Are Your News Releases Helping or Hurting Your Ad Agency PR Efforts?

In the past few weeks I’ve read warnings from a number of credible sources about the danger of linking key words in anchor text in news releases. Google’s new linking rules consider such releases, when distributed on other sites, as creating “unnatural” links.

These unnatural links are a big no-no from Google’s perspective, and they can be costly to ad agency PR efforts.

I’ve learned a lot this past year about how Google can make life miserable for a company’s search engine optimization initiatives if it runs afoul of Google’s standards, whether intentionally or inadvertently. One of my clients, a technology company, is 100% Internet-marketing based and the majority of its traffic comes from Google searches, so there’s really little choice but to play ball with Google or risk facing unpleasant SEO consequences.

The problem comes in when Google changes rules suddenly, giving the term “Google Alert” new meaning to organizations that live or die based on SEO rankings.

Google’s Panda and Penguin updates have been the subject of much conversation and angsts because of the way some companies that previously ranked high for certain key words no longer do so, while others that lagged behind now find themselves on top. There are many factors that go into rankings, and under Google’s new linking rules it appears that even news releases can harm a company if they aren’t done in a way that Google likes.

Frank Strong, director of PR for Vocus, which owns PRWeb, advises on his personal blog not to link key words in anchor text. Product anchor text is probably okay, he says, if you are linking a specific product or brand name to pages deep on a site.

As anyone who uses PRWeb regularly knows, releases must use links sparingly – on average one link for every hundred words.

SEO expert Jill Whalen writes in her July 25 High Rankings Advisor newsletter, “[C]ounter-intuitive to what we as SEOs have been saying for years . . . you may want to completely forget about using keywords in anchor text. My hope is that Google finally understands that real natural links rarely have keywords in them, and that they’ve adjusted their algorithm accordingly.”

Of course, no one really knows exactly how Google’s algorithm works (except the people who work there), and it seems as though it’s constantly changing. So what’s a PR person to do?

The universal advice I’ve come across is to focus on good quality content. This is what Google keeps pushing, and right now it seems to be the best path for SEO success. Until someone convinces me otherwise, I’m going to continue striving to provide excellent content and, for now at least, avoid using keywords in news release anchor text.

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Know and Avoid Reporters’ Pet Peeves for Ad Agency PR Success

The other day I read a blog post about things PR people do that journalists hate. Their list of pet peeves really wasn’t surprising to me, because I’ve heard or read the same basic concerns expressed a number of times throughout my PR career. I’ve also experienced some of those irritations during my days as a reporter.

Their advice to PR representatives when trying to interest a reporter in a story included:

“Invest the time to understand a reporter’s beat and recent coverage before hitting the ‘send’ button.”
“Tailor your pitch and have modest goals.”
“Make every effort to know my readers and my style, be creative, and by all means please, please, please don’t bore me.”

In other words, make the right pitch to the right person at the right time.

One suggestion I didn’t see on the list but which I’ve found very useful is to ask a reporter for advice if you’re new to the industry and trying to get up to speed. I have to credit a former boss, John Van Mol, with first suggesting this simple yet savvy approach.

This is a tactic I use sparingly because it often isn’t appropriate. The more of a niche industry it is, and the more significant a player the client is in that industry, the better this advice-seeking approach can work.

After doing your homework (see the three bullet points above), I suggest starting with an introductory e-mail to the appropriate reporter, saying your agency is representing a client in the industry he or she covers. As someone new to the industry, explain that you’re trying to learn all you can to make sure the news releases and story ideas you send are useful and properly targeted.

You may also want to ask for input about the best way to learn about the industry and the best way to work with him or her. Ideally, you’ll be able to follow your e-mail with a scheduled call during a time the reporter is not on deadline.

Of course some reporters won’t give you the time of day if you make such a request, but some will and the upsides can be significant. Like everyone else, reporters enjoy talking about their work and what interests them, yet few people take time to ask these types of questions before making a pitch.

