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Create Website Publicity Buzz
by Sue Currie
Having a website is an important element of your public relations mix but it needs to be working for you. What else can you do to get people to click on your site? Well, you could incorporate some PR activities around your site. Public relations is essentially communication, letting people know what your do, why you do it and how you make a difference.
One aspect of PR is publicity. Creating word of mouth interest in your business by getting free editorial coverage of your business in the media.
Publicity stories in the media are very effective but you won't get one for your website unless you have a new idea, controversial story, sensational aspect to your website, something unusual or completely different. Get the idea? Some story ideas: are you the first to use this technology? Have you made a huge sale through your website? Does your website help or benefit people in any way? Are you running a unique online competition or survey? Have you a heart-warming personal story to tell? My point is this; you need to have a point.
Let me give you an example of publicity that was designed specifically to attract people to a particular website.
An online travel company, Zuji.com.au, implemented a publicity campaign to drive traffic to their website. It was a simple idea. They put together
an online competition asking people to write in their travel secrets of their favourite destinations throughout the world and they could win a valuable travel prize. They told the media about it and, although a simple idea, it captured the attention of the travel media.
Consequently, the media promoted the competition quite heavily, resulting in heaps of visitors to the Zuji website. And, of course, it involved real people telling their own stories so the human interest element worked. It worked brilliantly for the company. First, they were successful in getting lots of free publicity from the competition. They also collected the email addresses of all of the people that visited their website. Plus, they captured some really interesting stories and content to put on their site. So an online competition works well, but you do need tell the media about it. Once you've developed a good newsworthy story you'll need to contact the relevant journalists who will help you reach your target market. Don't contact everyone, just the media that are appropriate to you and your product.
Contact them by sending a media release (including your website address) or telephone them. Research your target media by checking out the newspapers, magazines and wherever else your competitors are being featured. You can buy media directories to find these media sources if necessary.
Don't forget to let journalists know there is a media room on your website where they can obtain further information.
Another way to publicise your website is to put your domain address everywhere. Anytime you send out a media release or newsletter, write a letter to a potential client or sponsor an event, not only is it really important to put your name on everything, but put your website address there as well. Every where that you communicate, put your web address. Include it on your voicemail, stickers, business cards, your car, caps, t-shirts...on everything!
Sue Currie, the director of Shine Communications Consultancy and author of Apprentice to Business Ace - your inside-out guide to personal branding, is a business educator and speaker on personal branding through image and media. Sign up for free monthly tips on personal and professional PR at http://www.shinecomms.com.au/contactmanager/default.cfm and learn more about how you can achieve recognition, enhance your image and shine.
Having a website is an important element of your public relations mix but it needs to be working for you. What else can you do to get people to click on your site? Well, you could incorporate some PR activities around your site. Public relations is essentially communication, letting people know what your do, why you do it and how you make a difference.
One aspect of PR is publicity. Creating word of mouth interest in your business by getting free editorial coverage of your business in the media.
Publicity stories in the media are very effective but you won't get one for your website unless you have a new idea, controversial story, sensational aspect to your website, something unusual or completely different. Get the idea? Some story ideas: are you the first to use this technology? Have you made a huge sale through your website? Does your website help or benefit people in any way? Are you running a unique online competition or survey? Have you a heart-warming personal story to tell? My point is this; you need to have a point.
Let me give you an example of publicity that was designed specifically to attract people to a particular website.
An online travel company, Zuji.com.au, implemented a publicity campaign to drive traffic to their website. It was a simple idea. They put together
an online competition asking people to write in their travel secrets of their favourite destinations throughout the world and they could win a valuable travel prize. They told the media about it and, although a simple idea, it captured the attention of the travel media.
Consequently, the media promoted the competition quite heavily, resulting in heaps of visitors to the Zuji website. And, of course, it involved real people telling their own stories so the human interest element worked. It worked brilliantly for the company. First, they were successful in getting lots of free publicity from the competition. They also collected the email addresses of all of the people that visited their website. Plus, they captured some really interesting stories and content to put on their site. So an online competition works well, but you do need tell the media about it. Once you've developed a good newsworthy story you'll need to contact the relevant journalists who will help you reach your target market. Don't contact everyone, just the media that are appropriate to you and your product.
Contact them by sending a media release (including your website address) or telephone them. Research your target media by checking out the newspapers, magazines and wherever else your competitors are being featured. You can buy media directories to find these media sources if necessary.
Don't forget to let journalists know there is a media room on your website where they can obtain further information.
Another way to publicise your website is to put your domain address everywhere. Anytime you send out a media release or newsletter, write a letter to a potential client or sponsor an event, not only is it really important to put your name on everything, but put your website address there as well. Every where that you communicate, put your web address. Include it on your voicemail, stickers, business cards, your car, caps, t-shirts...on everything!
Sue Currie, the director of Shine Communications Consultancy and author of Apprentice to Business Ace - your inside-out guide to personal branding, is a business educator and speaker on personal branding through image and media. Sign up for free monthly tips on personal and professional PR at http://www.shinecomms.com.au/contactmanager/default.cfm and learn more about how you can achieve recognition, enhance your image and shine.
