Tag Archives: how to

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HOW TO add categories to Google+ Communities

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Create a more useful experience for members of your Google+ Communities by using categories.

Categories are a great differentiator from Facebook Groups. Adding a category allows you to segment and organize the conversations happening on your community. For example, in the Public Relations Community, we’ve added categories like, “job postings,” “connections” (i.e. I’m looking for a source at this news outlet) and “help” because we know these are topics most likely to be discussed. Members of the group can also message the moderators to request additional categories.

If you’re a moderator of a Community, here’s how to add or edit categories:

Click “Edit Community.”

Select “Add category.”

You can also drag and drop to reorder them by priority or personal preference.

How are you using categories?

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HOW TO: Use Facebook ads to pitch media

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Did you know that when you target a Facebook ad you can choose to target by workplace? If your favorite journalists or bloggers list their employer you can reach them with an ad.

Thanks to this great tip from FAVES reader Lisa Buyer (@lisabuyer), owner of The Buyer Group, you now have another way to get your message in front of the right people. Using Facebook Ads, decide whether you’d like to pitch them, share a story or tell them you’re a fan.

Here’s how you can create your own targeted outreach to journalists and bloggers who use Facebook and list their employer:

A caveat: If you abuse this (e.g. sending pitches they don’t like every day), it WILL NOT WORK. 

Go to Facebook Advertise. It can be found by clicking the down arrow next to “home” or via this link. Click on “Create an ad” and follow the setup instructions. The less you can think about your ad as an “ad” and more as an introduction, the better. Your goal is to get a journalist’s attention and share your product or company’s newsworthiness. Perhaps your goal is even more broad; just to get on their radar. I don’t recommend mass pitching all media contacts with the same story, the ad space is like a quick introduction with an opportunity for future follow up.

TIP: The link you include in the ad is pretty important. Think about where you’re taking them if they click on the link. If you’re sharing a pitch, why not send them to your social media press release via Pitchengine? (Disclosure: I am on Pitchengine’s Advisory Board.)

Personalize the headline for your target media and include key words like, “Dear Fashion Editors,” or something that may make a journalist take notice.  Use your space for an image to highlight a key storytelling visual that compliments your pitch. While a logo is nice, if you can add a more compelling photo, do it. For example, if you’re telling an outlet you’re a big fan, take a picture of your/your team and the employer’s logo.

Next, select the media outlet employees you’d like to target. If you work in the fashion industry, you may want to include outlets like, Vogue or Vanity Fair. You can also do a separate ad for fashion bloggers or fashion influencers. When complete, your target ad may look something like this:

  • People who live in the United States
  • People age 20 and older
  • People who work at Vogue or Vanity Fair

You can also take the no pitch at all approach. Just tell your favorite news outlet employees how much you “like” them. Check out what Lisa did for the Mashable crew:

Have you used this approach before with success? Share your stories in the comments.

Thank you for reading!

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FAVE TIPS: 5 social tips for women to increase media exposure

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Did you know? Women start businesses at one-and-a-half times the national average, yet only five percent of startups are owned by women.

And, although women now comprise roughly half of American workers and earn nearly 60% of university degrees,1 only 24% of the people heard or read about in print, radio and television news are female.2 

(My FAVE tips are below the infographic.)

Women at Work Infographic Via MBA@UNC
Via MBA@UNC MBA Online & Women 2.0

Five Social Tips for Women to Increase Media Exposure

If you’re a women business owner, expert in your field or want to grow your online presence,  you need to become your own best publicist. No one ever became a successful business owner by sitting quietly and waiting for customers to come pouring in. Getting sourced in the media is a great way to garner awareness and build your credibility. Third party endorsements are powerful. So, how can you use social media to garner some earned publicity?

1. Locate and follow bloggers and journalists online
Most journalists and online bloggers include a Twitter handle with their online stories or other tools to follow them online. Take the time to follow, get to know them and then look for ways to insert yourself into the conversation and build a relationship. The key — instead of thinking about how they can help you, think about how you can help them. Follow them on the Internet, read and comment on their stories and posts using connecting, trending industry issues to draw them out in two-way conversation.

2. Leave a trail so others can find you 
In an era of digital technology, journalists increasingly rely on the Internet and search to locate sources and information. To be seen and heard, use basic SEO and hyperlinks to plot out each mile marker and make it easier for others to find you. Make sure that each tactic supports an overarching objective. For example, don’t create a Twitter account or Facebook page – think resourcefully and ask yourself how social media can lead you and others to a strategic online destination.

3. Produce interesting content
Create a centralized location for content, such as a website or blog, and position yourself as a leader in your industry by producing thought-worthy content. Don’t just blog, tweet or create status updates simply because you can — research the latest trends, stay up on the news and look for the unique angle that excites you and provides value. To drive viewership, learn basic search engine optimization to ensure the footprint you’re creating drives traffic to your site.

