PR 20/20 Blog

3 Reasons PR Professionals Should be Trained in Google AdWords

By Tracy DiMarino | Posted Jun 16, 2010 | 0 Comment(s) | Filed in: Internet Marketing, Public Relations, Search Marketing
Recently, I took the new Google Advertising Fundamentals Exam, the first of two tests required to become a Google AdWords Certified Professional. And, let me tell you, it makes you think.

The exam tests your knowledge of Google AdWords tools, account management, analytics and ad optimization techniques. Although it focuses particularly on online advertising, we highly recommend it for all PR professionals due to the test’s ability to foster analytical thinking, refine budgeting skills and expand knowledge in how search engines work. These skills are becoming increasingly more important in an evolving industry where there is a growing demand for hybrid professionals.

In fact, we feel so strongly in its value that we require all PR 20/20 consultants to take and pass the Fundamentals Exam, despite the heavy time commitment involved.

(The AdWords Learning Center contains 21 lessons for the Fundamentals Exam alone, totaling more than 400 pages of reading. For me, this translated into about 10 hours of serious studying and note taking. Think college finals all over again, and you’ll get the gist.)

So, as a PR professional, why is it worth investing the time and energy into AdWords training?

Encourages Analytical Thinking

PR pros can no longer hide behind impressions and ad equivalency. Being able to demonstrate your success through tangible factors such as search engine rankings, website traffic, inbound links, leads and sales is essential in today’s business environment.

The Google AdWords Exam forces you to think analytically, translate data into meaningful measurements and adjust strategies based on results. All of these skills are vital for PR pros looking to demonstrate their value to clients and manage successful campaigns.

Refines Budgeting Skills

An organization’s return on investment (ROI) using Google AdWords doesn’t necessarily relate to how much the organization spends; its determined by how well their budget is used through keyword and bid selections, targeting and optimization. These factors usually need to be tweaked often based on past performance in order to get the most benefit for your money.

This same logic can be applied to the financial aspects of managing any type of campaign. PR pros need to be able to work within a client’s budget - choosing those activities, which will have the largest ROI - while simultaneously being able to determine when a larger budget is needed to achieve desired objectives. They also need to continuously review their current campaigns and budget allocations to determine if their existing financial distribution is optimal, or if funds should be reallocated to better-performing activities.

Provides a General Understanding of Search Engines

In his post “7 Benefits of Partnering SEO & PR,” Lee Odden explains why search engine optimization is becoming increasingly more important for PR practitioners looking to reach and influence journalists, and connect with consumers who are actively searching for relevant information online. However, to optimize content for online audiences, PR pros need a sound understanding of search engines and how they function.

The AdWords training program offers a general overview of Google paid and organic search. It also provides an in-depth lesson on keyword selection. While most information has a paid search focus, the knowledge derived can be applied to organic search as well. Having basic knowledge of how the search engines work can significantly impact the success of press releases and other PR-related content distributed online.

What Do You Think?

In an industry that traditionally has offered relatively few options for training or certification, we continuously look for outside accreditations that will showcase our value and expand our skill sets.
- What tools are you using to enhance your expertise and refine your skills?
- What courses, certification programs and classes do you recommend for PR pros?
- How can the lessons from Google AdWords enhance a PR pro's skill set?
Image Note: My colleague Natalie studying hard for the AdWords exam.

Tracy DiMarino is an associate consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. Follow Tracy on Twitter @TracyDiMarino.

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A Personal Approach to Publicity Campaigns

By Natalie Farinacci | Posted May 26, 2010 | 0 Comment(s) | Filed in: Public Relations, Social Media
According to the 2010 PRWeek/ PR Newswire Media Survey, 43 percent of journalists report having being pitched through social networks in 2010, compared to 31 percent in 2009. There was not only a significant increase in the method of how PR people pitch the media, but also a higher success rate of journalists covering a story. In the U.S. and Canada, journalists covered pitches 70 percent of the time if they came from social networks.

Historically, publicity efforts for a client involved searching for reporters in media books, sorting through long lists of names, beats and titles, and blindly pitching journalists through direct mail, phone calls and fax. Then, the Internet presented online media databases that made collecting media contacts quicker — but also faux-personalizing and spamming easier, too.

Today, social media offers a new venue to connect with journalists in more meaningful ways: We can easily read previous articles and blog posts they’ve written, and follow their activity on social networks. In short, we can get to know the people behind our media lists, and establish relationships that can help us provide valuable information for them and their readers.

Here is a four-step process for using new online technologies to improve your media relations efforts, and the pitching process.

Know Where Your Audiences Get Their News

Considering that your ultimate goal is to engage with buyers and other key audiences, it’s essential to understand where those people get their news — both online and off — so you know which outlets to target.

To begin researching the media your target audiences follow, start with your knowledge of the industry, and the online media databases we’ve used for years, such as MyMediaInfo and Bacon’s Media Directories. Be sure to check out the social media information now available on these databases, such as journalists’ blogs, LinkedIn profiles and Twitter handles. In addition, look into external resources, such as Twitter journalist databases like Muck Rack, journalisttweets and MediaOnTwitter.

Also keep an eye on new developments and advances in the journalism field to stay abreast of current trends. For example, the Society of Professional Journalists released part one of its Digital Media Handbook in March, with the intent to instruct journalists on how to use digital and social media to their fullest potential — including as a means to find and share stories.

To answer one of the most common questions that journalists receive, features reporter for the Chicago Tribune, Chris Borrelli, shares how he finds stories as a reporter. Borrelli suggests simplifying the pitching process by just observing normal, everyday conversations on topics that are relatable or thought provoking and including those topics in your pitch.