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Ad Agency PR Advice for Journalists Turned Content Marketers

I’ve reached the place in life where neither my daughters nor my parents pay much attention to my advice (though they always listen politely), so I’ve learned to be careful about offering unsolicited opinions. More appropriate for these situations, I’ve discovered, is to use the Socratic approach of asking questions in hopes of sparking critical thinking and enlightenment.

However, after reading a PR Daily article about how many journalists are migrating to PR, especially content marketing, I just couldn’t resist offering what I hope will be some helpful suggestions to those who pursue PR on the ad agency side. On second thought, let me rephrase that: These are humbly submitted thoughts you might possibly want to consideration if you are about to make, or have already made, this transition.

I should first mention that while the majority of my career has been on the public relations side, early in my career I got a taste of the journalism world by working as a correspondent for a daily newspaper and on the editorial side of a health care magazine.

My journalism experience taught me valuable lessons and exposed me to what it’s like to get pitches – good and bad, well targeted and wildly unfocused – from people hoping to get publicity for their company or client. That experience has helped me to be more thoughtful when approaching a reporter to discuss a story idea or respond to an inquiry.

I also need to acknowledge the Software Advice tips cited in the PR Daily article, which by and large are quite good except for the advice to “Uphold traditional journalistic principles, no matter where you work.” Um, I don’t think that’s very realistic given that journalists who go over to the PR side have a much different role, which I’ll cover in a minute. Now, on to my thoughts:

First, don’t underestimate the magnitude of the transition from working for a news media organization to working for an ad agency. Both are fast paced but the environments are very different, and instead of going from news event to event, you may be moving from industry to industry with the clients you serve.

Second, remember who you represent. One of my best hires when I was an ad agency VP heading up the PR department was a long-time investigative reporter who was looking to make a change. He was a great reporter and an even better person, but for the first few months I had to work at getting him to quit investigating our clients and focus on representing them.

Third, be prepared to adjust your writing style. While great writing is vital to effective content marketing, it requires a different approach than traditional news reporting. Facts and figures alone don’t make compelling content that excites and motivates readers. Feature writing is much closer to what’ll you’ll be doing in content marketing. If you’re a good story teller, chances are you’ll be a good content marketer.

Fourth, face it – you’re no longer writing to be objective and balanced. While it’s true that there is a lot of bias in the news media today – with an increasing focus on advocacy vs. reporting the facts – content marketing is all about providing useful, well-targeted information, not representing all sides of an issue. Your mission is to be an enthusiastic advocate who builds trust, engages customers and enhances the brand – not some detached, impartial third-party onlooker.

Fifth, recognize that your competition is no longer other reporters – it’s everyone; everyone, that is, who can has a computer and can write a blog post. The competition is fierce, critics are bountiful and the work is demanding, but aren’t those challenges that drew you to journalism in the first place?

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Ad Agency PR Best Practice: Put the Story on the Top

One of my former agency colleagues, a veteran newspaper reporter, used to have a sign on his desk that said, “Put the Story on the Top.”

In other words, when writing a “hard new” story, state the facts up front and get to the main point right away.

Great advice, and something we all need to keep in mind as we write our news releases. Sure, it can be tempting to write two or three paragraphs of introduction before getting to the main topic, but it’s not the way to write a professional news story.

For one thing, it’s easier for people to remember the gist of the story if you first summarize it and then add details. If they only read the first paragraph, would they know the basic essentials? If not, you need to take a look at revising your release.

Another reason is that many people in fact don’t read much more than the first paragraph or two, so you want to make sure those folks read the most important thing you have to tell them in the first paragraph, followed by the next most important information in the second paragraph, the third most important in the third paragraph, and so forth.

That approach is known in journalism as the inverted pyramid style, and it’s what good reporters and PR pros do when writing a news article. They give you the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How of a story at the very top. No fluff, puffery or promotional flair – just the facts, please. Otherwise, you’ll immediately lose credibility with the reporters and editors you’re trying to reach.

Feature stories are different, because they tend to focus on matters that are interesting and entertaining, but not the most pressing issues of the day. Examples include trends, human interest and unusual, off-beat topics. They, too, will contain some basic facts, but those facts are woven into the story. Features are generally more creative and less formal. The lead in a feature is designed to lure readers in, with the writer crafting a compelling narrative that keeps their attention to the very end.

