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Archive for the 'Interviews with cool people' category

Online PR: what’s it all about? An interview with Jonny Stark of immediate future

19th
Nov
by Sarah Turner

For this month’s interview I’ve managed to pin down the ridiculously busy Jonny Stark, an Account Director from online PR agency immediate future, to talk about online PR, using Social Media and, of course, Twitter.
 

Turner Ink: Hey Jonny, thanks for stopping by. Ok, tell us a bit about online PR. How does it differ from traditional PR?

Jonny Stark: People get hung up about the differences between online PR and traditional PR. But at their core they’re very much the same: it’s all about relationships. In the old world those relationships are with journalists and analysts. In the new world those relationships are with Facebook users, Tweeps, and bloggers – those with influence.

TI: So how do online press releases differ from offline press releases?
JS: The important thing with any press release is that it tells an interesting story. And that goes across the board, whether it’s online or offline.

The main difference is the issue of search engine optimisation (SEO). A press release for online use will be optimised for keywords or keyphrases appropriate for the campaign. We want anybody searching online for our clients’ products or services to be able to find relevant, positive articles as easily as possible. And you can embed video and images too, which bring the story to life.

TI: So that’s what’s often referred to as SEO PR?
JS: It’s one part of SEO PR: any news releases, blog content, or articles will be optimised with keywords. The other is the proactive influencer relations that go along with it!

TI: So is the aim to drive more traffic to a client’s website?
JS: The aim is to have the first few pages of Google full of positive, relevant articles, reviews or comments about our clients’ products of services. These include not only the press releases and official articles, but also features and posts written by third party influencers because they are interested in what we have to share or say. That can result in increased traffic, but it’s really about building a brand’s reputation…

TI: And how measurable is online PR?
JS: Well, there’s a lot of talk about this. It is measurable of course. There are tools like Google Analytics which measure the increased traffic to your site and the source of the traffic. But that’s only useful if increasing traffic was the aim of the campaign. If it’s about improving brand perception then it becomes a question of sentiment. There are various bits of software that claim to measure sentiment. But the best way is still to use real people! So we take a snapshot of a client’s online reputation at the beginning of a campaign and then we monitor it throughout. There is a ream of data available. The trick is knowing what data to choose and how to analyse it properly.

TI: How is Social Media used in online PR?
JS: Social Media is all about networks. Multiple communication channels which are all interlinked. And we simply use whatever’s the right medium for getting our message across to the right people. So it may mean focusing on blogs, YouTube videos, Twitter or Flickr. But the great thing is, as they are all networked, your campaigns spread out and kickstart conversations all over the place! Interaction is crucial. It’s what makes Social Media so powerful.

TI: Ok, talking of Twitter. How are your clients using it?
JS: BMI Baby, Sony and Total Jobs Group are just some of our clients that are using Twitter. And they’re using it in different ways which are right for their brands. For instance, BMI Baby uses it to let their customers know about the latest deals. While Sony uses it for targeting key media and technology influencers in Europe.

TI: So how involved are you with the tweets? Do you write them?
JS: No we don’t. We encourage our clients to write their own tweets. But we will advise them on relevant trending topics. And we monitor mentions and retweets using tools like TweetBeep.

TI: So why do you encourage clients to write their own tweets?
JS: Well, the whole point about Social Media is that it’s a way to be authentic and transparent with your customers. So whether that’s a Facebook page, Twitter, or blogging, it’s a way of adding a human element to the brand. For me, it’s about enabling a company to reveal itself and build a rapport with its customers. If a PR company writes tweets and blog posts then you lose that authenticity.

TI: How are brands getting onboard with Twitter?
JS: Some are using Twitter very well. Others are not as successful. There are numerous examples where a Twitter account has been set up but there have been no tweets for 6 months. This is actually brand damaging. You’re better off with nothing at all. I think a lot of companies underestimate the time that’s needed to manage their Social Media activity.

With Twitter no one size fits all. It’s really important a company has a clear idea of who they’re trying to reach – whether that’s industry people or customers – before they start using Social Media, and not the other way round. You can read more about brands using Twitter in immediate future’s white paper.