Use the Social Web to Further Research

Once you’ve narrowed down your list of contacts, simply take the time to read their stories and learn more about them. New York Times technology columnist, David Pogue, said in a recent interview that the best way to know what reporters write about is to read it, and expressing your knowledge of their writing goes a long way. His ideal pitches are brief, express knowledge of his previous coverage and ask if he's interested, with reference to a related press release below if appropriate.

Along with news stories, explore what your target contacts have covered in their blog (if they have one), topics they tweet about, articles they post on Facebook and LinkedIn, and other relevant online communication that will help you identify who this person is and what they care about. Use these outlets to engage with target journalists, and share their interesting stories.

Develop Targeted Pitches

Now that you understand who this person is and what they’re interested in, create a pitch customized to their specific needs and passions, and more importantly, their readers.

For example: Is there a previous story that you can provide more information for, or relate your client’s story to? Do you have a story that fulfills a journalist’s request in a tweet or Facebook message? Whatever the reason for contacting the reporter may be, make sure that your pitch is written with only that journalist and outlet in mind.

In addition to tailoring your message for the person, pitch each type of media outlet with a distinct approach. For example, understand that traditional news rooms are likely short-staffed and stretched thin, and keep your pitch to them as brief and targeted as possible. When pitching bloggers, consider their personal voice, and offer more multimedia elements based on what they tend to post with their articles.

Follow Up (If Appropriate)

Just like your initial contact, put yourself in the journalist’s shoes if making follow up calls. Do you have relevant, worthwhile information, such as a new development to your story, or a related event? If not, don’t waste their time (or yours).

In a survey on Journalistics blog, Jeremy Porter found that 76 percent of journalists are fine with follow-up calls, but only if your pitch pertains to their coverage area and is time-sensitive.

Pogue’s take? If he’s interested, he will call you. However, a respectful follow-up call that shows genuine enthusiasm and passion may convince him to consider a story.

It’s All About Relationships

At the end of the day, this approach really isn’t very different than quality publicity efforts of the past — social media simply offers a new venue that helps us do our jobs better by being more targeted, forging relationships with media in new ways, and getting to know more about the people we pitch than just their beat.

The result is reaching real people, with the information and sources that can help educate their audiences.

Natalie Farinacci is an associate consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. Follow Natalie on Twitter @natalie_f.

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Graduate's Guide to Preparing for a PR Career

By Dia Dalsky | Posted Apr 27, 2010 | 7 Comment(s) | Filed in: Public Relations
One year ago, I was a soon-to-be graduate of Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. With June quickly approaching, I was presented with two challenges:
1. Find an entry level PR job I liked, with an agency I could grow with.
2. Prepare myself for the actual activities I would need to perform at my job.
Not only would my class be entering into the worst economic recession since the 1980s, but we also needed to adapt to an industry that had evolved more in the past 10 years than it had in the past century.

Most students I graduated with accepted the fact that a majority of skills and training needed for our first job would be learned at our first job. This situation was not unique to my college, but due to the traditionally static structure of academia. By the time new concepts and technologies are accepted, textbooks are rewritten, and courses are updated or completely restructured, the industry and the required skills have already moved forward greatly.

This rapidly increasing disconnect between traditional PR and marketing and today’s industry can mean the world of difference to a collegiate about to enter the job force. So how do you prepare yourself to be a next generation PR pro and bring real value to an agency? (Hint: it isn’t a resume padded with club involvement and an inflated GPA)

After one year of experience at PR 20/20, I can offer five tips and free tools that I believe can be extremely valuable to someone in that same position today.

1. Monitor Industry News

Stay up-to-date on industry news, conversations and the leading influencers of change by reading and subscribing to relevant blogs, news feeds and hot topics. Some good follows include Todd Defren’s PR Squared, Mark Schaefer’s {grow} and Rohit Bhargava’s Influential Marketing Blog. Use the following tools to help you organize the blogs you read:

Netvibes

Create a free Netvibes dashboard to monitor and organize the blogs, news and social media sites you follow.

Start by signing up for an account and begin searching for content that interests you, or go directly to a blog or news site and retrieve the RSS feed. Feeds update automatically, which simplifies the process of going to each source separately or receiving multiple email updates. You can then sort the content into categories or groups and log into one, centralized location to receive your daily updates.

Google Reader

Similar to Netvibes, Google offers members its own online aggregator to streamline the collection of content you monitor with Google Reader. You can organize blogs, news and the people you follow, as well as share link-worthy content with your followers, track trends and create personal notes.

Google Alerts

Another way to receive regular news and industry updates is by setting up Google Alerts to automatically email you hyperlinks for content posted to the web. Alerts are set up by identifying keywords you want to monitor, such as “public relations,” “inbound marketing,” or “entry level pr job,” and setting the frequency of notification, either real-time, daily or weekly. Each email update is broken down into News, Blogs and Web Alerts.

Also create Google Alerts for your own name and the agencies/companies you’re interested in working for. This will help you be conscious of your online brand, and the brands you are seeking employment with.

2. Actively Network

Create a strong personal brand online by conducting yourself professionally on social networking sites and participating in relevant industry conversations. This will help you find agencies and professionals to connect with. Be sure to make these connections and continue engaging with companies even after you have interviewed.

If you are interested in a particular niche, such as sport marketing or non-profits, you should also look to expand your network for groups relating to these areas.

Twitter

Follow the authors of blogs you read, agencies or companies you want to connect with, and other professionals you know. If you’re not sure who to follow, start by using Twitter Search to look for people talking about topics that interest you. Consider joining discussions such as #prstudchat.

Make sure your tweets are professional and relevant. Potential employers will likely scan your profile and look into the content you are creating and sharing with your network. Don’t be afraid to share your personality, but understand that professionals are more likely to follow someone sharing link-worthy information than someone detailing menial day-to-day events.

