Pressat and PA Media Extend 14-Year Partnership to Strengthen News Distribution

Pressat and PA Media have extended their 14-year partnership, giving businesses enhanced access to trusted UK media distribution channels and greater press release reach.

Businesses looking to maximise the impact of their media coverage have received some positive news, as Manchester-based press release distribution platform Pressat has announced the extension of its long-standing partnership with PA Media Group.

The renewed agreement builds on a successful relationship that has spanned 14 years and will continue to give Pressat customers enhanced access to one of the most trusted and influential news distribution networks in the UK and Ireland.

For organisations seeking to raise their profile, secure media coverage, or share important announcements, the partnership provides expanded distribution opportunities through the PA Media Newswire and Press Release Hub. 

This allows businesses, charities, public sector organisations and brands to place their stories in front of journalists, editors and media outlets across the country.

Founded in Manchester in 2010, Pressat has grown into one of the UK's leading press release distribution services. The platform supports organisations of all sizes, offering a cost-effective way to share news with the media while providing international reach across more than 170 countries and support for over 40 languages.

The continued collaboration with PA Media represents a significant advantage for Pressat customers. PA Media, formerly known as the Press Association, has been delivering trusted news and information since 1868 and remains a vital source of content for national, regional and local media outlets.

When she spoke with That's Business, Alison Lancaster, CEO of Pressat Newswire, highlighted the importance of the relationship, describing the original partnership as a major milestone for the company. She noted that the collaboration has enabled customers both in the UK and internationally to distribute their news effectively to key media outlets through one of the country's most respected news organisations.

PA Media is equally enthusiastic about the future of the partnership. Alan Marshall, Managing Director of PR and Marketing Services at PA Media, told us the organisation is delighted to continue working with Pressat and to provide clients with the combined benefits of newswire distribution and online content hubs for both written and visual content.

The announcement reflects the continuing importance of quality news distribution in an increasingly crowded media landscape. While creating a compelling story remains essential, ensuring that story reaches the right journalists and publications is just as important.

For businesses investing in public relations and brand visibility, the renewed Pressat and PA Media partnership offers another valuable route to reaching audiences, generating coverage and building credibility through trusted media channels.

http://www.pamediagroup.com

https://pressat.co.uk

PR Guild celebrates new media & communications affiliation with the Royal Navy

The Guild of Public Relations Practitioners is pleased to announce their new affiliation with the Royal Navy’s media & communications division.

Guests will join the launch party to be held on board HMS St Albans today, 21st March. HMS St Albans is the one of the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigates, often referred to as the backbone of the Fleet because of the wide array of security operations they can conduct. It is currently docked on the Thames near Tower Bridge, alongside HMS Belfast.

The launch event will include a tour of the ship and demonstrations of how the crew operate their ship. A ceremonial cake-cutting will mark the start of the affiliation, with speeches by Commodore Sutton, Head of RN media & comms, and Brian Moore, Master of the Guild of Public Relations Practitioners. The occasion will finish with a ‘Ceremonial Sunset’ – one of the oldest and most poignant Royal Naval ceremonies – which includes the salute and lowering of the White Ensign at the close of the day.

Brian Moore says: “We are honoured to have this affiliation with the Royal Navy Media & Comms division; our experience with the Territorial Army MOG(V) has been exceptionally rewarding and has shown how such relationships can be hugely beneficial and enjoyable. I am thoroughly looking forward to working with Commodore Sutton and his team.”

Commodore Gary Sutton comments: “I am delighted that we have established this affiliation with the prestigious PR Guild, not least because of our shared interests in the importance of effective communication. This is a real opportunity for an exchange of ideas and best practice between us both and we look forward to inviting Guild members to experience something of naval operations and see at firsthand how today’s Royal Navy is protecting our nation’s interests.”

The guest list will include members of the PR Guild and the Royal Navy, with all proceeds of the event going to the PR Guild’s Charitable Trust, which supports charities linked to communication.