TI: What sort of clients does immediate future work with?
JS: When we started out, we were a traditional B2B PR agency. But in the last few years we’ve become well known for our online PR work for big brands such as Sony Europe, Bailey’s, BMI Baby, Hotel Chocolat and the BBC.

TI: So do you work alongside traditional PR companies? Or instead of?
JS: Some of our clients only run online PR campaigns. But most will do both. So we’ll often work alongside a traditional PR agency or we’ll do the offline PR as well.

TI: How will online PR develop in the next few years?
JS: I think that the digital discipline as a whole will change. Digital teams from CRM, marcomms and PR are beginning to converge already; in my opinion the future will see a full merger.

TI: And how do you see Social Media changing or developing in the next few years?
JS: Well, with regards to Social Media, it’s all about upcoming technological advances – semantic web; faster access including anytime, anywhere access; increased web personalisation etc. and the impact that they will have on our behaviour.

TI: And finally, how did you get into online PR Jonny? Do you come from a traditional PR background?
JS: Well I started out at the London School of Journalism, before getting in to freelance publishing and working for a number of traditional PR agencies. But with online PR the core skills are the same – being able to spot a story, building relationships… I think the best online PRs come from a traditional PR background, although I would say that!

TI: Thanks Jonny for your time. 

 

Jonny Starck, immediate futureJonny Stark, Account Director at immediate future, has worked across a number of on (and off) line campaigns for a wide variety of immediate future’s clients. From conversations about Hotel Chocolat’s luxurious chocolate treats, to talking about the new must-have TV from Sony, he has gained valuable experience as a digital implementer, not just a digital theorist.

As a result, he has seen firsthand what works and, perhaps more importantly, what doesn’t.

 

 

 


Tags: facebook, press releases, public relations, seo writing, twitter, youtube
Posted in Interviews with cool people, Press Release writing and PR, Social media | comments icon No comments yet »

Putting the ‘oh’ into SEO: An interview with Rob Dobson of SEM London

9th
Oct
by Sarah Turner

This month’s interview is with colleague and SEO consultant Rob Dobson of SEM London. Over a pot of hummus and some carrot sticks (true!) we chatted about a number of things including, why blogging is so great for SEO, the future of SEO, and why Rob still hasn’t got any content on his website!

Turner Ink: Ok Rob. Tell us a bit about what you do. You do more than keyword research don’t you?
SEM London: Well what I do is market a company on the internet. I increase a company’s internet presence. So that includes detailed keyword research, website optimisation and inbound linking. And then of course there’s PPC campaigns, integrating blogs into websites, and helping clients set up their Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn pages. So yes. It’s a bit more than keyword research.

TI: How has your work changed from a couple of years ago?
SEM: Well, I guess the use of social media has been the biggest change. Potential customers now expect companies to engage with them on different levels whether that’s blogging, Facebook, Twitter or other social media opportunities.

TI: What’s involved in the SEO process? Where do we start?
SEM: Of course keyword research starts the whole process off and is the most important thing to get right. Keyword research not only tells you what key phrases to target in your content but it can even dictate what web address you choose for your site.

TI: I wrote a post a while back about dodgy SEO ‘experts’. How do you differentiate yourself?
SEM: Well, when I’ve been approached by clients that have worked with other SEOs, the thing they have in common is the lack of proper keyword research. Without detailed keyword research it’s just a bunch of guesswork.

And I don’t bamboozle clients with loads and loads of reports that they won’t read. I’d much rather show clients how to use Google Analytics and analyse other metrics, so they can get a real feel for their visitors, customers and potential customers.

To be honest, I just don’t know how some of these SEO ‘experts’ justify £500 a month and then just chuck a fat monthly report at their clients. So many clients come to me having spent a few thousand pounds – and they’re not really sure what on! If a monthly fee is how you wish to charge then it should be clear exactly what you’re getting for that fee each month.

TI: There still seems to be a lot of smoke and mirrors around SEO. Why is that?
SEM: Well there shouldn’t be. It’s true that search engines like Google keep the algorithms – the criteria they use to rank your site – a secret, and, of course, they often change this.