Facebook

Before you start professionally networking, be conscious of your Facebook privacy settings and clean up your profile, photos and wall posts to be presentable. Facebook offers an advantage over Twitter, by providing you with more space to contribute your own comments on articles and resources you want to share with your network. After you have completed these activities, connect with the business pages of companies you are seeking employment with.

LinkedIn

Upload information about your education and professional experience to your LinkedIn profile, which serves as an online resume that can be continuously updated and shared. This is a great link to include in your email signature and printed resume or business cards.

Under profile settings, you can link your Twitter account to into your LinkedIn updates. If all of the information you tweet is relevant to your LinkedIn audience you can select all tweets be updated, however, I would recommend selectively updating, which will ensure the tweets shared on LinkedIn are highly targeted and relevant to professional networking.

LinkedIn applications also offer additional functionality to showcase yourself professionally, such as Blog Link, Events and Reading List by Amazon. Lastly, joining relevant groups can help you make connections with professionals in the industry, or your particular market of interest.

Comment on blogs you follow

To develop a relationship and establish yourself with influencers, you must contribute to the conversation. Whether you have your own blog or not, you can still comment on other bloggers’ posts. Add some additional thoughts, thank them for the valuable resource or inquire about a related topic that wasn’t considered within the post. Bloggers won’t know you are reading their material unless you let them know who you are.

3. Write and Publish Content

To truly be a leader and active contributor to the industry conversation, you must create original content. There is no limitation to the content you create, but here are a few ideas to get started:

Blog

Write about industry news and topics being discussed by other professionals. Link to their content, expand upon their ideas and do some analysis of your own. Look to timely events and news, online tools and resources or the projects and information you are exposed to at your own university. Or, write about a topic you are passionate about, but do it well.

College papers/projects

When you are given assignments in school, try to select topics that could be of use to you as a writing sample. Consider what types of writing would be useful on an informational interview, and think ahead to build out your portfolio pieces.

Account activity through an internship or student-run PR/marketing club

Nothing compares to real-life experience. If you’ve had an internship or are involved in your school’s PR or marketing club, be sure to keep track of account responsibilities, activities and projects you work on to share as professional experience. You can use these experiences and samples of work in interviews to refer to a particular situation you have faced and learned from.

4. Educate Yourself

Agencies and corporations that embrace blogging, social media, inbound marketing and online PR tactics are utilizing tools that support, monitor and report the measurement of integrated campaign activities. These are most likely tools you haven’t learned about in school. Become certified in the following programs to be able to contribute to and understand a business’ online marketing activities:

HubSpot’s Inbound Marketing University (IMU)

HubSpot offers a free marketing certification through 16 Internet marketing webinars taught by industry leaders, including Chris Brogan, David Meerman Scott, Lee Odden and Mack Collier.

IMU Webinars cover topics such as blogging, email marketing, lead nurturing campaigns and landing pages, search engine optimization, social media and website analytics. Learn more about IMU Classes.

Google AdWords

Ever wonder how Google determines which sponsored links appear above your organic search results? Businesses pay for these by launching highly targeted advertising campaigns through Google AdWords. Ads are specifically designed for target keyword searches and linked to website landing pages of a business’ related products/services.

To become qualified as an AdWords advertiser, complete the free education and training at the Google Adwords Learning Center. There are also several certification exams to complete the Individual Qualification process. (Because the exams are paid, you may consider completing the training and waiting to complete certification, in case your new employer is willing to reimburse you for the exam expenses. However, depending on the job you are seeking, this may be a worthwhile investment.) Google AdWords Certification Program.

Google Analytics

Google offers a free analytics program that provides in-depth tracking and analysis of website traffic and marketing activities, including Google AdWords campaigns and their associated landing pages. Analytics education is free and will enable you understand and think critically about analytics metrics.

5. Take Initiative

If the opportunity isn’t handed to you, find it for yourself. Don’t expect your college and your professors to provide you with everything you need to be successful. Without personal drive, you will miss out on opportunities other people are actively seeking. Here are some recommendations:

Request informational interviews with agencies or professionals that interest you.

Learn about their business, what tools they use and how you can best prepare yourself for the job market; this is a great networking opportunity and learning experience.

Attend industry events in your area.

Find groups in your area to become involved with. They will provide you with a chance to meet people face-to-face and practice personal communication and networking skills.

In Cleveland, we have organizations like the Cleveland Social Media Club that hold events for professionals in the area looking to learn and discuss topics related to social networks and how they can be used by businesses.

Welcome to the Real World

Don’t expect your college courses to equip you with all of the experiences and skills you need to land and succeed in your first job. Instead, prepare yourself for the workplace by finding out what your ideal career will expect from graduates and highly qualified job applicants, and make yourself into the ideal candidate.

To learn more about what an agency like PR 20/20 values, read some of our related blog posts:
Photo: Me and fellow PR major, Jarrell Cunningham

Dia Dalsky is an associate consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. Follow Dia on Twitter @DiaDalsky.

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In Search of Next Gen PR Pros

By Paul Roetzer | Posted Apr 12, 2010 | 0 Comment(s) | Filed in: Public Relations
The next generation of public relations professionals is out there — the young men and women who will reinvent an industry that so desperately needs vision and innovation.

These social-media and tech savvy inbound marketers are hybrid professionals in the making — builders, creators and consultants skilled in brand marketing, Website development, search marketing, content marketing, social media and public relations.

They are intrinsically motivated, not by money, fame and power; but by freedom, flexibility, a desire to be connected and engaged, and the ability to contribute to the achievement of a greater good. They need to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

They are students preparing to enter the industry, not yet influenced by the irrelevant PR aristocracy, and they are the rising stars pushing for change in agencies and organizations.

They need opportunities, and we — the agencies, professors, associations and leaders — owe it to them to provide the guidance and resources that will help to advance our industry.

