Most important facts first — that’s what they teach you in journalism school — which is illustrated with an inverted pyramid.
According to the Poynter Institute, the journalism industry’s renowned training organization, one of the first inverted pyramid leads was written by an Associated Press reporter after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination.
That first lead read: The President was shot in a theater tonight and perhaps mortally wounded.
Prior to the adoption of the inverted pyramid, most journalists used flowery language and took their time getting to the climax of the story. This changed during the Civil War when the use of the telegraph flourished. Readers became more sophisticated and wanted to get to the bottom of the story at the top.
Who could blame them? No one wants to read through 500 words of content before finding out that Abe Lincoln was assassinated. Read More »
A media center contains all the basic information that a traditional journalist, blogger, or marketing pro would want to know about your business or organization. And it’s all in one tidy section of your website.
Not all businesses would benefit from a media center (also called a news room or some other variation). However, if you field calls from the media or if you would like to field calls from the media, then a media center could provide incredible benefit. Read More »
There’s great debate over whether businesses should use press releases as part of their marketing mix. Many are vehemently opposed to them, including the authors of the book REWORK (the same guys behind 37signals). The authors devoted a chapter to how press releases are a waste of time and a bunch of junk.
I sometimes agree. Not all press releases are newsworthy. Not all press releases help your brand. However, I do think there is a time and a place for some press releases. Read More »
In August 2009, Wikipedia said there was 109.5 million Web sites in operation. That means you need to separate your Web site apart from 109,499,999 other sites.
Since 99% of these sites have NOTHING in common with yours, there are some aspects you don’t need to give any thought. But as far as that 1% goes, there is one thing you can do from the very start that will set you apart. Build trust!
Here are five ways you can earn the trust of your Web site visitors.
#1 Create a News Page
A section of your Web site should be devoted to press releases, articles, and links to other valuable resources. This could be a blog or a Web page, whichever option works best for you. Not only is this beneficial for your search engine optimization strategy, but it adds value to your site and gives your visitors something to read and learn from.
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When pitching a story to a reporter, a little research goes a long way. Whether you contact a reporter with a press release or an emailed “pitch,” you must have your story idea completely thought out first.
Since reporters and editors are bombarded with pitches every day, it is imperative that your story be valuable and timed right. It is also important to send your pitch to the right person.
Here are a few tips to help you out.
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