5 TIPS FOR MAXIMIZING YOUR PR WITH SEO

Photo by Ryder Media

When it comes to publicity and PR online, ensuring that it's compatible with Search Engine usage is key. Here are a few tips on ensuring that your news will get out on the search engine bandwagon and get the attention you desire.

KEYWORDS, KEYWORDS, KEYWORDS!

By now you know that one of the prime aspects to Search Engine Optimization is keyword usage. That said always make sure that your press release contains relevant keywords to help it get noticed by the right audience. However don't go overboard on the keyword usage! You want your press release to be readable, not appear as a thesaurus! In the average 400-count press release, 4 - 5 keywords is best. Avoid using any more than that as too many keywords will merely confuse the Search Engines.

HEADLINES ARE AS IMPORTANT (IF NOT MORE) AS YOUR CONTENT

Make sure that your Headline for your press release is attention-grabbing yet at the same time, simple and to the point. Since Search Engines search from left to right, use one or two keywords within the first 50 - 100 words.

THINK LIKE A TWEET

In the age of Social Media which is the number one way of sharing information, try to showcase the top content in 140 characters or less. This enables those who wish to share your news to do so via ReTweet on Twitter and postings on Facebook without losing important details.

DON'T FORGET LINKS

Links are king in everything from blog posts to tweets. That said, be sure to use hyperlinks where possible or needed in your press release to further guide your audience to the main source of your content or news. For example, hyperlink a specific keyword to your web site.  But be careful of how you do this. Link a specific -- and relevant -- keyword to your homepage but save other linkage of keywords to more relevant pages from your web site. This saves your audience time and effort in getting to the right information.


INCLUDE OTHER FORMS OF MEDIA

Including images, videos, podcasts, etc in your release will not only aid in making your release that much more engaging or, in some cases, further explain specific points, but may also be indexed on search engines which could increase traffic.

HIDDEN MARKETING GEM: WHAT YOUR EMAIL SIGNATURE CAN DO FOR YOU

Unless you operate out of a cave, you have email. In fact, more than 50% of your business is likely conducted over email. So if you have email, you even more likely have an email signature. (If you don't, create one pronto!)

Now take a look at your email signature. What's in it? Hopefully you're seeing your name, title, phone number and web address that links to your web site. Yes? Good. Now what else do you see? ... Keep looking...Nothing? Then you've missed one of the simplest (not to mention FREE) marketing tools out there!

By simply adding a short sentence to your signature that references a special promotion you're holding, shares some exciting news about your product or service, links to a subscription to your newsletter or blog or heck, just reminding your email recipient about a special service you offer and linking to a specific page on your web site, you are marketing yourself.

And in the most subtle of ways. There's no spamming prospective clients. No money spent on flashy ads that just may not work. No double issue commitments. No sales calls. Just a simple one liner at the end of an email.

Simple. Effective. FREE.

A NOTE ABOUT CREATIVE RISK

There are three different kinds of marketing professionals out there. There are those who went to school and follow the "rules" in marketing to the letter. There are those who abandon all rules and theories about marketing and just do their own thing, taking a risk with both their time and money. And then there are those who apply the "rules" and theories of marketing when necessary but that aren't afraid to take a creative risk now and then and see where it leads them.

According to a study from The Creative Group, nearly two-thirds of marketing executives feel that their company or agency doesn't take enough risks or plays it way too safe.

Now I know what you're thinking. I'm not a marketing executive. I'm a wedding professional. What does this have to do with me?

As a wedding professional you are in a unique position. You aren't a major brand relying on ad agencies and marketing firms to get you results. You likely have either a very fixed and concentrated or very modest marketing budget. That said, rather than focus merely on "tried and true" marketing methods, you have an opportunity to be more open to taking a creative risk and trying a method that is not only unorthodox but less costly as well.

Sit down with your team, clear your head of all the marketing opportunities you have seen in the industry and brainstorm ways to promote your company, it's services or its products in an entirely different way. Walk that narrow path into uncharted territory.  You'll never know when one seemingly "absolutely crazy" idea just may become the smartest promotional tactic you've ever used. Even better, it'll be a marketing idea that not one of your competitors will be utilizing and will likely cost much less that traditional ad space.

