A Day in the (Online) Life of a Humble Press Release

A Day in the (Online) Life of a Humble Press Release

Lori Packer

University of Rochester

HighEdWeb 2008

Lori Packer

University of Rochester

HighEdWeb 2008

About the U of RAbout the U of R

Research university

4,800 undergraduates

Research university

4,800 undergraduates

Six schools, Med Center

VERY decentralized

Six schools, Med Center

VERY decentralized

About Public Relations at U of RAbout Public Relations at U of R

• Each school has its own PR office

• “University Communications” covers the College and central administration

• There are 29 of us:• Publications

• Periodicals

• Media Relations – including six publicists

• Each school has its own PR office

• “University Communications” covers the College and central administration

• There are 29 of us:• Publications

• Periodicals

• Media Relations – including six publicists

About MeAbout Me

“What is a Web Editor anyway?”

“Can you put this on the Web?”

“She does our Web stuff.”

“Can you talk to IT about this? You speak the same language.”

“What is a Web Editor anyway?”

“Can you put this on the Web?”

“She does our Web stuff.”

“Can you talk to IT about this? You speak the same language.”

Press Releases: In the BeginningPress Releases: In the Beginning

Letterhead, printers, envelopes, labels, stamps, fax machines

Letterhead, printers, envelopes, labels, stamps, fax machines

Press Releases as SourcePress Releases as Source

• Serve as “fodder” for journalists

• Tell our stories to reporters, who then tell a story to their audience (or not)

• Can influence but not control the outcome

• Have a limited shelf life

• Serve as “fodder” for journalists

• Tell our stories to reporters, who then tell a story to their audience (or not)

• Can influence but not control the outcome

• Have a limited shelf life

Press Releases as DestinationPress Releases as Destination

• Still server as source material for journalists, BUT...

• Online, the press release becomes the story

• “Cut out the middle man”

• Have an unlimited shelf life

• Still server as source material for journalists, BUT...

• Online, the press release becomes the story

• “Cut out the middle man”

• Have an unlimited shelf life

Case Study #1: The Media Still Matter Case Study #1: The Media Still Matter

Light’s Most Exotic Trick Yet: So Fast it Goes ... Backwards?

• Published May 2006

• Light passing through a fiber laced with a chemical element went so fast that it exited the fiber before it entered

Light’s Most Exotic Trick Yet: So Fast it Goes ... Backwards?

• Published May 2006

• Light passing through a fiber laced with a chemical element went so fast that it exited the fiber before it entered

Backwards Light: A Complete PackageBackwards Light: A Complete Package

Animations…

High-res photos…

Infographic…

• Hit in the New York Times

• SUCCESS!!

• Hit in the New York Times

• SUCCESS!!

Backwards Light: ResultsBackwards Light: Results

Backwards Light: But Wait, There’s MoreBackwards Light: But Wait, There’s More

• New York Times story appears online

• Story includes link back to press release

• BECAUSE of the animation

• New York Times story appears online

• Story includes link back to press release

• BECAUSE of the animation

Backwards Light: A Life Online Backwards Light: A Life Online

• After the New York Times hit, the press release on our site received over 101,000 hits in one month.

• Only about 12,000 (which is still huge) of those hits came directly from the New York Times

• After the New York Times hit, the press release on our site received over 101,000 hits in one month.

• Only about 12,000 (which is still huge) of those hits came directly from the New York Times

Backwards Light: A Life OnlineBackwards Light: A Life Online

• Since its publication in May 2006, the release has received over 180,000 hits, mostly generated by sites like Stumbleupon.

• Is still regularly in the top 10 in terms of traffic to press releases on our site each month.

• Since its publication in May 2006, the release has received over 180,000 hits, mostly generated by sites like Stumbleupon.

• Is still regularly in the top 10 in terms of traffic to press releases on our site each month.

Backwards Light: LessonsBackwards Light: Lessons

• Give them a package, something they can’t get from anyone else

• “The gift that keeps on giving”

• The mainstream media still serve an agenda setting function; still drive content on blogs, social networking sites

• Give them a package, something they can’t get from anyone else

• “The gift that keeps on giving”

• The mainstream media still serve an agenda setting function; still drive content on blogs, social networking sites

Case Study #2: Social MediaCase Study #2: Social Media

Rochester Physicist’s Quantum “Uncollapse” Hypothesis Verified

Published August 2008

Theory that you could unmeasure a quantum particle and revert it to its original form

Rochester Physicist’s Quantum “Uncollapse” Hypothesis Verified

Published August 2008

Theory that you could unmeasure a quantum particle and revert it to its original form

Quantum Mechanics: ResultsQuantum Mechanics: Results

• No video, no animation, no graphic elements

• No big media hits this time

• BUT ... release receives over 72,000 hits in its first month

• No video, no animation, no graphic elements

• No big media hits this time

• BUT ... release receives over 72,000 hits in its first month

Quantum Mechanics: Following the TrafficQuantum Mechanics: Following the Traffic

• Published on August 4th

• August 5th: 11 hits from internal sources

• August 6th: 1,700 hits from Reddit

• August 7th: 11,000 hits from Digg (Reddit falls to 700) and a couple blogs

• August 8th: 10,000 hits from Stumbleupon (Digg falls to 300)

• Published on August 4th

• August 5th: 11 hits from internal sources

• August 6th: 1,700 hits from Reddit

• August 7th: 11,000 hits from Digg (Reddit falls to 700) and a couple blogs

• August 8th: 10,000 hits from Stumbleupon (Digg falls to 300)

Some New Tools of the TradeSome New Tools of the Trade

Google Analytics

• Track each news release separately

• Look at a day, a week, a month

• Generate “pretty” reports

Google Analytics

• Track each news release separately

• Look at a day, a week, a month

• Generate “pretty” reports

Some New Sources of TrafficSome New Sources of Traffic

• Stumbleupon• Toolbar lets you discover and rank Web stuff

you may not find yourself

• Digg• User community promotes/demotes Web stuff

• Reddit• Much the same as Digg ...

• Stumbleupon• Toolbar lets you discover and rank Web stuff

you may not find yourself

• Digg• User community promotes/demotes Web stuff

• Reddit• Much the same as Digg ...

“What did we learn on the show tonight, Lori?”“What did we learn on the show tonight, Lori?”

• It’s all about telling stories

• The media still matter

• News releases are not just source material

• News releases online are the story

• It’s all about telling stories

• The media still matter

• News releases are not just source material

• News releases online are the story