If you’re an emerging PR pro, getting your big break with the right organization can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. Just remember this piece of advice: stop relying on your resumes and references to land interviews.

Build Personal Brands and Be Memorable

Resumes are meaningless for organizations like ours. Trust me, we have seen hundreds of them, and they are all the same. Sure it’s nice to know candidates have experience and hold relevant degrees (and hopefully can create a one-page document without typos), but that’s not what sets you apart.

Social media has made it possible to connect and engage with brands like never before. You should know a brand’s story before ever submitting a resume. Yet so many candidates blast out resumes and generic cover letters, making no effort to differentiate themselves.

Your career depends on your ability to differentiate your clients and organizations, build strong brands and motivate people to take action. Start now, with your own personal brand.

Find organizations worth your time and energy, do your homework and start connecting. But, most importantly, be memorable.

The PR 20/20 Perspective

I can’t speak for all agencies and organizations, but we view PR 20/20 as a career, not a job, transition or stepping-stone. We are seeking professionals who share our vision for evolving the PR industry, and our mission to lead and create leaders.

Don’t waste your time (or ours) applying unless you’re truly interested in a career. Get to know us first. Connect with us on Twitter and Facebook, read and subscribe to our blog, download our Inbound Marketing GamePlan, and visit our Team and Careers pages.

Connecting with Next Gen Pros

We are committed to hiring, training and developing hybrid public relations pros, but we’re equally as interested in connecting with and being inspired by emerging thought leaders and innovators from other agencies and organizations.

We want to know who you are, and where you’re finding value online. Share the communities, groups, Twitter chats and forums that you enjoy. Add them in the comments section below, or reach out to me on Twitter: @paulroetzer.

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Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer

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How PR Firms Can Rule the Marketing World

By Paul Roetzer | Posted Feb 13, 2010 | 5 Comment(s) | Filed in: Public Relations
I’ve spent more than 12 years in the public relations industry — long enough to realize three irrefutable facts:
1. The industry is full of remarkably gifted communicators and strategists who care deeply about their clients, organizations, audiences and peers.
2. Everyone has his or her own definition of PR, and therefore, the industry is in a constant identity crisis.
3. PR professionals are their own worst enemies.
As budgets continue to shift to content marketing, search marketing and social media, PR firms have an opportunity to assume unparalleled levels of leadership and influence in the marketing mix, IF they can expand their services and consistently deliver measurable value to their clients. Consider the following:
- Social media participation is nothing more than relationships and communications through online channels. That’s what PR pros do — build relationships and enhance communications with audiences (employees, media, customers, prospects, vendors, partners).
- While advanced search engine optimization (SEO) is both an art and science, and reserved for brilliant minds like Rand Fiskin and Danny Sullivan, most core SEO concepts and methodology can be easily learned and executed as part of a larger content strategy. Plus, platforms such as HubSpot create a low barrier to entry for PR firms interested in integrating basic SEO services (i.e. keyword analysis, on-page optimization).
- It seems to be universally accepted these days that “content is king” in the new marketing world. Content marketing requires strong technical and creative writing skills, business acumen, marketing savvy and strategic thinking. Again, a perfect fit for the capabilities of top PR pros.
- Content management systems (CMS) have made Web development and management far less complex. Websites have become communications and content distribution vehicles. As a result, professionals who understand brand positioning and buyer personas, as well as the content and social media strategies, should guide Website design and content. PR firms and Web developers are a natural fit for future mergers, acquisitions and partnerships.
7 Tips to Advance PR Firms

So what can PR firms do to secure their place at the head of the table?

1) Accept that Perception is Reality.

All of us in the industry know that PR is so much more than media relations and publicity, but noone but us cares. PR is, and always will be, perceived as an industry of publicists. Deal with it and move on.

Expand your knowledge, capabilities, accountability and value, and evaluate how you position your firm in the marketplace.

2) Become Measurement and Tech Geeks.

We don’t all need to be on the cutting edge like Steve Rubel, but if a firm isn’t investing significant resources in technology, employing tech- and social-media savvy pros, and holding itself to strict measurement standards, it probably won’t be around much longer.

3) Hire, Train and Advance Hybrid Professionals.

With the wide-spread availability of free training and resources (e.g. Inbound Marketing University), there is no excuse not to develop hybrid professionals trained to deliver services such as: content marketing, social media consulting, blogging, search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, mobile marketing and Website development, as well as evolved forms of publicity, brand marketing and crisis communications.

See 10 Traits of an Emerging PR Pro for more on hybrid professionals.

4) Stop Charging Excessive Retainers and Hourly Rates.

Seriously, think about the emerging firms coming up that have superior knowledge and capabilities in the high-demand areas of search, mobile, content and social. Do you really think the status quo is sustainable?

5) Drive the Disruption or Become Obsolete.

Disruptive Innovation can hurt, if you’re not the one doing the disrupting.

This term, made famous by Harvard professor and author Clayton Christensen, and commonly talked about in technology circles, is going to be a very real issue for PR professionals.

A few things to keep in mind about disruptive innovation in our industry:
- It often comes from the outside, and once you realize what is happening, it’s probably too late.
- Agencies will fail, and “experts” will become irrelevant. And this will be good for the industry.
- Opportunities will arise for PR firms and professionals, and new career paths will be defined.
- The underdogs and innovators will become the leaders.
Disruptive innovation is already happening in PR, and it is going to change everything, including: pricing and service models, measurement methods, providers, tools and platforms, higher education, industry accreditation, budgets and organization charts.

6) Be Remarkable. Think Content and Community.

Have a vision, and breed a culture of innovation. Believe in something greater than yourself and your agency. Bring value to the community, publish great content, take a position, be unique and dare to fail.

7) Stop Making Excuses. Start Taking Action.