In a nod to past traditions, Pusser’s Rum will be donating a few bottles of their Navy rum to help celebrate the event. The Royal Navy’s 350 year tradition of issuing a daily tot of rum came to an end on 13th July 1970, otherwise known as Black Tot Day, when the last rum tot was served.

10 Yetis PR Agency Launches ASocialMediaAgency

10 Yetis PR Agency has announced that it has decided to launch ‘A Social Media Agency’. This is as a direct result of the volume of enquiries it was receiving for social media campaigns to run either individually or alongside public relations campaigns.

With a proven track record in social media, the agency felt it was time to have a team dedicated exclusively to managing social media accounts and to deliver results-driven social campaigns.

10 Yetis, the consumer and tech public relations agency based in Gloucestershire, has announced that it is launching A Social Media Agency (www.ASocialMediaAgency.co.uk). The new sister agency will focus on six main areas: social media strategy, social media training and management, social media tools and technical support, online reputation management, social media advertising and social media for search engine optimisation.

10 Yetis PR Agency, www.10Yetis.co.uk, has several success stories when it comes to social media, including successful campaigns for clients like gaming marketplace Playr2.com and multi-lingual social network Badoo.com. Aiming to improve their client’s campaigns, 10 Yetis understand that conversation is key.

The launch of ASocialMediaAgency will be the latest addition to the company’s current portfolio of services, which includes video content through The Online Video Company and PR services through 10 Yetis itself. ASocialMediaAgency will be based at the 10 Yetis PR offices in the heart of the South West.

Andy Barr, founder of ASocialMediaAgency.co.uk and head of Yeti, had the following to say about the launch: “Social media has played a big part in client campaigns for a number of years now and with the increasing demand for social media services, we felt it was the right time to launch A Social Media Agency, for existing and new clients.

"We are doing things differently in comparison to many social media agencies work and believe talking about ‘return on investment’ from media shouldn’t be a dirty word. Social media campaigns have to be about more than conversation and our team know how to deliver results.”

This ROI focused strategy has seen A Social Media Agency quickly win a number of accounts, resulting in the appointment of Laura Edwards as a dedicated social media account manager. Speaking about her appointment, Laura said:

“It’s exciting to be working with 10 Yetis and the launch of A Social Media Agency; the company’s ethos perfectly aligns with my own on how businesses should be using social media. Now brands have established themselves online, it’s time to implement a social media strategy that really makes a difference to your businesses bottom line.”

Laura previously worked as a freelance social media consultant working with a number of PR agencies on their client’s social media campaigns. She has worked with brands like Jockey Club Racecourse, Gloucester Rugby Club and ITV.


(EDITOR: I have always found 10 Yetis to be a very good PR firm to work with from my perspective as a journalist and I have no reason to doubt that their commitment to A Social Media Agency will be every bit as strong and effective.)

PHG adds some Punch to its PR effort

Performance Horizon Group (PHG), a leading provider of performance marketing technology, has appointed Punch Communications to handle its national, trade-specific and online PR.

Established in May 2010, PHG is the latest venture of Malcolm Cowley and Paul Fellows, co-founders of global affiliate network buy.at which was sold to AOL in 2008 for $125m. A high-tech start-up from North East England, over the past year it has expanded its operations to London and New York and brought to market its ExactView technology: a global platform for tracking, reporting, managing and optimising performance partner relationships in affiliate marketing and lead generation, regardless of channel or device.

Since its appointment, leading SEO agency Punch has been responsible for building awareness of the brand and ExactView, sharing corporate news announcements including PHG’s second round of venture capital funding from DN Capital and Greycroft, and raising the profile of senior personnel within the company. Working closely with the team, Punch is also assisting with the delivery of relevant award, events and speaker submissions.

Malcolm Cowley, CEO of PHG, said: "We wanted to appoint a PR agency which not only has a good understanding of the sector in which we operate but one that is also creative and has excellent media and blogger contacts. Punch has not only demonstrated that it understands our core business proposition but that the team is enthused to meet our company vision.”

