Determining the worth of a public relations presence online
There are now well over thirty millions websites on the Internet, so achieving a presence on the web at times can seem near impossible. There are so many free promotional opportunities, paid sponsorship and directory listing availabilities to make the process of promoting your website, its company and its products and services extremely difficult. If you are exhausted with advertising, and fed up with over-hyped marketing techniques, consider developing a public relations presence online; it's half the time and financial investment and twice the long-term benefit.
What is Online Public Relations?
Public relations serves many functions that you probably utilize in many disparate arenas of your company's business already. Online Public Relations or Internet PR not only helps drive traffic your website but helps you build brand identity in the eyes of your visitors. Online PR can be broken down into several distinct service efforts, including website and industry audits, mini-website PR campaign development, Web focused press releases and online product reviews, link building campaigns, copy and email writing, newsgroup/forum/blog participation and much more.
Do I need an Online Public Relations Campaign?
Probably not! For many website promoters, traditional online advertising such as banners or pay per click search engines suffice in bringing in good quality traffic. Other website promoters do the same by optimizing their websites for premium placement through search engine marketing tactics. If you're struggling either paying for your online advertising or conducting your own search engine marketing programs, online public relations campaigns might be a good fit for your online business.
What does it take to be successful with Online PR campaigns?
You could be successful with a public relations campaign yourself if you possess time, creativity and tenacity. Successful online PR campaigns have several things in common, including an extensive online PR plan. These Online PR plans detail what it will take to achieve a successful online PR campaign, the steps that should be taken to develop that online PR campaign, procedures and protocols on how to maintain and maximize online PR efforts, offer insights into how you can directly profit from Internet publicity campaigns, and some means to help you measure the effectiveness of those public relations efforts on the Web.
About the Author
Peter Prestipino is the founder and principal of SCG - Swirling Circle Online PR Group providing Internet solutions to small and medium sized businesses through online PR efforts such as mini-website development, link building, press releases and product reviews. For more information, visit http://www.SwirlingCircle.com.