Change isn’t easy, especially in larger firms with huge overhead and a history of complacency. If you’re a rising star in a big firm, push for change, but don’t give your life to a hopeless cause. Know when it’s time to walk away and go to an organization where your efforts, energy and vision are valued.

An Incomplete List of Innovators You Should Know and Follow

There are professionals (some are outside disruptors) driving change in the PR industry that we admire and learn from daily. Here are some of the top minds who work tirelessly to advance their ideas and beliefs, and help evolve the PR profession:
- Allan Schoenberg
- Brian Halligan
- Brian Solis
- David Meerman Scott
- David Weiner
- Deirdre Breakenridge
- Dharmesh Shah
- Jason Falls
- Jason Kintzler
- Katie Delahaye Paine
- Lee Odden (Lee has a great list of PR pros on Twitter)
- Mark Ragan
- Peter Shankman
- Rebecca Corliss
- Sarah Evans
- Steve Rubel
- Stuart Foster
- Tac Anderson
- Tamar Weinberg
- Todd Defren
Follow the complete list here: https://twitter.com/paulroetzer/pr-innovators

Have more? Add them in the comments section, or let me know on Twitter: @paulroetzer.

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Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer

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How to Land a Job in PR

By Tracy DiMarino | Posted Oct 28, 2009 | 8 Comment(s) | Filed in: Public Relations
Six months ago, I was sitting in a college classroom at Ohio University anxiously awaiting graduation. It was an exciting time, yet also scary and frustrating.

I couldn’t wait to move on with my life and put all my education to the test. But, at the same time, I had no job lined up and like the rest of my classmates, I was facing the grim truth of today’s economy: many companies aren’t hiring and worthwhile PR and marketing jobs are few and far between.

With this reality, I knew I needed to do something different – something that would make me stand out from the rest of the job candidates. So, I came up with my own personal job-search strategy and stuck to it.
- Be present and learn as much as I can.
- Meet people in person and truly interact.
- Create relationships that aren’t based on finding a job, but rather on common interests.
- Participate in conversations about the industry.
- Become visible online.
- Let people really get to know me.
Now, I’m not saying this strategy is golden or perfect, but it worked for me. (I was hired a month before graduation to start work when classes were finished.) And, I think there’s some strength to it.

Instead of sending out millions of resumes and cover letters, scouring job sites and calling HR departments, I devoted my time to building sustainable relationships (with both people who were and were not hiring). In doing so, I hoped that people would notice, remember and contact ME when a job was available.

Think inbound marketing for the job candidate.

To my surprise, this strategy made the job hunt more fun. It turned looking for a job from a headache to a learning experience. And, by focusing my efforts on building relationships, instead of finding a job, I was able to meet many people I otherwise would not have, while gaining valuable insight along the way.

So, here’s my advice to all you job hunters out there from someone who recently went through it herself.

Intern / Volunteer

Experience in the industry is important. Internships and related volunteer positions offer great opportunities to learn and grow. Therefore, accept these roles, even if they aren’t paid. (Yes, I worked an entire summer for free.) Soak in as much information as you can. Ask questions and try new tasks. This is your chance to develop your skills.

Be Well-Rounded

While PR/Marketing experience is a plus, it shouldn’t be the only area you focus your time. Pursue other interests. Groups and clubs can open your eyes to new perspectives and can offer a job candidate a fresh angle to discuss in job interviews. I learned some of my most important life lessons from my volunteer work with Give Kids the World, The Saint Bernard Project and Camp Quality Ohio. Without these experiences, I wouldn’t have the same outlook on perseverance, positive thinking or determination. Take lessons learned from unrelated experiences and apply them to your career goals.

Participate on Social Networking Sites

Get out there and mingle with people online. Learn how to use social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Engage with professionals in the industry. Ask questions and share your perspective. You have something to offer, so let people know.

For starters, clean up your Facebook profile, beef up your LinkedIn page with job descriptions and recommendations and check out the #PRStudChat hashtag on Twitter. Here, professionals and students alike are sharing ideas for landing that first job, as well as informative blog posts and articles.

Read Blogs

Speaking of blogs, read them. Get up-to-date on who’s influential in the industry and what they are talking about. Educate yourself on new trends and you will be one step ahead of other job candidates. Some blogs to get started with are:
Also, consider starting your own blog about a topic you’re passionate about. This isn’t something I did, but it’s a great way for employers to stay connected and get to know you, while providing you with an outlet to show off your writing skills.

Go on Informational Interviews

A great way to show you’re interested in a company and the field, in general, is to request informational interviews. Unlike traditional interviews, informational interviews are held even when a company is not hiring. Their purpose is for the prospective job candidate to ask questions and learn about the company and industry.

Schedule as many of these as you can. There are plenty of industry professionals who would be willing to meet with you. Take advantage of them and get started meeting people. Just remember to send a thank-you note after the interview.

Find Professional Clubs and Organizations

Seek out professional clubs and organizations in the city that you live or want to work. Usually these groups are populated with industry professionals. Join the groups you can and become active. Don’t be afraid to talk to people and ask questions.

For example, Cleveland has a Social Media Club, which is open for anyone to join. Through it, I had access to local people discussing and interested in the same items as me. Check out your local PRSA chapter or American Advertising Federation chapter and see if they offer programs, lectures, etc. that students can attend.

Network

People within the industry are usually the first people to find out about job openings. Therefore, forming ongoing relationships with industry professionals is a great way to know who is hiring. Whether online, at informational interviews or at events, learn how to network effectively.

Be sure to send thank-you letters to everyone who helps you in your search. Remember, that they are busy professionals and they didn’t have to help you. Follow up with contacts after your first meeting. Email them blog posts or articles that they might be interested in from time to time. Keep in mind that in order to form a relationship, it has to be mutually beneficial. Offer value and people won’t mind helping you later.