On the flip side, your creative idea could bomb. But a "tried and true" method could bomb as well.

Anything with the word "risk" attached to it can be a scary thing. Especially for a company looking to establish their brand in crowded industry. Rather than focus on the word "risk", focus on the word "creative" and let it inspire you to new ideas, new marketing tactics and new success.

MORE BLOGGING TIPS FOR THE WEDDING PROFESSIONAL

 

By now I'm sure that all of you have been hit over the head over and over with tips for blogging for your wedding business. You all know to incorporate visuals wherever possible. You know how to keep it at length. You know the importance of tagging. You realize that you shouldn't make your posts all about you ... Yada, yada, yada.

Here are a few more tips to keep in mind when embarking on the art of blogging:

'C' IS FOR CAPTIVATING CONTENT

First of all, no one wants to sound like a walking textbook. Ensure that your blog has a voice -- which essentially you should have already established through the branding process of your company. Your voice should be expressive, charming yet authoritative. Master that and you have one kick ass blog.

Second, you will want your blog posts to inform and engage. You want your readers to stop and think about the message you are trying to get across or you want them to be interested in that newest trend you're sharing or that latest product or service to hit the market. As I've said time and time again, showcasing the occasional wedding you have serviced is great and showcases your expertise. Making your blog only about weddings that you have serviced however reads like a resume and portfolio (read: web site anyone?). Dare yourself to go beyond that. Make them want to read what you have to say rather than scroll through pictures.

BE THE BLACK SHEEP

 

While we're on the subject of content...

Unfortunately the wedding industry is one of redundancy. Trends are forever repeated, phrasing becomes cliche and the big "news" has usually been blogged about to death. You can't get away from it.

There's a big fear out there however that if you aren't reporting the latest trends you will look out of touch. Not so. Think of how many wedding planning blogs are out there and how many of them have likely reported on the Royal Wedding of 2011 for example. Will you seem out of touch if you don't report on it? Absolutely not.

Strive to blog about things that haven't been blogged about. Write about your opinion on certain subjects within the industry, no matter how controversial you think it will be. Put a call out for press releases from other professionals or products in the industry. You never know what might fall across your desk.

By striving to be different from other blogs rather than compete with them you are setting your blog apart from others and garnering your own style of audience. This sentiment can be carried over to your business model as well.  After all, who wants to be comparable to other businesses?

BE APPROACHABLE

Always encourage comments. And be sure to keep the negative, nasty or whiny ones. Blogging is as much an element of social networking as Twitter and Facebook. You'll want to encourage conversation about what you've written whether your post has sparked a heated debate or whether it's a simple kudos. Look at comments this way: it's interest in your blog.

By locking out the negative comments you're not giving your audience the opportunity to speak their minds and more importantly, you're not listening to your audience. You never know what you will learn by opening the comment box to both positive and negative comments or who you may draw to your blog for the first time because of them. Also, always remember that what one person sees as a negative, another sees as a positive. So even if one Bride disagrees that pink polka-dots are the best pattern ever for a Bridesmaid dress, another might be ecstatic to see that a professional shares their taste.

REMEMBER WHY YOU ARE BLOGGING 

IN THE FIRST PLACE!

I always tell wedding professionals that if they can't blog on a regular basis (at least once a week) or if the thought of constantly coming up with blog post ideas is a huge stressor, blogging may not be the right fit for them.

And if that is the case...THAT'S OK!

Blogging is a huge trend that sparked with the latest onset of social media popularity. While blogging has always been a staple of online literacy, it has only been in the past few years that blogging has increased popularity to such extraordinary levels. This is partly because most professionals feel that without blogging they are not being noticed online or are not providing value in some way.

Not so.

Keep in mind that for the average wedding professional (note that I am NOT referring to the average blogger), the purpose of blogging (or any form of social media actually) is to be found by those who are searching online in general and not necessarily by those looking for you specifically. This means that while being found via google search is great, being found by someone who was searching for something else entirely and just happened across your business is even better. Blogs help this accidental search-ability by making you more visible in general through tagging, etc.