Hard news and feature stories both have a place in telling your agency’s story. Knowing the difference between the two, and how to use each appropriately, is one of the keys to successful ad agency PR.

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Specialty Books Boost Ad Agency PR

One of the best ways to enhance ad agency PR, and also help with new business initiatives, is for an agency principal or specialist to write a book. After being involved in writing or editing several books for clients—as well as helping market them—I’ve come to the conclusion that writing a book may be the easiest part.

Why? Because self-publishing has made it possible for just about anyone to be an author, and as a result there’s been an explosion of new books in recent years.

To stand out, you need a specific audience to target and a plan to reach it.

Here are 10 tips for the person charged with generating publicity for a new agency book:

1. Quality endorsements are important to a book’s success, so get started on approaching influencers well in advance of the book’s actual publication.

2. Conduct a brief media training session to prepare the author for interviews and to answer questions he/she likely will get, and then develop several key messages (talking points) to use in interviews.

3. Create separate social media sites specifically for the book, and link to them from your agency’s website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google +, Twitter, etc.

4. Develop a customized list of media outlets and blogs you’d like to approach for publicity.

5. Hold a launch event to get the book off to a positive start, create momentum for it and generate some industry buzz.

6. Utilize a paid news service like PRWeb, PR Newswire or Business Wire to get the word out to a large audience of journalists and bloggers, especially targeting those who would be interested in the book’s topic. PRWeb is a personal favorite because it’s very cost effective, yet I’ve gotten great Internet coverage through Google and Yahoo news, trade publications, blogs and various news sites. It provides instant credibility when a journalist does a search on the book and/or author, and page after page of hits surface.

7. Use your agency newsletter, YouTube and other channels to announce the book internally and to clients. And, of course, you’ll want to integrate the book into your new business strategy.

8. After the first wave of launch publicity, write and distribute customized news media pitch letters to each outlet on your list, based on their particular audience and area of coverage.

9. Take the same approach with influential bloggers who reach your target audience and offer to do guest posts on their sites.

10. Identify author speaking opportunities where he/she would have the chance to sell the book. And be sure to take full advantage of places where the author already has connections, such as professional associations and networks.

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Know Which Words to Use and Avoid for Ad Agency PR Success

Mark Twain once remarked that “the difference between the right word and the almost right world is the difference between lightening and the lighting bug.”

No where is that more true than in the world of journalism, which has its own particular style of language usage.

Recently I came across an article titled “20 words and phrases that will doom your pitch.” I sure didn’t want that to happen, so I read through the list to identify these “cursed words,” as the article described them.

You can read the list of words the article warns will sabotage your pitches and news release here. If you get as far as the comments section at the end, you’ll see additional words submitted by readers as candidates to add to the banned list.

“The reporters not only ignore these, they hold them up as points of mockery,” said.
Michael Smart, principal for MichaelSMARTPR. He and New York Times technology columnist David Pogue drew up the list of words and phrases that they say undermine a writer’s creditability.

The real problem with these 20 words is that they are more suitable for advertising copy than a news release or pitch letter.

Why is this a big deal?

Because there’s a big difference between the words and phrases used in advertising and journalism. Ad agencies that don’t understand this difference will have a hard time being successful with their publicity efforts or even being taken seriously.

Reporters are very sensitive to attempts to disguise advertising as news or use promotional language to hype a product, service, cause or company. They can sniff these out from a considerable distance, and it’s the quickly way to have your content tossed in the trash or deleted.

To be considered credible by the news media, you have to write your pitch as objectively as possible, emphasizing its news, trend or human interest aspect. Or, if you want to be considered as a source, focus on your expertise to comment on a particular topic and provide insights.

Being familiar with The Associated Press Stylebook will help you use appropriate journalism language and avoid faux pas. Think of it as a pocket language guide you’d want to take with when traveling to another country so that you can converse with locals.

The best way to maximize your chance of landing news media coverage is to write and think like a reporter – and, of course, have a good story to tell.