Be Yourself. Don’t Be Afraid to Let Your Personality Shine.

Most importantly, be yourself. Sure, all of the suggestions above can help, but in the end it’s your personality that’s going to be the deciding factor… so let the world have it. Shine.

What do you think? Job candidates, share with me what’s worked for you in the search. PR professionals, what advice do you have for professionals looking for a job in PR? Post your recommendations in the comments section below.

Tracy DiMarino is an associate consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. Follow Tracy on Twitter @TracyDiMarino.

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Photo Credit: JimmyWayne
PR Industry’s Worst Enemy: The Irrelevant Aristocracy

By Paul Roetzer | Posted Sep 4, 2009 | 1 Comment(s) | Filed in: Public Relations
So after nearly a decade in the PR industry, I finally reached a tipping point this morning:

“I’ve been pitching media over 35 years. It’s true I use a news release format and yes, it’s one size fits all approach. But I have to tell you it works. By saying that you need to have the pitch a certain way to me is a fairly close minded way to be.”
— PR Gone Bad: How to Anger Bloggers and Hose Your Client

Yup, after years of fighting against the negative perceptions created about our profession by what I have come to call the “irrelevant aristocracy,” one post from Jonathan Fields (@jonathanfields) put me over the edge.

I don’t care what worked in 1980, 1990 or even 2000, and neither do clients, bloggers or mainstream media. None of that matters anymore.

The PR industry is evolving from the outside in through disruptive innovation. Firms and professionals relatively unknown to the old guard, and ignored by the trade media and so-called experts and gurus, are introducing industry-changing philosophies, services and technologies, while the PR aristocracy (both individuals and firms) battle to stay relevant.

Relationships and communications remain the foundation of the PR industry, but they are being fostered through social networks, Websites, self-published content (i.e. blogs, status updates, videos, case studies, eBooks), mobile apps and the media (mainstream and social).

Our industry’s future depends on its ability to adapt, deliver measurable and meaningful results, and develop hybrid professionals who are capable of providing consulting and services across multiple disciplines, including: PR, Website development, search marketing, advertising and branding.

It’s time for agencies to start demanding more from themselves, and for organizations to start demanding more from their agencies.

If you’re a PR person, please take a few minutes to read Jonathan’s post in its entirety. It’s worth the time.

PR Gone Bad: How to Anger Bloggers and Hose Your Client

Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer

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Image courtesy of Market Oracle.
Top PR Firms Fail to Make the Grade Online

By Paul Roetzer | Posted Jun 17, 2009 | 6 Comment(s) | Filed in: Public Relations
PRWeek recently released the 2009 Agency Business Report, ranking the top 156 PR firms in the industry by 2008 U.S. revenue totals.

According to the report, “Total growth for all companies that filed this year and last was 6.8%, notably down from the 15% of like firms in 2007.” And these numbers don’t even account for the 48 firms that submitted rankings last year, but did not do so this year.

Meanwhile, Forrester VP and principal analyst Shar VanBoskirk reports that interactive budgets, including: mobile marketing, social media, email marketing, display advertising and search marketing, will reach $55 billion by 2014, at a compound annual growth rate of 17%.

So what are the top PR firms doing to capitalize on the explosive growth of interactive marketing, the incredible influence of the social Web and the oasis of opportunity in content marketing?

Well, considering that 61.5% of PRWeek’s top PR firms don’t even have a blog, it appears the industry at large is struggling to integrate social media, SEO and other interactive strategies.

WebsiteGrader.com Highlights and Agency Scores

To get a true feel for how PR firms are performing online, we ran PRWeek’s list through Website Grader, and pulled scores for each agency. The scores are on a 1-100 scale, with 100 being the best. Reports for each agency were run the week of June 8, 2009.

As we wrote in the Dawn of the Inbound Marketing Agency, the social Web has given savvy PR firms the ability to dramatically expand their service offerings in the areas of content publishing, social media, blogging, search marketing, pay-per-click advertising and Website development, but apparently there is much work to be done in order for that to become reality.

While a number of the top firms have strong Website grades, it’s clear that collectively the Websites are below average (49.1/100), and firms are failing to grasp the importance and impact of blogging (96 out of 156 do not have blogs).

WebsiteGrader.com Scores (1 – 100 Scale)

Website Grader is a free SEO tool that measures the marketing effectiveness of a Website. It provides a score that incorporates things like Website traffic, SEO, social popularity and other technical factors. It also provides some basic advice on how the website can be improved from a marketing perspective. A score of 49 means that of the more than 1 million URLs scored in Website Grader, 51% have scored higher in terms of marketing effectiveness.

All sites were graded using the Website Grader tool within PR 20/20's HubSpot account during the week of June 8, 2009.
- Avg. Website Grade (all firms) = 49.1
- Avg. Website Grade (top 10 firms) = 77.7
- Avg. Website Grade (top 50 firms) = 60.0
- Avg. Website Grade (top 100 firms) = 56.1
- Grade of 90 or better = 6 (3.8%)
- Grade of less than 75 = 130 (83.3%)
- Grade of less than 50 = 78 (50.0%)
Alexa Traffic Rank

Alexa is an online service that measures traffic for millions of sites on the Internet in a similar way to Nielsen television show ratings. The lower the number, the higher the volume of traffic to a site.
- Avg. Alexa Rank (all firms) = 4,493,700
- 22 firms (14.1%) in the top 1,000,000
- 11 firms (7.1%) in the top 500,000
Blogs

Website Grader shows how blogs currently rank with Technorati. PR 20/20 checked each of the 156 sites independently to confirm whether a blog was hosted on the domain or not. Therefore, only blogs hosted on the agency’s primary domain as either a subdomain (blog.agency.com) or subdirectory (agency.com/blog) are included in this report.

