What comes after Black Friday and before Cyber Monday? It’s Small Business Saturday and we’re supporting it full-force because we love small biz!

So what is Small Business Saturday? It’s super simple–”a day dedicated to supporting small businesses on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year. On November 26, we’re asking millions of people to shop small at their favorite local stores and help fuel the economy. When we all shop small, it will be huge.” Read more…

Filed under: Small Business
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Trying to find the right equation for your online marketing?  The magic formula for everything from creating blogs and expanding your social networks to crafting compelling content and choosing the best press release distribution services is a constantly moving target that marketers need to stay on top of.

For a little inspiration, take a page from the Facebook model.  While the recent changes at Facebook drew the ire of some users, slowly people are settling into the new format.  Even though it may slightly rock the world of Facebook’s 800 million users, there’s no doubt the social giant will continue to make alterations along the way. Read more…

Filed under: Public Relations, Social Media
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We’re constantly talking about choosing the best keywords for your press release to get the most successful results–but how do you do it? Josh Bachynski joins us again for #PRWebchat this Thursday on how to choose the best converting keywords for your content, including where to place your keywords, how to conduct keyword research and a step-by-step on how to use Google Adwords CPC.

Josh Bachynski (BA, MA) is a professional SEO / Business / Web consultant with over 17 years experience in IT. Josh has worked in tough SEO verticals including content management systems, real estate, and recently various affiliate markets.

Join us for the conversation on Thursday, November 17th at 2pm EST by following the hashtag #prwebchat as well as @PRWeb on Twitter. We look forward to seeing you there!

Filed under: SEO
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Last month, in the spirit of Halloween, we did a contest where you had to write a press release about the zombie apocalypse in order to win a free premium PRWeb press release. The winner made great use of his free release by selling his product and giving part of the proceeds to benefit cancer. This month, the Thanksgiving holiday is upon us and I want to know:

What’s the #1 reason you’re thankful for PR?

Write a short blurb about it, take a picture of it, shoot a short video using your phone, or any other way you’d like to convey your answer to this question and post it in the comments section below. The best three will receive a free premium PRWeb press release (valued at $369), and the contest ends November 30, 2011. I can’t wait to see your answers!

(Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons – Hryck)

Filed under: Media Relations, Public Relations
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A pitch is a brief document written to accompany press releases, media advisories or press kits. Much like how a cover letter accompanies a resume, the purpose of a pitch is to pique a journalist, blogger or other publisher’s interest in a story. Along with press release optimization, they encourage the likelihood of your story being published. Pitches don’t need to be complicated or intricate, but they should tease people into wanting to learn more about what you have to say.

What should you include in a pitch? Follow these guidelines: Read more…

Filed under: Media Relations, Public Relations
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What is it about those sayings, songs and videos that we all talk about and can’t forget?  One takes hold of our attention and we spread it through society much as we spread the flu from person to person.  In other words, we’re sharing memes.

Memes (pronounced meems) are the pieces of popular culture, from music to videos to figures of speech, that latch on and spread like wildfire through different media.  They are the perfect example of viral message spread – fast moving and unforgettable.

If you are considering adding a viral element to your small business marketing mix, you should take a look at 10 of the most popular memes and what you can learn from them: Read more…

Filed under: Marketing, Multimedia
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Press releases are an obvious choice as part of a solid small business marketing plan.  They are quick and easy ways to get your word out.  The problem is hundreds of press releases are sent every day.  It’s a constant fight for readers’ attention and only the most creative marketers succeed.

Looking for ways to embellish your content?  Video is one of the best ways to separate your press releases from the crowd. Not only does video help tell your story in a different way, it appeals to the appetite of the 50 percent of online users who on average watch seven hours of video per week, according to a YuMe study.

Check out these four ways that video can boost your press releases: Read more…

Filed under: Marketing, Multimedia, Small Business
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We took a quick trip to PRWeb.com’s analytics to see which press releases received the most reads last month. All of these releases received thousands of page views, so keep reading to see why they were so popular (and implement these tactics in your own news releases!).

7. Just in Time for New York Comic Con, Lucasfilm™ Announces the Discovery of BOOK OF SITH: Secrets from the Dark Side

Even if you’re not a Star Wars fan, you know that the franchise for the movies is wildly popular and spans almost 30 years. New merchandise created to please old lovers seems to be the bait in this press release.

Read more…

Filed under: Content, Success Stories
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Of all the ways the Internet has changed our world, one of the most significant effects is how it has leveled the business playing field.  In the past, small businesses had little chance of keeping up with corporate giants in terms of marketing clout, but today the ability to reach and influence audiences is much more balanced.

It’s not just the fact that marketers have expanded reach through the net. It’s also the power of a well-written press release to spark interest, motivate buyers and establish brand strength.

For small business marketers interested in making a bigger splash, check out these three ways to pump up your online press releases and see Fortune 100 results no matter what your size: Read more…

Filed under: Public Relations, Small Business
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We’re chatting about B2B marketing basics for your biz with Ken Rosen, managing partner at Performance Works on #PRWebchat tomorrow! We’ll be covering topics like finding your target market, how to make your product dazzle, figuring out what your customers value, and how this all relates to PR.

Ken has 20 years’ experience in sales, marketing and strategy development including executive roles in both start-ups and industry-leading companies. Ken began independent consulting in 2001 delivering corporate strategy, marketing strategy and executive coaching services, primarily to technology-industry clients. He earned a Master of Business Administration from Stanford and did his undergraduate work at Harvard University.

Join in on the conversation by following hashtag #prwebchat as well as @PRWeb on Twitter at 2pm EST on Thursday, November 3rd. We can’t wait to see you there!

Filed under: Marketing, Public Relations
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