But will it make or break your business? Absolutely not.  That said, if you don't think you can deal with the high-maintenance attitude of a blog, don't bother with it. Focus your attention on other ways of being visible. Ways that won't keep you up at night.


So there you have it -- just a few more things to keep in mind when jumping onto the Blogging Bandwagon. Remember that Blogging is an art form.  Not everyone can successfully blog.  Be honest with yourself  and realistic about your abilities. Treat it like a piano. If sitting at those keys doesn't feel like a natural fit, walk away and choose another instrument.   If you feel that blogging is something you can accomplish and actually enjoy...

Blog away my friends, blog away!

GOT PUBLICITY?

5 PUBLICITY TIPS WEDDING PROFESSIONALS 
SHOULD KEEP IN MIND

Everyone in the wedding industry wants to be a Media Darling -- that "go-to" expert that journalists call up to get a quote on subjects or that wedding professional that seems to be in every medium all the time. But it's important to note that publicity doesn't just fall into your lap (unless, of course, you happen to be in the right place at the right time). It involves strategy, patience and determination. That's why publicists have a career. Publicity -- really great, effective publicity -- isn't easily accomplished by just anyone.

Unless you know what you're doing.

Here are some key tips to keep in mind when venturing out on your own in search of publicity for your company.



1. IN ORDER TO BE SEEN AS A "GO-TO" EXPERT, YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY BE ONE.

I get this so often. Wedding Professionals want me to magically make them the media's "go-to" person for their profession. While I can understand the desire, it's important for professionals to understand that unless you have a strong reputation and an even stronger experience background behind you, a publicist can't magically make you an expert in the media's eyes.  The media will expect your professional bio if they choose you as a guest on their show or as the interviewee. That said, if you don't have the experience and knowledge to back up a claim that you are an expert, don't expect to appear in the media as such. Expect to appear as a professional who has knowledge to share in a specific area of weddings rather than try to pull off the "expert" appearance.


2. KNOW YOUR MEDIA.

Tossing your press release and pitch willy-nilly to just any media won't necessarily garner you results. Take the time to create a concrete target list based on research of their demographic, distribution, readership/viewership, style, etc. And more importantly, take the time to find out who the appropriate contact is to pitch your story to. The media have enough on their plates without having to listen to a pitch that's not appropriate for their audience or readers. Also, ensure that you know each media outlet's deadlines. For example, does that certain magazine work 6 months ahead or 3 months ahead? How many weeks notice does that producer need to highlight a specific event on their show? Does that morning radio program do on-air interviews or are they solely music based?


3. THE MEDIA ARE NOT YOUR "FRIENDS".

Be very sure to not assume that things you may say and do are ever "off the record". The media is there to create a story, to entertain and inform their audience or readers, NOT to do you any favours. They have to make their show or piece interesting. And if you willingly provide something juicy you can bet that it will make it on the air or in the article.  That said, always be on your game. Be aware of what you say and how you behave in their presence. Also, don't expect every piece of media to be kind. A reporter may insert his or her thoughts whether you agree with their sentiments or not. This is not to say that the media are your enemies. But I've seen many professionals get into hot water by thinking that something is off the record or passing off a comment they let slip as nothing. Equally I've seen professionals get bent out of shape because of how a comment of theirs was spun in print. Remember, with publicity you are taking a chance at interpretation. Don't be fooled that the media owe you anything. Ever.


4. KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS (AND WEAKNESSES).

If you can't speak in front of an audience, I'm sorry to say, but you are likely not a good fit for television. If you can't speak clearly and confidently in front of a group of people, how are you going to speak clearly and confidently in front of a bunch of cameras, knowing that hundreds of thousands of viewers are watching?  If you stutter or suffer from "um and uh" syndrome, radio may not be the wisest option for you. A radio audience only has their audio to rely on. Nothing else will distract them. Except, of course, your stuttering.

It is actually better to focus all your efforts on print if that's where you will have the most strength than to take chances with unfamiliar media. If you're visibly nervous, stutter, etc. this will transcend ten-fold in the media, making you appear as an amateur no matter what your experience level in your profession.


5. UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MEDIA WANT.

While the launch of your company is exciting news for you, it's not necessarily all that thrilling for the media or their audience. Understand that the purpose of the media is to entertain and inform. That said, when choosing your "story" ensure that it is something that the public will want to know. Ask yourself, why would the audience of a particular show or the readers of a particular magazine want to know about this?  If you can't give a definitive, strong answer to that question, chances are your "story" or "angle" is not strong enough to get the green light from the media.  After all, it's important to keep in mind that the media is not there to showcase you or your talents. You are their last priority. They are there to inform and/or entertain their followers.

TOP TEN WEDDING MARKETING MISTAKES

You asked for it and we're delivering! Here are the Top Ten Wedding Marketing Mistakes that we see on a regular basis:





1. NOT HAVING A WEB SITE/ HAVING AN AMATEUR WEB SITE

You've heard time and time again that you are not considered to be in business until you have a web site and a proper one at that. Ensure that your web site incorporates beauty and brain. Meaning, ensure that your web site not only looks good, but is smart by way of having all the most important information, is easy to navigate and is clear and precise about what your company does without making potential consumers read an essay online.


2. NO BRAND CONSISTENCY


In order to remain TOM (Top of Mind) you need to be sure that the public is seeing the same logo and seeing/hearing the same message over and over again. That said, while changing the colours of your logo slightly so that it works well with your ad design may seem like a brilliant idea, you're actually committing branding suicide. How is a potential client supposed to recognize your logo if it continuously changes? You may decide at some point to change your company description -- if that's true you need to ensure that you change your company description in previous marketing efforts as well to ensure that the message is seen or heard over and over.  In a nutshell, ensure that your logo, your company colours, your slogan/tag line, your "voice" and yes, even your company description is the same no matter where the public may happen to come across them.


3. NO MARKETING PLAN

 

This is perhaps one of the biggest marketing blunders we see on a regular basis -- Wedding Professionals blindly throwing their money at advertising options and marketing ideas without having a concrete plan. This is extremely dangerous for your business not to mention costly. Having a marketing plan will help you determine the direction in which you want the company to go/the goals you want to achieve for that particular year and what marketing measures will best help you to get there (not to mention what marketing measures you can realistically afford and what 'grassroot" options will give you similar success). Without a marketing plan you are essentially sitting in a barrel stranded in the middle of an ocean without a clue as to how to get to land.


4. BECOMING AN ADVERTISING VICTIM

This boo-boo goes along with not having a marketing plan but goes one step further. Having a marketing plan is great, but not doing your diligent research as to your marketing options could drown you. So often we see wedding professionals  throw their money at wedding magazines, at online wedding sites or blogs and more without really knowing what they can or will do for them. They base their decisions on popularity or merely their target market (which, don't get me wrong, is important). What's worse, we've seen wedding professionals replicate the marketing efforts that seemed to have worked for others. Ouch. Don't be an advertising victim. Realize that what works for one may not work for others. And do your proper research.

Request media kits from all potential marketing sources. Look at a magazine's distribution numbers, where they're distributed, who their readership is, do they connect to their online counterpart and what is their online audience like. What do you get for the price etc. With regards to online marketing, request a media kit as well! Look at the number of their monthly viewers and how many of those are returning visitors and how many are unique visitors, where their viewers reside, how many females to males and how involved online is the wedding site (ie do they Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Youtube, etc.) And with all advertising mediums what other options do you have to leverage your marketing dollars (ie) Real Wedding postings/editorial, etc.


 
5. NOT PROOFREADING YOUR MARKETING MATERIAL

If your not looking over your mateereal for speling, grammer, mesage, etc over and over before going to print or online... your in huje truble.


 
6. MARKETING SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T OR DON'T DELIVER

 Don't make promises you can't keep. Don't use images that aren't your personal work. And don't pretend to be something you're not. Marketing under false pretenses in order to get those clients/consumers that you wouldn't normally attract will only make you look silly and scattered in the long run. Know your niche/demographic and market to them well rather than making that stretch into unknown territory simply to expand your horizons or to compete with a professional you admire/envy.


