How to Effectively Present Your Content to Online Editors
By Anne Leedom
netconnectpublicity.com
One of the most common misconceptions regarding an online campaign is that editors for this unique medium should be approached in the same manner as traditional radio, TV and print media. Interestingly, nothing could be further from the truth. Let's look at how to approach online editors and what you need to offer to capture their attention and their imagination.
Online editors answer their email. The beauty of an online campaign is the simple fact that these editors are now ACCESSIBLE due to this basic fact. Send your email to the top contact and you will likely make the connections you couldn't in traditional methods.
Online editors are very busy and are choosy about which emails they read. Therefore, the most important part of your online presentation is the 42-character subject line of the email. Say it briefly and say it well.
Online editors do not want you to send attachments, nor do they want to scroll through lengthy emails that include your articles, bios and reviews. Once you have established interest you can follow up with these tools. Your only goal in the initial email is to create interest and inspire the editor to respond. This means a brief email expressing who you are, what you have to offer, and given your research of their website, why they might want your work featured on their site. Answer their question: What is in it for us?
Include links (don't go crazy here) to your site, relevant articles and press releases, etc. in the email presentation. This way they can conduct further research if they so desire without being overwhelmed with a lengthy and time-consuming email. You do NOT want to be placed in the "I better read this later" pile.
Writing an online email presentation allows you to be more personal than traditional methods. Since its very nature is to be brief, it becomes a wonderful tool to follow up on little details you learn about the contact editor and visa versa. The concept of letter writing is a personal form of communication and it can be used very well to your advantage to build a sincere rapport and create camaraderie between you and the editors whom you contact. