news 7

On the World Wide Web

The best way to find information on any subject on the World Wide Web is to visit any of several search services, also known as search engines. These sites allow you to look up information on just about anything, and will point you to the best places on the web to learn more about your topic. Suggested search engines to start with are:

Write a Press Release

A press release announces your website to the world. Also known as a news release, it should be informative and appealing to reporters and other contacts. State why your company or product or service is beneficial to people. Describe how your site or company was developed. Keep in mind that you are going to send your release to people who have hundreds or thousands of releases to read through. Make your company stand out with a well-written press release.

Your priority is to please the editor/writer. When you write your press release, make sure you consider how your material could catch the editor's eye. Write an untraditional piece; include new angles that make your release stand out from the rest. If possible, find out about the editor or the audience of the magazine or newspaper where they work. Publication is more likely if you appeal to the current interests of the specific publication and the specific editor/writer.

Editors consider the demands of their audience. If your work fails to meet subscriber needs, the story will not be published. Keep your writing timely and be truthful. This will increase your chances of publication

Going Local: Let's face it, most websites will not get significant attention from large publications on a national or international level. If you have not done anything highly innovative or of interest to the big time publications….you still have a shot at going local. Local and regional publications love a "local boy/girl does good" story and you don't need to be in the realm of rocket science or devising a plan for world peace to get local attention. Personalize your work and whenever possible, emphasize the local angle, especially for small-town papers. Web, Brick and Mortar: Don't forget to also tell local customers where to find your business off of the web, whether you have one location or several branches.

Be consistent to gain a good reputation. Mislead your audience and it will backfire. You need to gain trust, so keep your information factual. Once the editor becomes familiar with your company name, he or she will be more inclined to publish your releases in the future. Submit your work on a regular schedule and if you plan on resubmitting the same story to any another medium, inform the receiving parties. Find out what times are less hectic before you return calls to editors or reporters. Remain in good standing and the rest will take its course.

Let's do it! How to Write your Press Release

Lay-out…

Press releases should generally be one or two pages in length, double-spaced and typed with 1.5 to 2 inch margins. Use company stationary that includes your logo and slogan, but avoid bright or dark colored paper. Center the words 'News Release' before you begin writing. Under this header, type 'Release after:' and the date when you want your information be made public. Include an exciting title that reflects the purpose of the release.

At the top of the second page, type 'page 2' and follow with your logo and slogan so that the format is similar to the first page. (Leave out the 'Release after' and the date that you typed on the first page. Everything else should be the same as your first page.) When your release is completed, type '-30-' or '# # #' (a way of saying 'the end') on the bottom center of the page.

Information to include…

Newsworthy information is best presented in the form of an inverted pyramid. This means that the first part of your release should be the key information. Answer the primary questions first, making sure to include any vital 'who, what, where, when, why and how' elements. Their order is based on which elements are of greater importance to your particular news release.

Elevator Pitch: Entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley seeking investors talk about the elevator pitch. They imagine being in an elevator with a venture capitalist or angel investor. They have only 5 or 10 floors to explain their business concept and attract the interest of the temporarily captive audience. You can think about the first (and maybe second) paragraphs along the same lines (except you don't have the luxury of a captive editor).

Go straight to the point in the beginning because you hopefully will have time to explain later---that is---you will have time to explain on subsequent paragraphs…but only if you pique the interest of the reader in the first paragraph. Begin your release by making the 'news' clear. The main focus of your first section is, "This what it's all about."

Information that supports or clarifies details in your release comes later, in the second part. Secondary information includes background information or any other details that you need to explain. Because less emphasis is put on this section of the release, get straight to the point and keep it simple. Keep the inverted pyramid format in mind, putting less important information lower in the release.

The last section should include information that closes your release in a smooth but strong way. Don't leave people hanging, but, on the other hand, don't drone on and on. What does your company offer? How might people already be familiar with your company's name? This is the time to establish a connection for people between your website and company name.

What else to include in your press release:

Enticing headlines which summarize the material that follows.
Follow a problem/solution format in your writing. (Also try comparing and contrasting ideas.)
You may want to include photos. Make sure that they are your own or that you have express permission. Make sure that they directly relate to what you are promoting. No stock images! You may also put photos for downloading from your site's press section. Include both black & white and color and a variety of resolution sizes. Magazine and newspapers have varying requirements.

Note: Cover letters aren't necessary unless you want press coverage of a company event.