4. Be your best publicist
Utilize social media releases and pitch yourself with viable story ideas to guest post on blogs with higher visibility and traffic.

Develop a microblogging strategy that encompasses a combination of publishing and publicity. Look for existing industry groups on social networks to increase your reach by participating in industry chats on Twitter, niche networks and message boards.

5. Be a resource to reporters
Instead of pitching yourself to the media, let them come you with queries. Sign up for Help A Reporter Out (HARO) to receive daily email blasts with reporter queries from you local daily to the New York Times. Look for the stories that you can serve as an expert resource to or provide helpful information and respond.

Fact: Companies with more equalized gender distribution have 30 percent better IPOs. (link)

Fact: Women pursuing MBAs are at an all-time high. Women now make up one-third of all MBA candidates. (link)

Fact: 40 percent of large companies have no women on their boards and only 5 percent of startups are owned by women. (link)

(The “5 tips” were originally shared on PRsarahevans.com)

Fave HOW TO

FAVE HOW TO: #Facebook’s NEW interactive course to learn Facebook Pages

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A bit overwhelmed by all the recent Facebook changes? To help us become better acquainted with the new Pages, Facebook launched an in-depth interactive tutorial.

This new Facebook course is pretty helpful, even if you’re familiar with Pages. The content is divided in the following sections: 1) how to tell your story; 2) express your identity and 3) connect with your audience. Each section is broken down by specific functions within Pages and it gives you “hands on” opportunities as you move through the course.

 TIP: Weekly pinned post — Did you know a pinned post stays at the top of your Page for up to 7 days?

You can access the course right here. FYI: Make sure any pop-up blockers are disabled. When you click the button, the course will open in a new window. Know someone who might benefit from the tutorial? Be a pal and share this post with them. Work in social media? Can’t hurt to freshen up your skillz.

It’s currently only available in English. Additional versions are coming soon in French, Italian, German, Spanish, and Japanese.

(h/t @lavrusik)

Faves

FAVE HOW TO: Contact your legislators to say “NO” to PIPA/SOPA

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This legislation creates an internet open to censorship, insecure and wildly divergent from the internet we know and use every day, which drives global commerce, and which, in the end, powers America’s net job growth. – Make the Call , Stop the Wall

“In 2012, I will only support candidates who stand for Internet freedom and who oppose the PROTECT IP Act and SOPA. I will work against any candidate, of any party, who votes to censor and stifle the Internet.” -Vote for the Net

Two bills before Congress, known as the Protect IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House, would censor the Web and impose harmful regulations on American business. Millions of Internet users and entrepreneurs already oppose SOPA and PIPA. – Google

Dear Friend,

I want to make it as easy as possible for you to contact your legislators if you, like me, do not support PIPA/SOPA. If you’re not familiar with either, you can read this and this. If you already know your stuff, then you probably know voting begins January 24–so this message is both timely and urgent. I’m asking my friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and peers to take five minutes and make your voice be heard. Use any of the resources below to quickly make a big difference. When you’re done, you can share your support online with: Stop SOPA and PIPA (or make this your status update — just copy and paste – ███ ███████ ████ ██ ████ ███ ███ █████ ██ ██████. #BlackoutSOPA)

You can reach out to your legislators few ways:

I want to help but don’t know what to say

That’s cool. I get nervous too. Here are a few scripts you’re welcome to revise, edit or whatever and use:

  • I do not agree with the proposed PIPA/SOPA legislation. You can be sure that if it is passed, or you support it, that I will not vote to re-elect you to office. Too much is at stake – please vote NO on PIPA and SOPA.
  • The most effective way to shut down pirate websites is through targeted legislation that cuts off their funding. There’s no need to make American social networks, blogs and search engines censor the Internet or undermine the existing laws that have enabled the Web to thrive, creating millions of U.S. jobs. Too much is at stake – please vote NO on PIPA and SOPA. (h/t Google)
  • The censorship regulations written into these bills won’t shut down pirate sites. These sites will just change their addresses and continue their criminal activities, while law-abiding companies will suffer high penalties for breaches they can’t possibly control. Therefore, it makes no sense to pass PIPA and SOPA. Please vote NO on PIPA and SOPA. (h/t Google)
  • PIPA will put an undue burden on site managers, app developers and internet entrepreneurs. Please vote NO on PIPA and SOPA. (h/t Stop the Wall)

Thank you internet friends,

Sarah

P.S. I’m sending a link to this post to both of my Senators, so if you agree with me leave a comment or share this via the social buttons to show that we mean business.