recently and why? KM: A unique and interesting business (trapeze school) moved into the area and featured lessons with the instructor who taught “Carrie” on the trapeze episode of Sex and the City. We booked him immediately to tell people about the trapeze school on The District Dish!
Mopwater: What’s the worst pitch you’ve gotten recently and why? KM: The sister of a local woman asked me to do a feature on her because she was “so nice” and “people should know about her”… I’m not sure why.
Mopwater: What’s the easiest way to get ignored by you when pitching? KM: Forget to take out the name of the other publication you were pitching when you were cutting and pasting your pitch.
Mopwater: What’s your preferred method of contact? Phone, email, your web site, your twitter account, your Facebook? KM: Email and twitter, equally. My actual e-mail is listed on my facebook page, so why use a facebook message?? Read the full story
Name: Marc Silverstein Current City: Washington, DC and environs Job Title: President and CEO Company: On The Marc Media Length of Time in this Role: 5 Years Twitter: @onthemarcmedia Mopwater: Describe your path to PR. How did you wind up in this field? MS: I was a crusty but lovable TV news reporter for close to 20 years, so skepticism of all spokespeople, PR folks and spinmeisters was in my DNA. Over time, I came to appreciate the few who “got it.” They knew how to successfully spar with reporters, leak stories, get out their message—and when they had to—take one for the team (usually a critical story) without too much whining.
Then I left news and hosted a long-running show about restaurants on Food Network called The Best Of. Many of the places we profiled had publicists, some of whom were incredibly helpful, and succeeded in making good stories better. But far too often, we had to deal with what I nicknamed Philadelphia-type PR, based on a company in Philly whose reps were so inept that we stopped covering their clients. They got in the way, raised tension levels with the crew and consistently made the process so difficult that even eating the free food offered by the chefs became a chore. That takes some doing.
From both the news and entertainment experiences, I saw there was an opportunity—to offer the kind of PR that provides a more effective bridge between clients and the media. Clients need public relations people who know how to:
• Understand reporters, their pressures and their personalities—and make their lives easier. (Like providing “one –stop-shopping,” and not calling to pitch stories when reporters are under deadline).
• Speak the language of news reporters (Forget the elevator speech; you’re lucky if you get to ride one floor while you’re pitching them).
• Identify what their client does that’s newsworthy, and figure out every way we can to get it in front of an audience.
• Write short, dynamic news releases that don’t waste anyone’s time.
• Use a lot of bullet points.
After Food Network, I hosted a show on Discovery Channel. After shooting the episodes, I was under contract and couldn’t work elsewhere in TV for several months. Much to my disdain, my wife wouldn’t let me sit home in semi-retirement. That’s when On The Marc Media actively started going after PR clients—and since then, we’ve been successfully getting them on TV, in print and on the Internet, in addition to providing a vast array of other marketing services. Read the full story
Heathere Evans-Keenan is the immediate past president of PRSA’s National Capital Chapter (for the Washington,DC region), founder and president of Arlington-based Keenan PR, winner of countless national and local PR awards, and one of my most valued mentors. She agreed to meet me on a recent frigid morning in DC to have coffee and talk shop. I shot this short video of Heathere (please ignore my lack of camera skills and the background noise at the coffeeshop) talking about how to handle PR in 2009.
Happy New Year everyone! I hope you had a great holiday season and are gearing up for a great 2009. As promised, Mopwater is back in full effect today, and as such, I’m launching the much-anticipated “How to Pitch” column. HTP is going to give you the inside track on how to get yourself or your client covered in print, broadcast and web-based media.
Reporters and editors-are you looking to get more exposure for your work in 2009? Ready to put down the pen (okay, keyboard) for a moment and get on-screen? Maybe you’ve recently seen your reporter colleagues featured as experts on television news programs, so you’re wondering how you could get on television,too.
To help you get your first television interview, I’ve interviewed Ferman Patterson, Producer of Reporter’s Roundtable, a public affairs program that airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at noon on Channel 16 in the District of Columbia. Frequent guests include D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and Washington Post Reporter Hamil Harris. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the program, here’s a brief synopsis from the DC Office of Cable Television:
Hosted by Denise Rolark Barnes of The Washington Informer, the show tackles the top news items affecting District residents. Viewers will hear issues addressed from every perspective by panelists like Hamil Harris of The Washington Post and Deborah Simmons of The Washington Times. The show takes you beyond the local headlines as these journalists debate what’s in the news and how it will impact DC residents.
I’ve often wondered how reporters/experts get booked on this program as it seems like the guests are pretty much the same whenever I tune in. According to Patterson, it really depends.
“Sometimes we get leads from reporters or we see a reporter on air and [invite them on],” he says. “Who we choose is based on topic or subject matter.” Recently archived episodes include the same-sex marriage debate, the green revolution and Wall Street vs. Main Street. Read the full story
DC bloggers, social media and PR pros got more than a taste of SEO (search engine optimization) at Saturday morning’s Basic SEO for Blogs training hosted by Mopwater PR in Columbia Heights. Nakeva Corothers of Nightlife PR gave an outstanding presentation on keyword research, driving traffic, how search engines work, and how to write your blog titles to drive traffic to your blog.
If you weren’t at the presentation, you missed a great learning opportunity and some great coffee. But we used the hashtag #BSEO4B. Enjoy a few of these choice “Twitter Takeaways,” but be sure to search the hashtag on your own, and add your own SEO tips there as well.
