4 PR tips for the new media/social media space

Or: stop wasting time, money, and attention.

As some of you might know, communications/design/marketing/etc aren't my only interests. I'm also a sports fan, and for the past two years that has included running The Loss Column, a successful site devoted to talking about Baltimore sports.

About a year into it -- after I'd gained an audience and moved up the search rankings -- I started to get emails from PR agencies looking to generate "buzz." That happens now about twice a month, always the same way: they contact me out of the blue, with no explanation, and pitch an idea that basically has nothing to do with what I write about.

The first thing I do is hit delete. The second thing I do is say to myself "man, their client is getting ripped off -- and neither of them realize it."

I'm happy to help spread the word, even if that means going "off-topic" now and then. Most other site owners/bloggers are the same way. Getting in touch is not a problem. Rather, the issue is this: the approach these agencies take virtually guarantees failure. Why? Because the emails they send represent poorly targeted junk ads at best, and spam at worst.

The thinking that went into them is painfully transparent: Google relevant keywords, assemble contact information, then blast away. That doesn't work. Not for the client and not for the agency. It's a waste of time and resources.

But that's not even the worst thing about it -- the worst thing is that correcting the problem wouldn't even be that hard. I'd love for anyone who's interested in this to get in touch and explore the idea of us working together. But regardless of whether that happens, here are the basic ideas both agencies and companies/individuals should keep in mind when it comes to PR outreach in new media/social media.

1. Listen Before Talking Take the time to actually read the sites you're contacting. Dig through the archives, read the comments, and get a feel for the conversation. What sorts of people run the site, and what sorts of people read it? Now ask yourself: are those people likely to be interested in what you have to offer? Really interested? Think hard.

2. Understand the Value of Two-Way Communication If your answer is "yes", then it's time to get in touch. That doesn't mean "time to send the press release," it means time to get in touch. Email the site owner and introduce yourself. Explain who you work for and provide an extremely brief summary of the idea/event/launch you want to pitch. Ask if it's OK to send more info. If you don't get a response, or if you get a "no," then at least you've been spared the embarrassment of sending a release to someone who didn't want it and won't use it, meaning that you also got spared a hit to both your brand as an agency and -- more importantly -- the brand your client is trying to promote.

3. Keep the Dialogue Alive If you get a "yeah, send it along," you're ready to do the work your client is paying for. Craft an email specifically related to the site's readers/writers, make yourself available as a bridge to interview subjects, make yourself available for an interview, and generally provide as much high-value content and information as possible.

4. Say Thanks Pretty simple.

No single approach to new media/social media PR will guarantee success. The internet is still fairly wide-open, and what works for one site might be met with a shrug by another. That just comes with the territory. But, the one thing that will always be true is that this space is about relationships, and relationships require time, effort, and research. Failing to recognize that dooms everyone to failure, every time.

(ps -- If you like this post, please pass it along and/or link it on your site. I'll be both extremely grateful and happy to return the favor.)

Comments

[Bryan Young]

I deal with this a lot with Big Shiny Robot, the side project I have for comics, much like The Loss Column is for you and sports...

There are people who target us directly and know who we are and what we do, but there are people who blast these emails out and expect a reply when all they're doing is spamming the top Google pages worth of relevant keywords...

It's obnoxious at best.

When we send out press releases for the film, we try to target them to reporters actually covering the beat in papers that have written about movies or the topic addressed in the film before...

It's not too hard to focus your marketing, but people are lazy and think "SEO" is a magical keyword of some type...

[Jason Cohen]

I'm a long-time fan of your blog, now inspired to reach out and say hello. For real.

As a cross-check that my friendly, non-spam email doesn't get marked as spam, look for an email titled "Inspired by slant six creative post on 4 PR tips."

P.S. I resisted the urge to say "For real, Neal," although then again, apparently I didn't. :-)