As with Alexa traffic rankings, the lower the Technorati ranking, the stronger the blog.
- No blog found = 96 (61.5%)
- Blogs in top 500,000 Technorati ranking = 2 (1.3%)
Google Indexed Pages

This shows the approximate number of pages that have been stored in the Google index. Search engines tend to like lots of fresh and relevant content, so the more pages, the better.
- More than 1,000 = 7 (4.4%)
- Less than 100 = 67 (42.9%)
Inbound Links

Search engines view each inbound link as a vote of confidence for your site, and they have a direct impact on how your site ranks in the search engines. The more links, the better.
- More than 1,000 inbound links = 40 (25.6%)
- Less than 100 = 30 (19.2%)
Website Grades for PRWeek’s Top PR Firms

Following are WebsiteGrader.com scores for the top 25 firms in order of 2008 revenue totals, according to PRWeek’s Agency Business Report.
1. Edelman — 98
2. Waggener Edstron Worldwide — 78
3. Ruder Finn — 94
4. APCO Worldwide — 73
5. Qorvis Communications — 74
6. Schwartz Communications — 86
7. ICR — 67
8. Text 100 Public Relations — 91
9. DKC — 40
10. Taylor Global — 76
11. WeissComm Group — 28
12. Gibbs & Soell — 51
13. Padilla Speer Beardsley — 89
14. PCGCampbell — 18
15. Outcast Communications — 53
16. Peppercom — 88
17. Davies — 23
18. French/West/Vaughan — 72
19. PainePR — 28
20. Allison & Partners — 63
21. RF/Binder Partners — 45
22. Capstrat — 84
23. 5W Public Relations — 74
24. Coyne Public Relations — 62
25. KCSA Strategic Communications — 42
Download the complete Website Grader report (PDF file) with scores for all 156 firms. The report includes: PRWeek ranking, URL, Website Grade, Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Rank, Technorati Blog Rank, Inbound Links, Bookmarks, Google Indexed Pages and Blog Presence.

About the PRWeek Agency Business Report

Holding company figures: The 2009 rankings do not include the majority of agencies owned by the following holding companies: Interpublic Group, Omnicom, WPP Group, Havas, and Publicis Groupe.

Data: Revenue is defined as fee income earned in the US, mark-up on billable items, and, when applicable, advertising commissions up to 10% of fee income. Revenue from subsidiaries and affiliates was not included if there was less than 50% ownership, while n/a denotes not applicable, where the agency did not submit the figure.

Visit PRWeekUS.com for additional information.

Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer

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8 Crucial Elements to PR Education

By Tracy DiMarino | Posted Jun 15, 2009 | 0 Comment(s) | Filed in: Public Relations
“Insanity is doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results.” — Albert Einstein

Unfortunately, the majority of colleges take this approach with PR curriculum.

In our post, “10 Public Relations Trends That Will Change The Industry Forever,” we discussed how inbound marketing, such as Internet-based services, the social Web and search are changing the face of PR. As a result, PR education must also evolve.

Times have changed for graduates. In addition to traditional media relations, graduates are expected to be well versed in all things social Web and SEO related. However, most curriculums have not adjusted their teaching methods to accommodate these changes.

To create PR pros for the 21st century, educators must bring the social Web into their classrooms, while simultaneously taking their classrooms to the Web. As a recent college graduate, I discussed this topic with some of my peers and gathered their suggestions on how to adjust PR education to fit today’s industry. Here are a few of their responses:

1.    Make Twitter a Part of Classroom Discussions

Twitter can drive participation, especially in large lecture classes, where a few outspoken individuals can dominate the conversation and time constraints prohibit everyone from sharing their opinions. In this situation, Twitter can provide an outlet for all students to express their opinions and share resources.

An example of this can be seen at my alma mater, Ohio University, where a professor designated the hashtag #ouj412 for his Journalism Ethics class to encourage classroom participation. While I was not part of the class, below is a snapshot of the conversation:

2.    Share Classroom Resources Via Social Bookmarking Sites

Social bookmarking sites, such as Delicious and StumbleUpon, are an ideal place for students and instructors to share relevant articles and blogs about classroom topics. Storing the information in a centralized location online makes it readily accessible to all students 24/7. It also enables students to share content with each other and encourages active learners.

3.    Incorporate Blogging into the Lesson Plan

Educators should substitute blog posts for some traditional-writing assignments. For example, instead of having students write a two-page opinion paper about an industry trend or concept, why not have them write a blog post? Writing blog posts on a regular basis familiarizes students with the platform and its features. Also, by encouraging students to subscribe to and comment on each other’s blogs, students will learn how to participate in the blogosphere.

4.    Use Wikis for Group Projects

Group projects typically involve collaboration. As a recent college graduate, I remember all too clearly emailing a document to multiple group members for their feedback and then having to consolidate each person’s edits into one final paper. Wikis can simplify this process by enabling multiple people to edit the same document, saving valuable time for everyone involved.

5.    Substitute eBooks for Textbooks

The growth of eBooks online is making the purchase of textbooks less important. eBooks are published regularly so they often include new trends that textbooks may not, and using eBooks exposes students to the formats, layouts, etc. that are most effective in displaying content online.

Here are some example eBooks that I’d recommend to PR students and professors:
6.    Create a Class YouTube Channel

According to Nielsen’s Three Screen Report, the use of online video is up 53-percent in the last year. Instructors should dive into this trend and incorporate online videos into the classroom. With a YouTube Channel, instructors can post videos of lectures online for students to access after class, have students create their own videos as part of class projects and upload related videos created by others as secondary resources.

7.    Encourage Networking With Industry Professionals

Social networking sites, such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are a great way to network with industry professionals. By teaching students best practices, they will begin to build their personal online brand and make connections that could lead to a job.