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How to Maximize Ad Agency PR Success for New Business

You’ve just gotten a great media hit for your agency – now, how can maximize this important third-party validation for new business exposure?

For starters, make sure your clients, employees and other stakeholders get a copy of the article, broadcast interview or Internet story, and invite them to share it with others who may be interested. A handwritten cover note to clients is a nice added touch.

The coverage should also be displayed on your website, and you’ll want to write a post about it on your agency blog with a link to the story.

And, of course, you’ll want to utilize your social media channels to help get the word out by linking to the story.

If you have an agency newsletter, consider reprinting the article in the newsletter (after obtaining the publication’s permission to do so) or at least make mention of it by including highlights of the story. If it’s a radio or TV interview, include a few key quotes as excerpts.

Next, you can further expand your reach by doing a news release about the coverage, especially if it’s in a prominent national news media outlet. Paid online news release distribution services come in very handy in times like this.

And if you’re fortunate enough to get a national hit, be sure to alert your local news media as that may generate another round of publicity, or possibly be included in a future story about your agency.

Framed copies of newspaper and magazine articles are impressive when people are touring your agency, especially if you have a number of them to display along the walls or in a conference room.

And, of course, you’ll want to include media hits as part of your new business pitch to answer the question “Why you should hire us?”

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Eight Tips for Ad Agency PR Spokespersons

In my previous post, I discussed the traits of highly effective spokespersons. If you have that role at your ad agency, here are a few thoughts from someone who’s been in your shoes:

1. Make sure you have the full support and backing of agency management before saying a word publicly about a particular issue.

2. Always go into an interview or news conference fully prepared. Know the subject matter inside out, and have people practice asking you questions and critiquing your responses.

3. Have a few key points you want to make, and find ways to work them into the conversation.

4. If you don’t know something, say so and offer to get back to the reporter with the answer as soon as possible.

5. Never try to bluff your way through—more likely than not, bluffing will come back to bite you.

6. Never deny the obvious. Sounds like common senses, doesn’t it? But it’s amazing how many people and organizations do that in hopes that things will change just because they deny there’s a problem. Trust me, that won’t work.

7. Record the interview or news conference. That way, if you’re grossly misquoted, you’ll have a way to prove what you actually said.

8. If the situation you’re dealing with could have significant ramifications for your agency and/or a client, get professional outside help. Individual consultants and firms that have experience dealing with news media day in and day out can provide valuable objectivity and expertise, and they’ll help keep you focused, on track and maintaining proper perspective.

And remember, you’re going to make mistakes—just try to make sure they aren’t big ones. IF you misspeak, don’t hesitate to correct yourself immediately or as quickly after the interview as possible.

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14 Traits of Highly Effective Ad Agency PR Spokespersons

Having served as spokesman for a large international organization as well as for a variety of agency clients, I can attest that it is a challenging job, especially when dealing with hostile reporters who are trying to trip you up or make you look bad.

Being a spokesperson can be a high pressure chore, especially when you’re in the middle of a controversy or crisis. As the face and voice of the agency (or one of your clients), what you say can positively or negatively affect relationships with stakeholders, clients, competitors and other important audiences.

There weren’t any “Spokesperson 101” elective courses when I was in college, and I’d be surprised if there are many today. Absent a specific course on the subject, the best preparation is good media training, but even with such training I’ve found that the art of being an effective spokesperson is best learned through experience.

An important part of any ad agency PR initiative is finding a person well suited for the role of representing your agency to the world. Depending on your agency’s size and delegation of responsibilities, the role of spokesperson likely will go to one of the principals or to the highest-level PR person. (In some cases that person may be both.)

But more important than the person’s specific role in the agency is to possess certain traits. Obviously the person who serves as spokesperson must be knowledgeable about the agency, industry and specific topic at hand, but it takes more than that to be successful. Some things can be learned through experience, but there’s also a certain personality type that thrives in this job.