Georgina Dunkley, account director at Punch Communications, added: "The growth of PHG over the past few years has been phenomenal and we are thrilled to be appointed by the brand as it embarks on an action-packed 2012 including the growth of its operations in the UK and US.”

As one of the UK’s foremost social media agencies, Punch Communications also handles PR and SEO services for its clients. For further information visit www.punchcomms.com.

Almost half of PR agencies confident of winning new public sector clients in 2012 despite continued cuts

Industry optimism is rising with 48% of PR agencies confident of winning new public sector clients in the next 12 months despite continued cuts, according to new research by DWPub.

Media communications company DWPub surveyed 52 PR agencies in November to find out what impact public sector cuts are having on the PR industry.

A similar survey was carried out a year ago and revealed that in contrast, 100% of PR agencies questioned were not confident of winning new clients. This followed the Comprehensive Spending Review which saw Chancellor George Osborne announce heavy public sector spending cuts.

2011’s research found that although 83% said their public sector clients had cut budgets in the last year, 39% were confident of being able to hold on to the accounts.

However, while 48% of PR agencies surveyed had public sector clients, almost two thirds (62%) of these said they had lost some in the last 12 months.

The number of PR agencies saying public sector clients made up 40% or more of their business has more than halved over the last 12 months – 17% this year compared to 40% in 2010.

“{{Despite continued cuts our results show that PR agencies are upbeat in contrast to the same time last year when not one agency felt they would win new public sector clients}},” said Daryl Willcox, chairman and founder of DWPub. “Although numbers are leaner, PR agencies have indicated there are still accounts to be won. However, the impact of lost business over the last 12 months has meant some agencies have had to adapt, refocusing on new sectors or accelerating adoption of new skills such as social media.”

DWPub has recently released a new whitepaper called Social media in the public sector. It aims to help organisations facing increasingly tight budgets learn how best to use social media channels to reach their audience. The whitepaper can be downloaded here.

The government’s Autumn Statement 2011, declaring further cuts, was announced on 29 November.

FACTFILE:

DWPub (www.dwpub.com) helps PR professionals, organisations and the media connect, collaborate and tell stories more effectively every day. Launched in 1997, the company connects journalists and public relations professionals to create opportunities for timely, relevant press coverage. The DWPub Media Suite includes the FeaturesExec Media Database, ResponseSource Enquiry Service, SourceWire News Distribution and the JournalistDirectory Freelance Database. Over 2,500 companies use DWPub’s media relations services, including around 120 of the top 150 PR Companies. DWPub - making media communications easy.

New Look Atom Website and Online Image Library

Atom Media and PR – a highly regarded UK advertising and PR agency specialising in representing select clients in the Home Interest and Gardens & Lifestyle sectors proudly announces the recent launch of their new look website.

Visit www.atommpr.com to discover even more great features for busy journalists including enhanced image search and save options, latest news and interactive press section and fully integrated social media.

IMAGE LIBRARY: A new lightbox facility allows you to effectively compile a ‘shopping cart’ of images as you browse through the image library. You can view your selected images at any stage and then decide which ones you wish to remove or download direct to your computer. If you already know the image you are looking for, now you can also simply enter its reference and the new Image Search facility will take you straight to it. As before, you can browse images by client or category, click on thumbnails to see them larger with descriptions or download PDF client contact sheets.

NEWS PAGES: Click on the ‘latest news’ or ‘prev news’ links at the footer of the site’s main pages to go to our new regularly updated news section.

Last but by no means least, the new look site now includes fully integrated Social Meddia and News Feed so you can now follow us by clicking on the relevant icon on our home page or within the site:-

Twitter: Click on the Twitter icon on their home page to find out what’s going on at Atom in real time @Atommpr and see who else is following us.

Blog: The Atom blog at www.atommpr.blogspot.com is updated weekly, so why not catch up over a cup of coffee on Monday mornings?

RSS News Feeds: As well as being alerted about latest news you can also subscribe to individual client feeds to be alerted when new images are added to their contact sheet.