But SEOs should be transparent. You should say what you’re going to do, how you’re going to do it and the sort of results you’d expect to see.

TI: Is blogging important for SEO?
SEM: Definitely. If a search engine doesn’t see your site evolving with fresh content or increased backlinks then, rightly so, it decides your site should be given less weight over time. That’s why SEO and website content is an ongoing thing. A blog is a brilliant way to get new content quickly and easily on to your site. A website should never be ‘finished’!

TI: Do you make any promises about getting a client on to page 1 of Google?
SEM: No never. Because you can’t promise something that isn’t entirely under your control. Organic search results cannot be bought. But with proven techniques your chances are greatly enhanced. So when a company starts an SEO campaign they should realise that it needs its own annual spend and it’s an ongoing process. For large organisations this may even require a new role to be created. Website, Search and Social Media Liaison Manager would be a good title!

TI: Tell us a bit more about link campaigns. Why are incoming links so important for the Search Engines?
SEM: An inbound link is a vote of confidence. A vote from Site A to Site B is saying that Site B is worth checking out. But the quality of links is essential. A hundred links from non related or irrelevant sites is less valuable than five from well renowned and trusted sites.

So a link campaign consists of researching linking opportunities. On a basic level this can be links on free business directories or something like Best of the Web Blogs as well as paid-for directories. On a higher level there are things like article marketing.

TI: What’s around the corner for SEO?
SEM: SEO is still very much in its infancy. So I expect demand to increase and the job of SEO to become harder. Much of the real change will depend on the direction the search engines take. Improvements in localised search and possible changes within paid search will provide new opportunities.

TI: What does an SEO project cost?
SEM: Basic keyword research and website optimisation can start in the region of £1.5k.This will get you started on the road of an SEO strategy. Unfortunately marketing yourself online is an ongoing process and an annual budget should be allocated to it. A beneficial initial strategy may cost up to £5k.

TI: So tell us a bit about your background Rob. What did you do before you became an SEO bod?
SEM: In 1995 I was running a small company’s computer network and maintaining their website. I taught myself HTML and how websites should be built. I even did a few myself although I was never much of designer! I got into SEO back in 2003 as I felt the content and the ‘findability’ of the site was more important than all the design bells and whistles that were going on at the time.

The internet taught me about the internet. And I am constantly learning about this evolving industry.

TI: So what’s happening with your website Rob? When are you actually going to get some content on there?
SEM: I know, I know! I first need to find myself a good SEO copywriter. Ha ha! Time constraints and my clients’ success have meant I’ve been unable to practise what I preach. I guess in a way I’m lucky that I haven’t had time to get my own site – SEM London – sorted. But I will do soon. I promise.

TI: And finally, how can people get hold of you Rob?
SEM: Well I have managed to complete a LinkedIn page!

Rob Dobson, SEM LondonRob Dobson is a freelance SEO Consultant. He works with clients directly or via design and development agencies. He has worked for South West Trains, PayPoint, MTV, SITA, and Sanderson as well as many SMEs.


Tags: facebook, linkedin, seo company, seo writing, Social media, twitter
Posted in Interviews with cool people, Social media, Website & SEO copywriting | comments icon No comments yet »

Making it all Add up: An interview with Alison Blake

21st
Aug
by Sarah Turner

This month’s interview is with Alison Blake, marketing expert, and head of Add Agency, a creative marketing agency based in south west London.

Turner Ink: A few weeks ago I wrote a post about why companies shouldn’t cut their marketing budgets during economic downturns. Are you finding that’s the case Alison? Are companies increasing their spend? Or are they cutting back?

Add Agency: Well spend on printed materials has definitely been cut right back. I wouldn’t want to be a printer right now! But clients are still spending on marketing and much of it is going on online. Clients are realising that they really need an effective web presence, and a cost-effective way to stay in contact with their customers, like email newsletters, or they could risk losing out to their competitors.

TI: So are you doing more online marketing these days with PPC, SEO and email marketing?