Where to send your Press Release:

Appropriate Writers @ magazines
Appropriate Writers @ newspapers
Trade Journals in your company's industry
Print magazines specific to new website announcements
Online agencies (optional) - they will distribute your release for a cost

Note: If you select an online agency, make sure they are reputable. There are companies that either fail to distribute your release effectively or, even worse, fail to distribute it at all.

Don't assume everyone wants an email. Though it might seem to be the easiest way to send your release, take the time to develop separate contact lists of reporters who prefer email, fax or snail mail (the kind that involves a real stamp and envelope.)

Tips for your Press Release

Don't send out mass e-mailings
Don't hassle contacts asking them if they received your release
Do the work yourself. Editors won't publish anything sloppy or hard to read.
Make your news sound like news, not a sales pitch.
Do research. Send releases only to editors who are likely to be interested.
Don't be careless. Factual/ spelling/ grammatical errors make your site and company less credible.
Only one news release per envelope
Mail release by first class if possible
Typing your address directly on the envelope is an impressive bonus (versus the use of labels.)

Hiring help for Press Releases

If you choose not to do the writing yourself, you can hire a free-lance writer or public relations firm to create your news release. Keep in mind that it's important to thoroughly evaluate whomever you hire. Look in the yellow pages under "Public Relations" to find contacts. Interview candidates and ask to see published samples of their work. Whether or not it's a popular writer or firm, if they aren't getting releases published, they can't help you. See what they can offer you. Look for writers and firms that promise you publication in newspapers or other targeted publications. Not only do they have confidence in their work but they have the connections to get your release to the public. anonymous search engines, domain name reseller

You have several options when considering a writer. Local reporters not only have the experience of writing for a targeted audience but they can often promise you publication in the newspaper or magazine where they work. Ghostwriters write news releases for you but make it appear as though you wrote it yourself. Other writers will represent your business by being the contact for the media. If you choose the second option, make sure the writer is responsible and familiar with your company.link,links,site,sites,search,good,online,mail ,company,custom,customer,line,sale,business,service,design,meta search engines,search engines,Write a Press Release,publicity release,publicity releases,

To stay or not to stay?
Your site's design plays a major in role in the user's decision to either stick around or continue surfing. Graphics, layout, load time, fonts and ease of navigation can all influence the user. To craft a site that retains visitors, make it fast, clean and pleasant.

Aside from attracting and retaining visitors, your site's design is critical for search engine positioning. Directories, such as Yahoo!, will review your site before accepting it. Directory editors look for sites with good design to add to their indices.

Design is also important to DirectHit, currently owned and incorporated into Ask Jeeves and Teoma. DirectHit measures how many people click on your site and how long they stay. If your site is clean, easy to navigate, fast and pleasant, visitors will stay longer and your site will score higher. DirectHit technology is used by search engines such as Lycos, Hotbot and MSN.

The Golden Rule of site design - let your visitors do it!
Your visitors should dictate your site's design! Cater to their needs with every part of your site.

You can find out more about your users with a web traffic monitoring service. Web hosting companies often offer these as part of their packages, and they're a must. Sign up for an outsourced service or purchase the software if it's not a part of your web hosting plan. It will be useful in marketing, advertising, search engine placement and design.

Here are some factors to consider when modifying your site to better meet users' needs. You can gather all the following information using web traffic monitoring.

Connection speed
Don't use a fancy Flash intro and heavy graphics if most of your visitors have 28.8 modems. Opt for simpler pages that your visitors will be able to read sooner.
Browser compatibility
Although browser technology is improving, some problems still exist. Netscape, for example, does not completely support cascading style sheets (CSS). If most of your visitors use this browser, don't use CSS for your site unless you're prepared to create different versions of your site for each browser and the code to detect them. Always check how your pages look in different browsers. Check out AnyBrowser.com for necessary tools.

Avoid common mistakes

Spell well
Although search engines don't penalize for spelling or syntax errors, someone who finds a spelling mistake on your site may view it as unprofessional. Many people believe such mistakes indicate a lack of cultural authority and credibility. Run a spell check on every page before publishing.
Don't use "construction" areas
Any editor from a directory such as Yahoo! or ODP will tell you that a site using "This page is under construction" messages won't be listed. Visitors don't enjoy "construction" areas either. Don't submit to directories until you have your whole site up.