To find out more about Atom, its client portfolio and the Online Image Library visit www.atommpr.com or to register to download high resolution images direct to your computer click HERE

New Study: Getting what you pay for, free newswires that are worth your time

B2B PR agency reveals which free newswires help to raise awareness online – and which ones don’t

Vitis PR, a Birmingham-based UK B2B PR agency, has announced the results of its study into free newswires.

Free newswires across the UK and US are fighting to attract the attention of small businesses and PR agencies that want to save on online news distribution costs. While many have paid for options, the freemium model can introduce a newswire’s services to companies/agencies that want to spread news to journalists, bloggers and online cost effectively.

Vitis PR has researched and trialled 60 free newswires to determine how well the services work and what additional benefits, such as free hyperlinks and distribution to journalists/bloggers.

Vitis PR issued a series of press releases using the sites and evaluated the results in terms of both PR and SEO benefit. The research focused on the following:

1. Do journalists and bloggers actually use the press releases on free sites for news content?

2. Does the release appear on Google News?

3. Does the release appear in a Google web search?

4. How easy to use are free release sites?

5. What help (if any) are free press release sites for link building?

6. Could we use the sites to help 'own' the search results for a targeted phrase?


The results include:

Best free press release site for reaching journalists, bloggers, editors and other influencers

Winner: none!

The same press releases were also sent to journalist contacts and were all picked up, so the quality of the submitted material wasn’t in question. These wires simply don’t get the attention of journalists or bloggers.

Best free press release site for Google News

Winner: Online PR News

Runners up: Open PR, PR Fire

Just a handful of free news distribution sites were actually picked up by Google News, though the majority did offer paid for options which increased chances of appearing.

Best free press release site for appearing in Google web searches

Winner: PR Fire

Runners up: News Wire Today, PR Zoom, Idea Marketers

Appearing in web searches may be valuable as a way of trying to place news in front of people searching for your target phrases - though it is unlikely this will be effective where the target phrases are more than moderately competitive.

Best free press release site for building links

Winners: Idea Marketers, PR Zoom, Business Services UK

Simply posting the release to some of the distribution sites does give some limited SEO benefit because the sites do provide links and a few allow users to tailor the anchor text - most sites however, either didn't give a link or gave a 'nofollow' link. None of the releases were picked up by third-party sites that might be considered to be valuable for link building, so it seems that there is little value in relying on free press release distribution sites for link building.

Jaspal Sahota, Director of Vitis PR commented: “We wouldn’t recommend that a PR agency or company relies on using a free press release distribution service to get news in front of journalists and bloggers. The odds are that it isn't going to work except perhaps in a few special cases. If you really must use a wire service to reach influencers, you'd be better served with a premium service, which sends news out to databases of journalists and bloggers and often syndicates news to other websites. Having said that, one of the best ways to get journalist or bloggers interested in your news is traditional PR media relations - find the right contact, get your story straight and pitch it.

Some of the services offer extra benefits for as little as a dollar so, if you’re investing the time to use a free wire service, it makes sense to spend a few extra dollars (or pounds) to get the best out of it.”

To see the full results of the research, please visit: www.vitispr.com/blog/free-press-release-sites

To find out more about Vitis PR, contact Jaspal Sahota on 0121 242 8048 or via jas@vitispr.com.

(EDITOR: Or use the modestly priced paid for services of www.responsesource.com)

Do not give up on marketing and PR

Just because times might be a little tougher than we would like is not a reason or an excuse to stop marketing or promoting your business.

It's  always the first to go when a recession looms. The marketing budget is slashed, the PR spend is cut to ribbons. And everyone just waits for the next customer to waltz through the doors, pockets bulging with orders.

Here's some news for you. That will not happen. Because if you do not tell potential customers that you are still in business, if you do not get a Public Relations firm to help you blow your own trumpet, nobody else will!

Here is a story related to me by a friend who is an advertising manager for a small local publication: She had two clients, both in the same line of business. At the start of the recession one of the clients (Client A) listened to the siren call that he must stop spending money on advertising and marketing. And this is what he did.

