Chapter 18

Public Relations and the Internet

Getting information off the Internet is like taking

a drink from a fire hydrant ~Mitch Kapor

Why The Increase In Use?

• The demand to be educated rather than sold

• The need for real time performance• The need for customization

More Reasons

• E-mail• Web Sites• Blogs• Online Media Relations• Online Monitoring• Product Promotion• Investor Relations• Webcasts

Tips For Successful E-mail

• No more than one page• Link content• Regular dissemination

Stickiness

• Stickiness is often measured by the amount of time visitors spend at a site, and how many pages they view

• Ex. If visitors spend 10 minutes on the site and look at 5 or more pages you have achieved stickiness

Before Creating a Website Answer These Questions

• What is our goal?• What content will we include?• How often will we edit?• How will we enhance design?• How interactive will it be?• How will we track use?• Who will be responsible?

Blogs & Dan Rather

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HuNyhdVPs8&feature=related

What Happened?

CBS did an expose on George W. Bush, using unverified allegations. The blogosphere circulated allegations against Dan Rather and he, along with CBS, caved. His reputation still has not been restored.

Types Of Blogs

Traditional- Blogger shares his/her online discoveries

Diary- Blogger shares his/her day/experience(s)

Uses For Internal Blogs

• Projects• Departments• Brainstorming• Customers

Wal-Mart Blog Scandal

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=49505

The Short Version

A blog appeared in which the bloggers claimed to be traveling across the nation and parking their RV for the night in Walmart parking lots. Turns out the bloggers were being paid to promote Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart apologized and the blog was shut down, but it ruined many people’s faith in Wal-Mart honesty.

How Journalists Prefer to Gather News

61%- Email51%- Telephone23%- Face to Face4%- Fax

The Basics of Online Media Relations

• Web site newsroom• News releases• Executive speeches• Annual/Quarterly reports• Annual meetings• FAQs• Interviews• Digital Press Kit

Cont.

• Photographs, profiles, ad copy, etc• News releases via newswires

– General Wires- ex. The Associated Press– Financial wires- ex. Dow Jones– Paid wires- ex. PR Newswire

• Online Publicity

Rogue Websites

http://www.mcspotlight.org/

http://untied.com/

What They Do

Seek to confront an organization and do damage to their reputation

How They Do It

• Presenting negative information• Satirizing policy & management• Soliciting employees (current & former)

to vent publicly• Serving as a gateway for complaints• Confusing the public

Tommy Hilfiger: Racist?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HdRLSCJWgo

Internet Vehicles To Know

• Intranets• Extranets• Wikis• Podcasting• RSS