Here’s my list of 14 “must have” traits for an effective ad agency spokesperson:

1. High integrity; you can trust what this person says
2. Excellent communicator who is clear, concise and articulate
3. Able to reframe an issue in a positive way without sounding contrived
4. Well prepared
5. Likable personality
6. Confident but not cocky
7. Cool under pressure
8. Able to think on his or her feet
9. Not easily rattled
10. Doesn’t get defensive
11. Able to laugh at himself or herself
12. Learns from his or her mistakes
13. Takes criticism well and uses it to improve
14. X factor

The last one, which I’ve called the “X factor,” is something I can’t define—I just know it when I see it. If you think about good spokespeople you’ve observed over the years, you’ll see this X factor in them. Former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow had it. He possessed a sunny disposition and always struck me as someone who was born for that role. The not-so-good ones lack it. You can probably think of some of those folks on your own.

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13 Ways to Build Ad Agency PR in 2013

If you’re looking to build your ad agency’s reputation this year, here are 13 PR tips for 2013. If your agency is already doing all these things, you’re doing well PR-wise—just keep up the good work this year and make sure you maintain a consistent effort.

If you’re doing some but not all of these things, consider adding the ones you’ve not yet tried and see how, over time, they enhance your visibility and boost your new business efforts.

If your agency is not doing any of these—wow, it’s high time you started taking PR more seriously because you’re likely losing business to competitors who are engaged in these activities.

Fine tune your agency’s messages so that you can convey your expertise clearly and concisely.
Shorten your pitch. In this age where sound bites, e-mail subject lines and Twitter characters dominate, it’s vital to “do more with less” by making your pitch a quick read that immediately gets to the point.
Regularly update your media list. People come and go, and failing to keep up to speed on who is covering your industry can be costly. Resources like Bulldog Reporter and Bacon’s Media Directories not only provide the latest listings of reporters’ contact information and the industries they cover, but they also have valuable insights on each reporter’s preferred method of contact, their deadlines and pet peeves, etc.
Get to know at least one reporter who covers your niche each quarter. That’s just four people this year, which is very manageable but could have a huge payoff. Not sure where to start? Try following the reporter you’re targeting on Twitter, Facebook and/or his or her blog. Not only will you learn a lot about this reporter’s interests, but you’ll also discover opportunities to comment and interact.
Get to know at least one blogger who covers your niche each quarter. Read that person’s blog regularly, comment when you have something worthwhile to add to the conversation, and when the time is right ask for an opportunity to submit a guest post.
Utilize a new channel, such as LinkedIn Answers, to help others seeking information and to position yourself as an expert.
Subscribe to receive daily e-mail updates from Help A Reporter Out (HARO), BloggerLinkUp and RadioGuestList, and review them each day. These are free resources that bring interview opportunities to you.
Keep an eye out for opportunities to comment about what’s already in the news, such as trends or breaking news. Google Alerts can help you keep on top of news related to your niche, but you must act quickly because the media will soon be on to the next story.
When you see a story about a topic that you could have provided some great insights and commentary, rather than bemoaning the fact that you weren’t included in it, get in touch with the writer, tell him or her how much you liked the story, and then add an insight or two based on your experience. Close your note by offering to be a source for future stories related to the topic and thank the reporter for considering you down the road.
Use one or more paid online news release distribution services like PRWeb to expand your reach and generate buzz. A steady stream of news through these services will draw the attention of reporters and bloggers covering your industry, and also make it easier for prospects to find you.
Create an e-newsletter to comment on trends in the industry, and as you meet reporters and bloggers, ask if they’d like to be added to your mailing list. This keeps you front and center, and may trigger story ideas from those who read it. If nothing else, you’ll stay on their radar as a source when they do stories in your area of expertise.
Tell your agency’s story visually whenever possible. Photo sharing, infographics and visual story telling are growing at an incredible rate. This year it’s estimated that more than 90% of Internet traffic will be video based, and more than 800 million unique users visit YouTube each month. Pinterest is now one of the most popular social networks. Your prospects are there—are you?
Keep your blog current and its content top-notch. (You do have a blog, don’t you? If not, this is the year to start one.) Great content is one of the most important ways you can build a following among your

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