The other client (Client B) continued to advertise, always managing to get just enough money together for an advert. Even if it might not always be the usual size, his advert was always there in the publication.

Client A met one of his customers in the street. He asked his customer if he required his services. His customer said: "Oh! Sorry! I gave my business to Client B. When I noticed you weren't advertising in the paper any more and I saw that he was still advertising, I assumed you'd gone out of business, so I went to him, instead."

There's an old adage in marketing. It says: "The man who beats the biggest drum makes the most noise and draws the most attention to his business."

So, what will you do? Put your drum away and hope that, almost by magic, people might find their way to your business? Or will you beat the drum and draw attention and customers to your business?

For ideas on how to promote your business you can visit www.responsesource.com  and it will not cost as much as you might think.

Digital content specialist helps PR professionals make the most of video press releases

PR professionals are increasingly aiming to reach beyond their traditional audience in the media, interacting directly with consumers and businesses through social networks. The traditional press release can’t always provide the detailed information - or entertainment - that consumers demand and many PRs are turning to video press releases to help.

Designer and entrepreneur Phil Pauley, founder of digital content specialist Pauley Media, has produced a video and 10-point checklist to help PR professionals understand the options video offers their campaigns.

Many options are available to PR professionals producing a video press release. Budget, deadline, and the desired quality of the final film will inform your choices along the way. Areas that should be considered when making those choices include:

1) Camera equipment - there is a huge range of options here including standard definition video cameras or high definition DSLRs

2) What type of video would you like to produce? Short and simple with a single shot, or using a range of shots and a narrative? What is the ideal duration for your film?

3) Sound recording - Quality sound is essential. Are you going to use the camera's on-board microphone, or record sound separately?

4) What background would you like to use? A live background with depth and activity or a clean backdrop with a company logo? Perhaps a “green screen” and its flexibility is more suitable?

5) How are you going to light your shoot? Is there sufficient natural light at your chosen location or do you need to hire a lighting rig?

6) Should you storyboard? If using a range of material or shots, this can help to plan your shoot and save you time. It will allow you in identify when and where you could incorporate additional visualisation to help delivery your story in a more dynamic way.

7) Narration - Who will present the press release and what qualities would you like them to have? Will you read it yourself or ask another member of staff, your client or another professional?

8) Will you make use of a voice-over or soundtrack? Both are brilliant tools for adding texture, delivering information, and adding fluidity.

9) Will you use graphics? Animation can illustrate points, additional video clips add value, whilst company logos and contact details can be used for marketing and highlighting your call to action.

10) Finally, post-production - this can include keying, colour grading, titles, and after effects - a great deal of thought should go into how to take advantage of all that it can offer.

Considering all of the above areas and options, and making decisions regarding each one, will, in the end, make the production of your video press release run as smoothly as possible. You’ll be better placed to decide what you can do in-house and where you should outsource services, products and people to help you make a success of your video press release and reach your new audiences most effectively.

FACTFILE:
Pauley Media is a versatile and creative independent family company specialising in Concept Design, 3D Interpretation, Cultural Communication, e-Learning and Corporate Presentations through 3D Modelling and Immersive Audience Engagement. Find out about previous successful video and design projects for its range of international clients at http://www.pauley-interactive.co.uk/success-stories.php

Innovative 10 Yetis PR Agency invests in new online video company

10 Yetis PR has today announced it has invested in a start up online video production company, as it looks at the future of PR campaigns and the rising demand by media for web clips and short online films to support digital media projects.

10 Yetis, the consumer and tech PR Agency based in the South West of the UK has announced that it has invested in the start up web film business; The Online Video Company. The announcement comes at a time when the agency is seeing unprecedented levels of demand from media across all platforms for web clips and videos to support the publicity campaigns that it manages on behalf of its clients.

The Online Video Company already has an impressive business-to-business show-reel, courtesy of its cinematic and high quality approach to creating web films. To date the company has secured high profile commissions from the likes of Keele University and, most recently, the Fredericks Foundation; where the company was tasked with filming the Prime Minister, David Cameron.

