PRWeb Public Relations Blog

$10 Well Spent

Podcast Expo Fun

We were returning to our hotel from the Portable Media and Podcast Expo on Friday when I saw this fountain. I looked at Andrew and offered him $10 to run through it. He said yes.

Dry Andrew

Wet Andrew

Yes, I did give him the $10.

David

Running Searchles around Google?

Searchles (pronounced circles) is an interesting concept.  I think I have seen similar things in the past couple of months along these same lines from everyone but Google.  Where are you Google?  Maybe they have something in the works.  I must confess I haven’t checked out the Labs page in a while.  Feel free to enlighten me.  This is actually really nifty stuff.

I like Searchles primarily for its promise to deliver a social media generated content index.  It’s not perfect yet, but then again Google wasn’t perfect on day one either.  Remember back that far? 

Here is what I like.  I have embraced social networks as my preferred method of gathering information.  I even contribute in my own small ways from time to time.  Social networks form what I call my “human powered search engine”.

Here is a comprehensive list of features you will find at Searchles.com:

- Automatic integration of YouTube and Google Videos
- Personal Flash tag clouds you can install on your MySpace page
- Create groups on any topic to share URL’s with like minded people
- Discuss URL’s with friends
- Save URL’s to Searchles that are accessible from anywhere
- Tag URL’s for easy recall
- Searchles automatically downloads documents and indexes them for maximum searchiness
- Connect with your friends and URL’s will be automatically shared

By the way, if you haven’t seen Dumbfind it is by the same folks.  Check them out and let me know your thoughts. 

Did you see the new Netscape Beta yet?  It looks promising too.

-- David

WOMMA Ain't Your MOMMA's Marketing...

It's actually an acronym for Word of Mouth Marketing Association. I'm in a "WOM Statistics" breakout session as we speak, and the guy behind the mic is Howard Kaushansky of Umbria. He's sharing how Burger King is really making some noise in the media by extending their Subservient Chicken campaign to a motorcycle rider (sorry, no link. Oh, I'm wrong, here it is: Huckin Chicken). Add to that the Coq Roq gig they're doing on MySpace.com, and you have a number of elements playing together to help collect and generate buzz. Take a gander and please feel free to comment and let me know your thoughts on this.

So, what does this have to do with PR? Lots.

With the ability to create social dialogue with press releases, you have the heart of a viral program that you can jump-start right here. Why and how?

The Smartest Business Person I Know

I almost want to keep this one a secret, but you caught me on a generous day. So I will share this with you. Roy Williams is probably the sharpest mind in advertising and marketing, bar none. What makes someone brilliant? In my mind, it is his/her ability to assemble available information and put it to practical use. The best bakers (see how it comes back to food with me) in the world do not have an advantage because they have different ingredients. They have an advantage that comes with time, experience and the ability to combine those ingredients into something remarkable.

What's remarkable about Roy Williams is that he shares this knowledge with everyone. He teaches it at his Wizard Academy. His Monday Morning Memo is how I start my week. I recommend spending an afternoon reading through the archives. No time to read, download his podcast. I do both.

Now I did it. I just shared with you something that will change the way you approach marketing, public relations and advertising. Why did I share this with you. Because if Roy makes a recommendation I know that I better pay attention.

I attended a Wizards of Web conference in Austin last month where the topic of conversation for two days was Waiting for Your Cat to Bark?, the new book on Persuasion Architecture by the Eisenberg brothers. I have read it many times. Why, well initially because Roy recommended that I do so. Then I re-read it and made it mandetory reading at PRWeb. Don't do it because I said so. Do it because Roy recommends it.

See you at the top!

-- David

Where do I buy this? The importance of good landing page design.

Today I was reviewing press releases at PRWeb and found the following release Modera Assists Estonian Number One Popstar Become Global Internet Hit.  I followed the link the the web sites provided.  Where do I purchase her music?  It is actually pretty good stuff.  Easy to listen to while I am working.  Perhaps I just do not understand how the music stuff works; but then again, I shouldn't be required to understand the inner workings of the music industry to be able to purchase music.  Right?

Let's go another direction.  Perhaps I just could not find the right link when I clicked through.  Landing pages should not be Easter egg hunts for the media.  Poorly thought out landing pages are a firewall between you, the media and your consumers.  (Okay, I admit it.  I am a bit guilty here because it is easy to run short on time.  In fact I just made this error in my latest press release.)

I really like Hannah and hopefully someone can point me to a place I can purchase her music.  I cannot find it on iTunes.

Modera, you are doing a great job getting the word out about Hannah, now please tell me where I can make a purchase.

-- David

Interview with Lee Odden

Lee Odden interviewed me for his Online Marketing Blog. For those interested in some good background on PRWeb and future of press release industry as defined by PRWeb it is probably worth the read. Lee tried hard to get me to spill the beans on new initiatives we are working on here at PRWeb. I am not going to say too much, but it will be GREAT.

David

Congratulations Growthink Research

Growthink Research has been hard at work getting their system up and running, ready for deployment.  They have done tons of research paying careful attention not to create duplicate records / data within their database.

"Users can specifically tailor their searches by using a wide range of variables, including industry, sector, location, dollars raised, date of funding, and even by an executive’s gender. Users can also search the biographies of over 60,000 executives, directors and advisors. The database provides for micro-payments, allowing users to purchase a single lead, or complete 24/7 access for only $499 per user per month (during the initial launch period)."

I like what these folks have done so much that I have made an investment into their company.  You can get access to this quality and important data through their easy to use ecommerce front-end.  They even allow you to preview the data before you make a purchase. 

Check it out folks.

David