Keeping it Personal in a time of online everything
So last post, I talked about my adventures with online dating and how it was similar to search engine optimization of a press release. I told you that I worked on my profile to add in some good keywords, just like you do with optimizing your press release. So I know... you all want to know what happened. In a word -- nothing.
Now, you could say that this is where the similarities end, that the factors in online dating is so much more than just what you say. And, that the media picking up your release or getting lots of clicks is surely less commitment than even a wink or an email from a stranger.
But not so! I think the valuable lesson learned and can be applied to the PR world is this -- we can not exist fully online. We have to communicate to get what we want. Don't rely solely on putting your press releases online or emailing them out to get pick up. You have to communicate with journalists, bloggers, and even citizen journalists.
I mentioned to a friend the other day that she could easily find people in the right demographics through Meetup.com. If you're familiar with this site, you know that people join groups by their interests and hold occasional "meetups". They're very localized. She went online, found the perfect groups (based on interest)and began emailing each member. She was surprised when she got very little response. Lesson here: You can't dominate the conversation in social media -- you can only participate in social media. What she should have done was join the groups, participate in their board discussions, maybe post a few questions, get involved in their conversations. THEN, she would have been received as a member of the group, and not someone who joined simply to target the members with an offer.
Point from this blog: You have to keep it personal, participate and communicate. Continue to pitch to journalists, participate with online social media, and be personal. As for the online dating, eh, it's not social media...it's a billboard. But, we learned from that experience, huh?
Now, you could say that this is where the similarities end, that the factors in online dating is so much more than just what you say. And, that the media picking up your release or getting lots of clicks is surely less commitment than even a wink or an email from a stranger.
But not so! I think the valuable lesson learned and can be applied to the PR world is this -- we can not exist fully online. We have to communicate to get what we want. Don't rely solely on putting your press releases online or emailing them out to get pick up. You have to communicate with journalists, bloggers, and even citizen journalists.
I mentioned to a friend the other day that she could easily find people in the right demographics through Meetup.com. If you're familiar with this site, you know that people join groups by their interests and hold occasional "meetups". They're very localized. She went online, found the perfect groups (based on interest)and began emailing each member. She was surprised when she got very little response. Lesson here: You can't dominate the conversation in social media -- you can only participate in social media. What she should have done was join the groups, participate in their board discussions, maybe post a few questions, get involved in their conversations. THEN, she would have been received as a member of the group, and not someone who joined simply to target the members with an offer.
Point from this blog: You have to keep it personal, participate and communicate. Continue to pitch to journalists, participate with online social media, and be personal. As for the online dating, eh, it's not social media...it's a billboard. But, we learned from that experience, huh?
posted by Jan at
2:22 PM