An Overview

Site design

Is important to directories, DirectHit and your visitors
Should cater to your audience
Should avoid common mistakes

Domain names

A domain name is the place where customers can locate your business. Basically, it's the address... only more. Not only does a domain name provide your customer with the information of where to find you, it gives your company character. Whether you choose serious or fun, make it memorable.

Many domain names are based on the company or product name, depending on which is more appealing to the general public. Take our name for example. We provide information on search engines, so a logical choice that is easy to remember is SearchEngines.com. (Note: Everyone is scrambling to register domain names and, as a result, registering highly descriptive and easy to remember domains in the .com space is extremely difficult.)

Consider short domain names and avoid words that are often misspelled. Play with words to find a way to communicate your name in a friendly and simple manner. Whether your address ends in .com, .org, .net, or a different extension, market it as a permanent part of your name. (For more on domain name extensions, see the domain name section of : "How Credible is Information from the Internet?")

Once you have some ideas for a domain name you'll want to see if it's available at a site such as BetterWhois. You can also get a list of domain registrars on this site. Don't expect your dream name to be available. If you find a name that is suitable register it right away so you don't lose it. Don't worry if you are not ready to launch your site. Most registrars will allow domain parking. This enables the domain to exist in limbo until you need it for your site.

Don't Copy, Compete.
If you consider registering a domain name that is similar to your competitors, think again. True, it may draw some of their visitors to your site, but it could also backfire. What if they end up taking your customers? Keep your distance when it comes to domain names, otherwise you may end up losing out in the deal and giving a competitor free promotion, (or sued for trademark infringement!)

Trademarks and Domains : Apples and Oranges
It is a good idea to apply for a trademark for your product or service. This may protect you from other companies trying to misrepresent themselves. There are state and provincial trademarks but federal marks are most powerful. There is also the newly established European Union trademark.

Trademarks, however will not prevent someone from registering a confusingly similar domain name. Therefore you may want to register some of those. Of course you can file a complaint with the registration authority or in the legal system but this can be time consuming and expensive. There is also an arbitration process available.

Update your site

Update your site as often as possible. Your online presence is another branch (if not the only branch) of your company and it needs to be maintained. Your site is the company's exposure to the world, and in this case- your appearance does mean everything. If you leave the same information on your site for long periods of time, people make the assumption that you have the same 'don't care' attitude towards business that you conduct. Don't make this fatal mistake.

Depending on your traffic and the purpose of your site- you may need to update less often than others. If you have a site that offers news or weather, obviously you'll need to update every day, maybe more than once a day. If your site sells antique furniture, you won't need to update as often. If you run a sight that doesn't need much maintenance, you still need to put in effort. Decorate your web page with holiday themes or at least for the seasons. Place something on-sight that will make your visitors smile. If they feel good while they are on your site, they'll come back.

Suggestions for how to update your site:

Post the date/ date when last updated
News that relates to your product/business
What's new in the company
Cool fact of the day/week
Joke of the day/week
Cool link of the day/week
Cartoon to the day/week
Contest/ game of the week/month
Holidays, seasonal decorations

NOTE: Notify customers by e-mail when your site is updated!

Benefits of updating your site:

Your site is timely
Increase traffic
A customer-friendly site
Customer retention

Ask webmasters to link to you

Having your link on other websites is important in Internet marketing. Not only will you increase site traffic but most search engines will also rank you higher! The search engines that you would appeal to rank based on popularity, or how many web sites link to you. Start by developing your link popularity.

Create an email message that politely introduces your site and its purpose to the webmaster. You can save time by writing one letter and keeping it on your hard drive. This will allow you to personalize the letter for webmasters and sites without having to rewrite the entire document.

Choosing sites that relate to your own is the best option. Not only will you reach your target audience but the webmaster is likely to link to you if your site relates to their customers' interests.

Note: Find out what sites link to your competitor and submit your link to the site as well. (One way to get this information is to go to www.altavista.com and type in "link: yoursitesname.com" in the 'search' box. The results will provide a list of web pages that include your/your competitor's link (depending on what you are looking for.)

Benefits of webmasters linking to you:

Increase site traffic
Improve relations with other websites
Strong company image
Higher search engine rankings

Branding

Branding is the process of establishing a customer's viewpoint about a company or product. When you see a company name on a pair of shoes, for example, and think, "These shoes are made by people who care about quality," it is the result of successful branding. Branding does not only convey a message, it attaches a "feeling" to products and company names in the minds of customers.