7. TWO MUCH WHITE SPACE


You've likely seen it. An exquisite photo that nabs attention, creates an emotional response and just plain spells out what that professional does. Then next to it, above it or under it is a glaring white space with minimal text and a logo. Some of you may wonder what could possibly be wrong with this?  Take a quick glance at the said ad again. What do you notice? The photo, right. What else draws your eye. Nothing. Right again. Which means that the most important message has been overshadowed by the photo.

White space can either help your advertisement or murder it. It's important to find the proper balance. Leaving too much white space will only detract from your ad and drowns the message that your audience should be focused on. Let the photo grab the attention and direct the audience to the message.



8. UNCLEAR CALL TO ACTION

This is a marketing faux-pas that should be avoided at all cost. For those of you who are unsure as to what a "Call to Action" is...essentially this is a point on your advertisement that tells the potential client/consumer what to do next. However being unclear with your Call to Action could spell disaster in terms of your ad's efficiency. What do you want your audience to do next? Call you? Visit your web site for more info? Email you? Be sure to be very clear about what direction you want them to take and most importantly ensure that you have all the proper contact info on your ad to do so!



9. TOO MUCH ABOUT YOU!
 

Having an award list a mile long is fabulous. The fact that you've been in business for 20 years is fantastic. The thought that you love puppies and long walks on the beach is adorable. But it doesn't necessarily sell your service or product to a client.

Now, we're not saying don't mention your awards or how long you've been reputably serving your clients. These may be important bits of information to select clients/consumers. What we mean is that droning on and on about yourself, your experience and your hobbies won't help your audience personalize with you but will simply cause them to zone out or ignore the most important parts of your experience, etc. Your potential clients want to see and hear what YOU can do FOR THEM. This is what they will focus on the most out of everything in your marketing material. So be sure to make your marketing material less of a mouthpiece and more of a service announcement.



10. NOT INTEGRATING ALL OF YOUR MARKETING METHODS


Your print marketing has to direct your audience to your online marketing (web site, blog, etc). Your online marketing has to direct your audience to your social networking efforts (twitter, facebook, LinkedIn, You Tube, etc). Your Social networking efforts have to direct your audience back to your online efforts (web site, blog, etc) and to your print marketing ("check out our ad in...", "as seen in...."). Your publicity campaign has to direct your audience to your online marketing (web site, blog, etc).

If all your marketing channels are not properly connecting (or worse, not connecting at all!) you are not making the most of your marketing dollars and therefore are not ensuring that you are everywhere all at once and are being found by accident and not merely by those who are looking for you specifically. 

Avoiding these marketing pitfalls will bring you one step closer to successfully achieving your marketing ambitions.

GOOD LUCK!

CAN GOOGLE'S GOGGLES HELP YOUR WEDDING BUSINESS GROW?

 

Now say that three times fast.

Is Google's Goggles about to hit the Canadian wedding industry? If it does, it could prove to be a sophisticated, albeit pricey, way to reach the mobile market.

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with this technology, Google's Goggles is a mobile app available for download on the iPhone and Android that recognizes real-world objects through Smartphone camera lenses. With the original version, you would take a snapshot of the QR Code (that funky barcode-ish looking thing) and would immediately receive information related to that product such as what it is, who made it and where you can get it.

 With Google's newest version Goggles 1.3 you now have the ability to retrieve information simply by hovering over the QR Code (and now BARCODES too!) rather than having to take a snapshot. What's even cooler is that the new version has the ability to read QR Codes in print ads. For those of us who combine our print marketing with e-marketing strategies and social media...YEE-HAW! This is just one more way of connecting the dots and putting your business everywhere all at once.

Think of all the possibilities that this little do-hickey can bring to marketing your wedding business! Print ads do not have to simply be print ads any more! Not only can the QR Code provide potential clientele with additional information for your product or service instantaneously but it can also send them to the URL for your service. The trick to putting Goggles to task is to ensure that the Goggles tags bring up info that can't be found by a general Google search. You want to ensure that your potential clientele or consumers are receiving real-time info that they can't find anywhere else.

Will "reality advertising" guarantee sales? Not sure. Will it put you one step closer to reaching couples that are constantly on the move, tech-savvy and glued to their phone? Yuppers!

And for those of you who have no idea where to start with QR Codes for your marketing practices...it can also solve your Sudoku Puzzles in a matter of seconds.

Seriously.