AA: Yes definitely. Having an online ‘brochure’ style site is OK if you only expect people you know to refer to it occasionally. If you want customers you don’t know to find you on their own – by searching – then you need to work much harder. That’s where SEO and PPC comes into their own. Lots can be achieved through just SEO but if immediate results are needed then PPC is essential.

TI: What other services does Add Agency offer?

AA: We offer campaign planning, creative design and implementation for all forms of marketing communications. We design corporate identities, create websites, do SEO and online advertising. As well as email and printed newsletters, brochures, direct mail, catalogues and annual reports.

If you have something you need to say, we can work out the most cost effective and creative way of getting your message delivered to the right people

TI: So do clients have a clear idea of what kind of marketing they want when they come to you? Or do they tell you what they want to achieve and you tell them how to do it?

AA: Well most clients come to us with an idea of what they want and we can advise the best way to achieve it, usually through using a mixture of activities, from website updates to email marketing and even printed literature.

TI: What type of clients do you work with Alison?

AA: We work with a wide range of business to business and consumer clients. Understanding the different challenges facing each client is what keeps our day interesting!

TI: What’s your ideal client though? Apart from one with a huge budget?

AA: I guess our ideal client is a company that has been in business for 5 to 10 years. They have experienced rapid growth through the boom times and now need to focus on strengthening their marketing to allow them to continue to grow over the next few years.

They might have marketing expertise in-house, which is good, but not necessarily the design skills to implement their ideas.

TI: Does Add Agency have any particular area of expertise?

AA: Planning and developing testing strategies for direct marketing is actually my forte, but this includes integrated campaigns across all communication channels, i.e. mail, email, press, web and online ads.

TI: What does Add Agency offer that other marketing agencies don’t?

AA: Well our USP is the synergy of our combined skills together with our commitment to long-term relations. For us it’s not about a quick fix. But understanding and developing life time value from our clients. When that level of trust occurs between client and agency then you can really start noticing the results.

TI: What’s been your most successful campaign to date?

AA: That’s a hard one to choose. There’s been a few. But I suppose my favourite would be winning a DMA Gold Award for an internal communications campaign for Royal Mail. On a relatively small budget we had to convince postal workers that Mailsort 3 mail was also important and should be sorted quickly.

It was about taking a technical issue and relating it to individuals on a personal level, so they could see the impact the activity had upon others. We used a mixture of creative workplace posters as well direct mail. And as a result of the campaign we improved service by about 28%.

My job is all about understanding client problems and identifying what needs to be achieved. I then have to bring out the best in the creative teams, so they can deliver imaginative and outstanding campaigns for our clients.

I also remember my worst campaign quite clearly. We launched a unit trust for Commercial Union on Black Monday 1987 when the worldwide stock markets crashed. We didn’t even recoup the £7m marketing costs!
I learnt that timing can have a far more major effect on results than any creative message!

TI: Have you always been a marketing ‘bod?’ What’s your background Alison?

AA: Yes, thoroughly marketing, I’m pleased to say. After graduating I went straight into classic FMCG training. I then completed a diploma in direct marketing which opened my eyes to the benefits of measureable marketing, testing and targeting your message to individual audiences.

I’ve worked both agency and client side, including time as European Marketing Manager for Philips and Marketing Manager at HarperCollins. And I’ve worked in top advertising agencies like Leo Burnett and BMP which was great fun. I long for some of the budgets and campaigns we used to control. Now it’s the same theory but just smaller budgets!

TI: So how did Add Agency come about? What prompted you to set up your own agency?

AA: I had been working at my previous agency for nearly 6 years but I recognised that the industry was changing and that budgets were moving from traditional print to digital marketing. We didn’t have the facilities to expand in-house so I decided it was a good time to leave, and set up my own agency in 2006.

TI: Thanks Alison. If someone wants to discuss a marketing campaign with you, what’s the best way to get in touch?

AA: They can call us on 020 8973 4320 or drop us an email at enquiries@addagency.co.uk. Or visit the Add Agency website for more information on some of our recent projects. Thanks Sarah.

