E-Pr: The Essential Guide to Public Relations on the Internet

by Haig, Matt

• ISBN13: 9780749434342
• ISBN10: 0749434341
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-02-01
• Publisher: Kogan Page Ltd

Summary

Whether you're a business owner, marketing manger, PR professional, Web-site manager or a student of business/marketing/PR, this book shows you how to put the power of e-PR into practice. Find out how to create an exciting e-PR strategy and maximize your chances of e- business success - learn the new three Rs: Relations - interact with your different audiences to build relations; Reputation - your most important business asset, E-PR is the art of managing your online reputation for long-term success; and Relevance - make sure everything you put online is directly relevant to your intended audience.

Table of Contents

Introducing e-PR	1	(11)
About this book	2	(1)
What is e-PR?	3	(1)
The e-PR difference	3	(1)
E is for everything	4	(1)
More than Web sites	5	(1)
Have an e-PR perspective	5	(1)
Narrowcasting	6	(1)
E-PR versus advertising	6	(3)
Summary	9	(2)
E-PR preparation	11	(6)
Your e-PR objectives	11	(1)
Your e-PR strategy	12	(1)
Targeting audiences	13	(2)
Getting the right information	15	(1)
Summary	16	(1)
E-PR and research	17	(11)
The importance of Internet research	17	(1)
The ultimate research tool	18	(1)
Search engines as research tools	18	(1)
Narrowing a search using Alta Vista	19	(1)
Narrowing a search using Yahoo!	19	(1)
Searching the search engines	20	(2)
Competitor research	22	(1)
Researching discussion groups	22	(1)
Conduct research from your site	23	(1)
E-mail research	24	(1)
Use research findings to generate publicity	25	(2)
Summary	27	(1)
Web site basics	28	(12)
Identify your site objectives	28	(1)
Wrong reasons to have a site	28	(1)
The domain name game	29	(2)
Download times	31	(1)
Love at first site	31	(1)
Navigation	31	(2)
Writing on the Web	33	(1)
A site for sore eyes	34	(1)
Make your site' sticky'	35	(2)
Building trust on your site	37	(1)
Cyber suspense	38	(1)
Summary	39	(1)
Get interactive	40	(18)
`Itchy finger' syndrome	40	(1)
Add forms to your site	41	(2)
Add a guest book	43	(1)
Hold an online auction	44	(2)
Coupons	46	(1)
E-mailing lists	46	(1)
Have a `Q and A' page	47	(1)
Sell products and services online	47	(2)
Encourage your visitors to send you articles and features	49	(1)
Hold regular and imaginative competitions relevant to your business	50	(1)
Offer something for free download or access	50	(1)
Put a search engine on your site	51	(1)
Personalize your site	51	(1)
Provide links	51	(1)
Add multimedia	52	(1)
Provide translations	53	(1)
Create a community	53	(3)
Be creative	56	(1)
Summary	57	(1)
Make your site a resource	58	(10)
The information product	58	(2)
Avoiding information overload	60	(1)
Syndication	61	(1)
Audience agenda	62	(1)
Update your site	63	(1)
Third party endorsement	64	(2)
Become a third party	66	(1)
Summary	67	(1)
Search engines	68	(9)
The hardest audience	68	(1)
Before you register	68	(1)
The next step	69	(1)
Spiders and crawlers	70	(1)
META tags	70	(1)
The main META tags	70	(2)
Tag aid	72	(1)
How to register with search engines	72	(1)
Keywords and descriptions	73	(1)
Yahoo!	74	(2)
Evaluate your success	76	(1)
Summary	76	(1)
Action e-PR	77	(8)
Announcement services	77	(2)
Relevant links	79	(1)
Web rings	80	(1)
Bookmarks	81	(1)
Starting pages	81	(1)
History list	82	(1)
Mailing list updates	83	(1)
`Favorite' menus	83	(1)
Summary	84	(1)
E-mail essentials	85	(8)
Applications	85	(1)
The role of e-mail in e-PR	86	(1)
E-mail efficiency	87	(1)
Automatic response	87	(1)
As simple as a Bcc:	88	(1)
Emoticons	88	(1)
Subject lines	89	(1)
The body of your e-mail	89	(1)
Salutations and signature files	90	(1)
Layout	90	(1)
The golden rules of e-mail netiquette	91	(1)
E-mail checklist	91	(1)
Summary	92	(1)
Discussion groups	93	(9)
The difference between newsgroups and mailing list discussion groups	93	(1)
Finding the right groups for your business	94	(1)
Hang around	95	(1)
Create a `signature line'	95	(1)
Keep messages in context	96	(1)
When to post	97	(1)
Advisors	97	(1)
Volunteer to become a sysop (system operator)	98	(1)
Handling complaints	98	(1)
Writing messages	98	(1)
Answer questions	99	(1)
Contribute without answering questions	99	(1)
The dos and don'ts of newsgroup `netiquette'	99	(1)
Create your own mailing list	100	(1)
Summary	101	(1)
Online newsletters	102	(11)
Online v offline newsletters	102	(1)
Clarify your objectives	102	(1)
Content	103	(1)
Make your newsletter objective	104	(1)
Size is not important	105	(1)
Frequency	106	(1)
Format	106	(1)
Distribution	107	(1)
Do it yourself	107	(2)
Getting people to sign up	109	(1)
Promoting your online newsletter	109	(1)
Posting your online newsletter	110	(1)
Using a service to post your newsletter	110	(1)
Newsletter or e-zine	111	(1)
Virtual-Festivals	111	(2)
Summary	113

