The article below by guest blogger Danny Brown discusses the need for good media relations in Press release Distribution as well as the importance of online monitoringof your brand, your market etc

Hi.

I’m Danny Brown, owner of Press Release PR, a boutique PR agency specializing in search engine optimized press releases and promotional campaigns for the Web 2.0 world. Manoj has very kindly asked me to share some of my thoughts while he is on vacation – hopefully I don’t bore you all too much!

So much has changed in the public relations industry in the last couple of years it’s easy to get lost in the crowd and forget what the role of a PR agency or professional is. With the growth of online news outlets and Web 2.0 offering an instant information hit, the traditional “PR way” is having to adapt or lose relevance.

However, there are still some traditional ways of working that are just as relevant in today’s Web 2.0 world when it comes to effective PR strategies, no matter if it’s a predominantly online or offline campaign.

Media Relations

One of the age-old prerequisites for good PR is making sure the media picks up the campaign. It doesn’t matter if it’s a single press release or a full-blown PR blitz – having strong ties to the media will give you an immediate advantage, particularly in this day of blog power.

Journalists and especially editors are busy people and don’t have time to look at every news or media release. However, have one on your side and you’ve immediately got an inroad into getting the media attention your story needs. So how do you get the media on your side?

It’s all about credibility – you need to make sure your story is newsworthy first. The best way to ensure this is to make sure your news is timely and interesting. Having a newsworthy story is half the battle in getting a media source interested. The next is to call your desired media source directly to introduce yourself and explain why your news will be of interest to their readers.

If they’re not free to talk at that time, offer to call back (or even meet) at a more convenient time. Meeting someone face-to-face is one of the best ways to build trust – and if your story is indeed newsworthy and you offer first bite at future releases, you’ll stand more chance of building a strong media contact.

Know Your Market

PR is probably one of the fastest changing markets around along with technology – you need to know what’s happening around you to be able to act immediately to keep your clients ahead of the game. Use everything at your disposal to keep abreast of the latest news.

Web 2.0 offers a fantastic portal to keep up-to-date with what’s making the news – podcasts from the big newspapers via the likes of iTunes, blogs from the top people in your niche and Google Trends and Google Alerts are just some of the ways you can ensure you’re at the head of the information queue. Use them, because it’s almost guaranteed your contemporaries are.

Use Technology

A recent report from the UK suggested that as many as 79% of British PR firms don’t have an online strategy. In today’s predominantly online business world, I find that to be just a little scary. There’s no quicker medium than online for breaking a big news story.

Social media giants like Facebook, Digg and Youtube are now being heavily used by PR agencies for their clients. Viral marketing and video campaigns are just two of the ways that businesses are reaching a wider audience.

Blogging is another vital cog in the online promotion of a business. Where else can you have a medium that allows instant interaction between you and your customers, or potential customers? Additionally, a blog allows you to offer a more personal side to your “business speak” and can help you connect to your key audience in a way that would have been almost impossible before.

Monitor the Web

As much as social media and Web 2.0 offers a wonderful tool for any PR campaign, they’re only as good as you make them. You need to know what’s being said so you can act, or react.

For example, say you have a new product on the market and, for whatever reason, it receives some negative reaction in the blogosphere. If you’re not monitoring the situation, then you won’t be able to come out with any answers to the negative questions being asked.

This is where the likes of Google Alerts comes into use. Monitoring any news on your product niche will soon let you know of any reaction to it, positive or negative. With the most influential bloggers having the power to instantly make or break a product or story, you have to be on top of your game and be ready to build on positive news or counter negative news. Consumer created content is the fastest growing medium on the web today – make sure you use it to your advantage.

Social Awareness

There’s no better PR strategy than local awareness. Consumers especially are more likely to buy into a product or idea that gives back to the community – just look at how successful eco-friendly businesses are compared to non-green competitors.

If your business can offer something to the community as a result of your new product or service, you’ll be in a far better position to receive positive PR. Look at fast food giant McDonald’s – no-one can deny they have come in for a large amount of stick over their menus. Yet their campaign to provide homes and support to underprivileged children is not only a worthwhile cause, but an excellent example of using positive PR to overcome negative views.

As I said at the beginning of this post, the public relations industry is changing. The growth in online business means there’s no longer barriers between local and international customers, and PR companies/agencies now need to come up with solutions for this new online world.

The ones that have embraced the web and technology are already reaping the rewards. The ones that steadfastly refuse to move with the times? Well, it’ll be interesting to see if they’re around this time next year to plan their next PR campaign…