When you see a name and it evokes a reaction, branding is to blame -- and it's everywhere around us. Why else would people spend $40 on T-shirts with logos on them? To the person wearing it, such a shirt represents a company they like and want to be a part of as a customer. Using advertising in newspapers and magazines, on television or radio, and through direct mail or telemarketing, companies use branding every day.

Branding exists on the Internet, too. Some companies choose to use their web sites to provide information and establish customer relations though they may not even sell from the site. A business of any size can brand its company name or product. Branding separates your business from the rest of the web, giving customers a reason to choose your company. With millions of web sites, branding will enable customers to find your site, see the name, and think, "Now, these are people I want to do business with."

Create and place your brand
When branding for your company, talk to the people who work in your office and find out how they feel about the business or product you're developing. Your competition may have a similar product or service, but what makes your business better? Use branding to highlight your company's strong points to customers.

Put your URL everywhere. Keep your web address in the header on stationary, faxes, and invoices. If you can afford it, billboards are a good option as well. Television, magazines, and newspapers are also good places to advertise. If you choose to have contests on your site, give out prizes with your logo and URL on them. This keeps customers feeling positive about your business and provides advertising.

Post a privacy statement

Think about how much information is on the Internet; your credit card, your home addresses, and your personal letters by email. The advantages of being online- access to worldwide business and information within seconds. The disadvantage: hackers, viruses, and marketers who make money by selling your personal information.

Online consumers deal with a huge amount of stress when asked to share personal information. With the click of each key, we are forced to consider where the information might go. People are aware of the dangers of the Internet. If you want a customer's business, you need to make that person feel safe with your company.

You have to give up something to get business in return. Be honest with your customers and sacrifice your ability to sell their information to anyone on the street. Yes, you could make money, but not enough to compensate for the loss of customers and gaining a bad reputation. Post a privacy statement in a prominent place on your site and calm customers concerns.

Privacy statements must be clear and concise. Statements should include the following elements (content may vary between companies):

Company name
What information you collect from site visitors
What information you collect from customers (if different)
What your company does with the collected information
Does your company use cookies (If yes, for what purpose)
Contact information
Tell customers that they can contact you if they do not agree with any part of the privacy statement.

Review your privacy statement with your employees. Not only should they be aware of company responsibilities in this area but they also should know how to handle any problems that may arise.

Benefits of posting your Privacy Statement:

Build a good reputation
Customer retention
You have stated your (business) intentions
You look prepared

Write a Press Release

Going Local: Let's face it, most websites will not get significant attention from large publications on a national or international level. If you have not done anything highly innovative or of interest to the big time publications….you still have a shot at going local. Local and regional publications love a "local boy/girl does good" story and you don't need to be in the realm of rocket science or devising a plan for world peace to get local attention. Personalize your work and whenever possible, emphasize the local angle, especially for small-town papers. Web, Brick and Mortar: Don't forget to also tell local customers where to find your business off of the web, whether you have one location or several branches.

Let's do it! How to Write your Press Release

Lay-out…

Information to include…

What else to include in your press release:

Enticing headlines which summarize the material that follows.
Follow a problem/solution format in your writing. (Also try comparing and contrasting ideas.)
You may want to include photos. Make sure that they are your own or that you have express permission. Make sure that they directly relate to what you are promoting. No stock images! You may also put photos for downloading from your site's press section. Include both black & white and color and a variety of resolution sizes. Magazine and newspapers have varying requirements.

Note: Cover letters aren't necessary unless you want press coverage of a company event.

Where to send your Press Release:

Appropriate Writers @ magazines
Appropriate Writers @ newspapers
Trade Journals in your company's industry
Print magazines specific to new website announcements
Online agencies (optional) - they will distribute your release for a cost

Note: If you select an online agency, make sure they are reputable. There are companies that either fail to distribute your release effectively or, even worse, fail to distribute it at all.

Tips for your Press Release

Don't send out mass e-mailings
Don't hassle contacts asking them if they received your release
Editors won't publish anything sloppy or hard to read.
Make your news sound like news, not a sales pitch.
Do research. Send releases only to editors who are likely to be interested.
Don't be careless. Factual/ spelling/ grammatical errors make your site and company less credible.
Only one news release per envelope
Mail release by first class if possible
Typing your address directly on the envelope is an impressive bonus (versus the use of labels.)