The investment will be used to help the company market its current portfolio of services along with launching a new Video Blogger range of tools and Search Engine Optimisation focused video packages. The Online Video Company will be based at the 10 Yetis PR offices in the heart of the South West.

Speaking about the investment, Andy Barr, co-founder and Head Yeti at 10 Yetis said: "The investment in The Online Video Company is very much about 10 Yetis making sure that it is fully prepared for the future demands of the national and international media as, over the last year, we have seen unprecedented levels of requests from journalists and publishers across every form of media for videos and web clips to support our client campaigns."

He continued "The Online Video Company is renowned for its cinematic quality business films that have taken online videos to the next level. I am confident that our disruptive approach to both Media & Search Engine Optimisation campaigns that have always been successful, combined with The Online Video Company's obvious talent will result in our going on to deliver the types of projects that will delight clients and deliver to them the return on investment that is needed in such a tough economic environment.”

Dr Mark Davies from The Online Video Company said: "I am very excited about the new opportunities that now lay ahead. We've hit one of those golden moments in the business film industry where all sorts of things have clicked together at just the right time. Recent advances in film production technologies and fresh talent coming through are challenging what has largely become a very tired and unimaginative industry.

“With 90% of adults now having access to broadband quality internet, both they and the search engines are hungry for richer content, providing a fantastic opportunity for businesses to engage people on a whole new level.

“At The Online Video Company we have a truly unique skill base - strengthened through our connection with 10 Yetis. We take time to understand client’s businesses, the best way to convey them through film, and the best way to get it out there to deliver results."

Click to see more about The Online Video Company, or call 0800 033 7384. Click to see more about 10 Yetis Public Relations Agency, or call 01452 348211.

FeaturesExec Media Database enhanced with help of the PR community

Daryl Willcox Publishing, the company that connects PR professionals and journalists, has enhanced the FeaturesExec Media Database to create a simpler and more personalised website allowing users to target contacts faster.

Following consultation with the PR community, FeaturesExec has been significantly improved with a new look and functionality.

In addition to clearer navigation across the site, time-saving functions have been introduced:

• Sector Search: Build quick press lists with an improved sector search.

• Breadcrumbs: Search results are remembered; navigate away from results and back again in an instant.

• Recently Viewed: Dashboard links to recently viewed data.

• Most Viewed: Quick links to most popular personal searches.

"FeaturesExec is constantly evolving based on feedback from our users - the new site has been designed to make things easier and help people get more done," said Daryl Willcox, Chairman of Daryl Willcox Publishing. "The aim is to make it simple, personal and effective. We are always looking at ways of improving our services and continue to update them directed by suggestions from the PR community."

www.featuresexec.com helps media professionals work more efficiently when communicating with journalists. It gives PRs access to over 10,000 media outlets, 40,000 editorial contacts and 100,000 forward features.

The introduction of user-based log-ins earlier this year adds to the personalised experience of FeaturesExec. PR professionals can now assign an 'owner' to information stored, which allows teams to see who is responsible for which press list, forward feature profile or campaign. Owners are automatically assigned to any notes, lists and profiles added. Owners can be reassigned as required and full ownership history is recorded, helping users to track ongoing campaigns more efficiently.

FACTFILE:

Daryl Willcox Publishing (www.dwpub.com) provides information services for people in journalism, public relations and marketing. Launched in 1997, the company connects media professionals to create opportunities for timely, relevant press coverage. Products include the Response Source Journalist Enquiries System, SourceWire and Response Source press release wires, the Freelance Journalist Directory and the FeaturesExec Media Database. Over 2,500 companies use Daryl Willcox Publishing's media relations services, including around 120 of the top 150 PR companies. The services are used by tens of thousands of journalists.

(EDITOR: Just when you think they could not improve on perfection, Daryl and the team do this and go one better! If you are a journalist or PR professional who doesn't use a Daryl Willcox Publishing service, do yourself a favour. Sign up today.)