Alison Blake of Add AgencyAlison Blake is founder and director of Add Agency based in London. Her experience covers both B2C and B2B accounts, working in top London advertising and direct marketing agencies, Leo Burnett, BMP and Grey (now Joshua), for clients such as Royal Mail, Orange, Cigna Insurance, Commercial Union and Pedigree Petfoods.

She has worked client side as European Marketing Manager for Philips Electronics and as Marketing Manager at HarperCollins publishers. And provided in-house training for the Institute of Direct Marketing, Lorien, The Royal Bank of Scotland, Royal Mail and Ford.

Alison is a Fellow of the Institute of Direct Marketing.


Tags: marketing strategy, ppc, print, seo
Posted in Interviews with cool people, Marketing | comments icon No comments yet »

Making headlines. An interview with PR Superstar Jill Kent

16th
Jul
by Sarah Turner

This month’s chat, over a mint tea and latte, is with Jill Kent of PR Superstar fame, who manages to hit the headlines for all the right reasons.

Turner Ink: Hey Jill. Thanks for dropping by. So how do you go about developing a PR strategy for your clients? What’s the first thing you do?

PR Superstar: Well a good PR Strategy is all about effectively communicating key messages, about a brand or a personality, to its target audiences. That’s it in a nutshell. So the first thing I do is sit down with a client and get a full briefing to find out all about them, their business, and their goals. PR isn’t about boosting business egos, it’s about boosting business growth.

TI: Now I know you’re super successful; I’m always seeing your clients in the media. But what’s been your most successful PR campaign to date?

PR: I’ve had many successful PR campaigns, from getting clients on to national and international TV, such as the BBC, Sky News and CNN right through to securing coverage in well-respected newspapers and magazines, such as The FT, The Times, The Telegraph, Esquire, GQ, Vogue and Marie Claire. There’s been a few.

TI: So, how did you come to work in PR? What’s your background?

PR: Well, I’m proud to say that I’m a journalist by trade, a fully qualified senior reporter. I moved into PR after nearly a decade as a journalist because I fancied a new challenge. But after scaling the dizzy heights of chief reporting for one of the UK’s biggest-selling newspapers, I had to start at the bottom of the PR ladder as a publicity assistant. It took me another few years to become a PR and communications director.  

TI: How has the PR industry changed in the last 5 years? And how will the PR industry develop in the next five years, do you think?

PR: PR has changed enormously and Social Media is now hugely influential. PR Week, my industry bible, is obsessed with Twitter in particular! The online world has opened up so many possibilities for PR agencies and their clients and it’s all very exciting. I think Social Media and its use as a PR tool will only continue to grow at phenomenal rates.

With the recession, many PR agencies have had to make cutbacks and redundancies. Some have even closed. The pressure is now on for agencies to deliver real value-for-money campaigns that have a real impact on their clients’ bottom-lines. And that can only be a good thing.

TI: Talking of Social Media, are you managing online PR campaigns as well? Are you getting involved with Twitter and Facebook?

PR: With my background as a print journalist, I am a traditional PR specialist working with newspapers, magazines, TV and radio. I do, however, work closely with online PR and marketing experts who handle the Social Media side of things for my clients. I stick to what I do best!

TI: But with the rise of Social Media, do you think the traditional news release is on its way out?

PR: No, I don’t think so, not yet. It’s still a popular way of telling a client’s story. Journalists are always asking for them when I call. The release must be newsworthy though!

TI: Do you use services like PR Newswire or Business Wire to send news releases?

PR: No, I have my own trusted network of media contacts at local, regional, national and international level. Good PR is all about targeting and I like to decide who gets what and keep some control over it. My PR is bespoke. This way I negotiate many regional and national exclusives for clients that other media then pick up on and run with.

TI: Do still need to have great relationships with newspaper editors to get good coverage? Does that involve boozy lunches?

PR: Ha, ha, no, not at all! To get good coverage, you need to have a ‘nose for news’ i.e. a strong sense about what makes a good story. It wouldn’t matter how many expensive dinners editors and journalists were treated to, if they’re not interested in the story that’s that.

