Murphy's Law

A quote from John Tudor:

A rumor without a leg to stand on will get around some other way.

Strategic Marketing Montreal have an article on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and why it must be tightly integrated with a whole suite of other online promotion activites to succeed.

Recently a new firm eponymously named SEO-PR has been launched to tackle this very issue.

While I completely agree that SEO is part of an integrated campaign, let’s take it on its own for a moment.

Are you familiar with SEO?  Is it something you offer your clients or employer?

As the online environment becomes more important in the communications mix, it’s vital that you understand the role of these new techniques. Whether you outsource to firms such as SEO-PR or develop the expertise in your team, SEO is yet another element in the toolbox.  Research it and practice it.

In my personal opinion, I think it’s important that before you outsource it, that you get a good understanding of how it works.  Only that way will you understand it’s potential.

RELATED LINKS: SEO Introduction | SEO Tips | Guide to SEO

The LexisNexis newsletter, The Scoop, has a beginner’s guide to technology jargon for PR people in their latest issue. Although not very comprehensive, it’s a start. 

However, if you come across a new technology term Whatis.com is probably the best port of call.

eBay has something for everyone.  You don’t believe me? Well what about the ultimate home for a Star Trek fanatic.

On eBay right now, for the princely sum of $2,000,000 you can purchase a one bedroom appartment that has been modeled on the interior of the Starship Enterprise. If you don’t believe me check it out.  Thanks to Karlin for the link. 

Business 2.0 talks with Al Ries, Harry Beckwith and Simon Anholt about how well the Pentagon’s PR campaign in going.

The Los Angeles Times has announced that it has fired photographer Brian Walski for using Adobe Photoshop to merge two different  photographs into one better shot which was subsequently run on the front page  of the newspaper.

The Times states that it  “forbids altering the content of news photographs”,  you  can see the original photos and the  finished shot here.

Ad Age reports that a French advertising campaign advocating the protection of press freedom may be syndicated around the globe.

The campaign, which has sparked controversy, features well known French journalists posing as murder victims, with the slogan:

“Start fighting for press freedom before you lose it.”

The campaign was created by Saatchi & Saatchi Paris.

Hurrah, great news at Salon where they have announced additional funding from existing investors. Salon now has 60,000 premium subscribers with a renewal rate at a very respectable 70%

I came across this press release on the web today.  It’s from TransMedia Group [FLASH warning] and it tells how the “first casualty of the war on Iraq was not a coalition soldier, sailor or pilot. It was one of TransMedia Group’s clients.”

It goes on to explain how they had to cancel a press conference because the war started.

Eh?  Thoughts?  The company is our newest addition to the hall of shame.

I have just been catching up on some PR-related articles you might be interested in.  Jane Genova examines how Public Relations is changing in the latest edition of MediaMap’s ExpertPR.  In the same issue, Cynthia Nelson looks at what to do when a media interview goes wrong.

The New York Times has an article on how PR practitioners are adapting with the war:
Reed Bolton Byrum, president and chief executive at the Public Relations Society of America is quoted in the article: “There’s a lot more to public relations than media relations. This is the full spectrum from investor relations to employee communications to strategic planning and platforming of an organization.”