Online publicity is one of the marketing tactics that any company should take advantage of. Most of the publicity outlets online are low or no cost and very easy to use. Unfortunately if you do not plan your publicity path they can be as much an evil as they are good!
Planning your online publicity track is not much different than planning the traditional track. It actually involves the same principles.
• Do a competitive analysis- you need to know how the public see you and your competition.
• Map your key messages- Know before you start what message you want to send and aim all articles, press releases and announcements toward those messages. This should directly tie into what you are doing offline as well.
• Press Materials- Just as you have offline you need to have press materials available online. This is simple, just create the items you would typically give out to the press and store them on a page on your website.
• Targets- Make a list of place that you want to submit your publicity items. They should be fairly well trafficked sites, with a good page rank.
• Story ideas- for each of the targets create a story or idea to pitch to them. Make sure that the story or pitch lines up with the editorial view point of the publication.
• Create a calendar- plan your attack, each week at least there should be one contact made. More if possible as not everyone will publish what you send them each time.
Online publicity is not hard with the proper planning. Plan your attack and execute it well and your company will become an everyday name on the web as well as in your backyard. If you need assistance with developing your publicity calendar there are a number of outlets available.