8.    Teach the Basics of SEO

In today’s world, people go to Google first to find information. According to TechCrunch, 85 billion searches were done on Google in the last year, indicating the importance of search today.

Therefore, before a research project, instructors should teach the basics of search engine optimization in determining the strength of a Website. While students are searching for information, they will begin to take note of what sites appear for which keywords and how optimized sites typically rank higher. They can also use this information to determine how strong a particular source is based on the SEO factors such as inbound links and traffic.

In addition, instructors could have students incorporate keywords into assignments (press releases, case studies, etc.) so students are skilled in creating optimized content.

By making small tweaks to their teaching style, educators can help students build networks, locate and share information and, become familiar with the tools that are changing the PR industry. With an education revolution, more students will fit the description of an Emerging PR Pro, making them more qualified job candidates.

So, what do you think about the future of PR education?

What should students be learning about in class? Tell me some interesting ways classrooms are incorporating social media.

Tracy DiMarino is an associate consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. Follow Tracy on Twitter @TracyDiMarino.

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Photo Credit: Jeco
The Press Release - Past, Present and Future

By Laurel Miltner | Posted Jun 3, 2009 | 0 Comment(s) | Filed in: Public Relations
Press Releases. These concisely written news announcements have been a mainstay of public relations since the industry as we know it existed.

The press release was invented in 1906 when the Pennsylvania Railroad had an accident and its PR consultant, Ivy Lee (often considered the Godfather of PR), sent out a statement to media representatives, inviting them to hear about the accident first-hand. While I admit I’m not 100% clear on this, I believe it was sent out by mail. He invited the media to travel to the scene of the accident by train.

Think about how communication has changed since 1906.
- Mail delivery became more reliable due to advents in transportation, such as the mass production of the automobile and airplane.
- Telephones and telephone service were adapted and improved and, therefore, became more widespread until they were adopted by nearly every home in America.
- Cell phones came into existence and people could talk on the phone anytime, anywhere.
- The Internet connected the world.
- Smart phones gave people the ability to access the Internet anytime, anywhere.
Yet, for most people, press releases really haven’t changed that much . . . unless you count media distribution via wire service and email.

It’s time for the PR industry to rethink the press release, and remix our old friend into a powerful tool once again.

With the advent of new technologies, companies now have the ability to: A) create, publish and leverage their own content, and B) reach media in a much more personal, authentic and targeted manner. As PR pros, it’s time to accept that the role of the press release has changed, and adapt our services and campaigns to reflect this shift.

For example, at PR 20/20, we write optimized press releases — press releases that announce company news and are optimized for search engines. We use a wire service to send the news online and provide links back to the company’s site. This serves two purposes:
1. If a reader is interested in more information, they can follow the link to the company’s site (where we may host multimedia content like photos, video and audio files, and ask people to share information via social tools).
2. By embedding links in the release that is syndicated online, the company’s site authority with Google and other search engines has the potential to increase.
Other PR pros are embracing the social web by turning news announcements into Social Media News Releases (SMNRs). These include multimedia content and offer readers a way to share the information through social tools. Wire distribution services will even send out your SMNRs online.

Recently, our friends at HubSpot released the findings of months of research on press release distribution as it stands today. They compared the success rates of SMNRs vs. optimized press releases¹. To be clear here, by success I mean syndication levels, or how many sites picked up the releases in full.

Not surprisingly, HubSpot found that more sites syndicate optimized press releases than SMNRs. This makes sense because without the multimedia content, it is easier to post the information.

Many people disagreed with HubSpot’s apparent promotion of optimized releases over SMNRs, arguing that the point of SMNRs isn’t necessarily syndication, but sharing and encouraging interaction with the news. That’s fair. But, I agree with HubSpot’s logic that if you’re going to have people interacting with your news and sharing your content, wouldn’t you rather have it hosted on your own site?

That being said, here are my three main thoughts on the Press Release of the Past, the Present and the Future:

The Past: Traditional press releases, sent out via mass distribution and on the wire in hopes of getting press coverage, don’t work. Or, perhaps more accurately, they rarely do.

The Present: Optimized press releases offer a great tool to spread company news (that most people won’t care about enough to share) online and give your site some SEO credit through inbound links. They can, however, become cost-prohibitive and don’t offer incredible results (average number syndication per release was about 7 after 3 months – Rebecca Corliss, please correct me if this is wrong. I had to do some math.). Also, there is a fair chance that Google and other search engines will begin limiting the SEO credit they offer to sites that post nothing but press releases.

The Present & The Future: When you have news, new ideas or other content that is actually interesting enough to share through multimedia content like videos and photos — content that people would actually want to interact with and share — host it on your own site. Put it in the style of a SMNR if you want, but put it on your site. Then, share it with your social network and let them do the rest.

Side note: It’s rather difficult to complete a post like this without talking about new resources with which many PR pros are finding success. For example, Pitch Engine is a website that hosts SMNRs for many companies, and allows journalists (or any possibly any interested party) to receive feeds of news releases in topics of interest.

A lot of people love Pitch Engine and find tons of value in the service. While I can see the benefit of housing information in a place where media reps know they can find it, I can’t let myself ignore the importance of hosting your best content on your own Website. Maybe a combination of both is key, especially as Pitch Engine and similar services gain in popularity with media and other influencers.

So… what do you think about the future of the press release?
- PR pros – how do you handle press releases and news announcements with your clients? How do you see this evolving in the next year?
- Journalists/media/analysts/bloggers – where do you look for news announcements? What kinds of press releases (if any) catch your attention? How do you want companies to share their news with you online?
Laurel Miltner is a consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. Follow Laurel on Twitter @laurelmackenzie.

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¹HubSpot referred to these as “traditional” press releases in the report. Because they included keywords and links, for all intents and purposes they can be considered optimized press releases. (Have you ever seen a footnote in a blog post before?)