TI: So tell me Jill, why should a company hire a PR professional?

PR: Nearly all of my clients have tried to do their own PR and failed. Good PR is an art. If you want big chunks of impressive coverage in your target media that are on-message and make people want to buy your product or service, it’s best to hire a PR pro.

TI: Have you ever had to handle a crisis for a client? What happened?

PR: Yes, many! I’ve PR’ed for large local authorities, government departments and one of the biggest police forces in the UK, so there’s always something going on – or should I say going wrong!

I’ve had to deal with the media fall-out of suspended teachers and council officials; terror suspects held at Guantanamo Bay; old folk dying in council care; and police officers accused of brutality and fraud. The list is endless! Crisis PR teaches you to try to seek out all possible scenarios about what can go wrong and then prepare for them as best you can. That’s not always possible. So if a crisis does happen, the PR machine should swing into action and be seen to act swiftly, whether it’s imparting crucial information to the public or issuing a full and frank apology.

TI: There seem to be so many releases sent out with grammar and punctuation errors. Does it matter that PRs get this wrong?

PR: Yes, absolutely! At the end of the day, we’re representing a business, brand or personality and we have to be the consummate professional. It’s not only our reputation on the line, it’s that of our client too. Besides, we’re lucky enough to be wordsmiths for a living and there’s no excuse for not getting it right.

TI: Well I totally agree with that. So tell us about your typical week. Is there a typical week?

PR: There isn’t such a thing. One day I can be working with Today’s Golfer, Sailing Today and Rugby World magazines. And the next I’m working with Vogue, Elle and Tatler. Or one minute I can be working with local press like the The Wimbledon Guardian or The Richmond and Twickenham Times. And the following day I’m talking to The Sun and The Independent.

My clients also vary enormously – they include an award-winning estate agent, a Harley Street celebrity therapist; a big e-commerce retailer; a British beauty guru; SMEs; and big corporates. I enjoy the variety of clients and variety of media.

TI: What are PR Superstar’s plans for the future?

PR: To keep delivering great PR for my clients. PR that makes a difference to their bottom-line, that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day. I want PR Superstar to be well-known for quality campaigns, hard work, dedication and honesty. I’d also like to be in a similar position to Max Clifford who apparently doesn’t pitch for any work!

TI: That would be nice! So what are the three most important things for a successful PR campaign?

PR: Right three things. I’d say innovation, creativity and dynamism.

TI: And finally Jill. How do people who want great PR get hold of you?

PR: They can call us on 020 8274 0807 or visit the PR Superstar website. Thanks Sarah. 

 
Jill Kent PR SuperstarPR Superstar founder, Jill Kent is a highly experienced senior journalist and PR professional with nearly twenty years’ experience in the media world.

Her journalist-led public relations consultancy is focussed on getting the benefits of a business across to target markets; boosting profiles and sales; and business growth.

South London entrepreneur Richard Reid said, “we were featured on national TV and radio, and splashed across the regional and national press soon after we started working with PR Superstar! They exceeded my expectations with first-class media coverage for my three businesses.”


Tags: pr, press releases, public relations
Posted in Interviews with cool people, Marketing, Press Release writing and PR | comments icon No comments yet »

All about Twitter: An interview with Rob Brown

9th
Jul
by Sarah Turner

A couple of weeks back I had a chat with Rob Brown about all things Social Media. During the interview I came over all excited when I started talking about Twitter which, for those of you that follow me, know I love, love, love. (Curiously, I was at a networking event the other week and was asked did I work for Twitter, such was my enthusiasm.)

Anyway, here’s what I had to say to Rob about Twitter, tweeting, and Tweetdeck.

Just click on the link below to listen. It’s only about ten minutes long.

Sarah Turner talks about Twitter (MP3)

rob-brown-personal-marketing-expertRob Brown is an inspirational conference speaker, a regular on TV and radio, and has written  over 70 publications on business relationships, reputations and marketing including ‘How to build your reputation’.


Tags: twitter
Posted in Interviews with cool people, Marketing, Social media | comments icon 1 Comment »

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