Excerpts

1. Introducing e-PR About this book What is e-PR? The e-PR difference E is for everything More than Web sites Have an e-PR perspective Narrowcasting E-PR versus advertising Summary 2. E-PR preparation Your e-PR objectives Your e-PR strategy Targeting audiences Getting the right information Summary 3. E-PR and research The importance of Internet research The ultimate research tool Search engines as research tools Narrowing a search using AltaVista Narrowing a search using Yahoo! Searching the search engines Competitor research Researching discussion groups Conduct research from your site E-mail research Use research findings to generate publicity Summary 4. Web site basics Identify your site objectives Wrong reasons to have a site The domain name game Download times Love at first site Navigation Writing on the Web A site for sore eyes Make your site 'sticky' Building trust on your site Cyber suspense Summary 5. Get interactive 'Itchy finger' syndrome Add forms to your site Add a guest book Hold an online auction Coupons E-mailing lists Have a 'Q and A' page Sell products and services online Encourage your visitors to send you articles and features Hold regular and imaginative competitions relevant to your business Offer something for free download or access Put a search engine on your site Personalize your site Provide links Add multimedia Provide translations Create a community Be creative Summary 6. Make your site a resource The information product Avoiding information overload Syndication Audience agenda Update your site Third-party endorsement Become a third party Summary 7. Search engines The hardest audience Before you register The next step Spiders and crawlers META tags The main META tags Tag aid How to register with search engines Keywords and descriptions Yahoo! Evaluate your success Summary 8. Action e-PR Announcement services Relevant links Web rings Bookmarks Starting pages History list Mailing list updates 'Favourite' menus Summary 9. E-mail essentials Applications The role of e-mail in e-PR E-mail efficiency Automatic response As simple as a Bcc. Emoticons Subject lines The body of your e-mail Salutations and signature files Layout The golden rules of e-mail netiquette E-mail checklist Summary 9. Discussion groups The difference between newsgroups and mailing list discussion groups Finding the right groups for your business Hang around Create a 'signature' line Keep messages in context When to post Advisors Volunteer to become a sysop (system operator) Handling complaints Writing messages Answer questions Contribute without answering questions The dos and don'ts of newsgroup 'netiquette' Create your own mailing list Summary 10. Online newsletters Online v offline newsletters Clarify your objectives Content Make your newsletter objective Size is not important Frequency Format Distribution Do it yourself Getting people to sign up Promoting your online newsletter Posting your online newsletter Using a service to post your newsletter Newsletter or e-zine Virtual-Festivals Summary 11. Internal e-PR Web sites and internal relations Internet online newsletters Internal e-mail Compiling an internal e-mailing list Intranets Security issues Summary 12. E-media relations Third-party e-media The right media for the right audience Researching the media Finding the contacts Avoiding 'snooze news' Grabbing attention Putting together an e-media release Distributing releases Contribute articles Become a media source Summary 13. Crisis e-PR Newsgroup controversy and how to deal with it Deja News Media Relations Develop a media mailing list Use Bcc. Hold an online press conference Set up an online media centre Distribute press releases online Provide media training Anti-sites and how to handle them Summary 14. E-PR in the 'real world' A hot media topic Finding the right angle Relating to the real world Sending e-media releases to the offline media Supplementing e-PR with offline methods Beyond the media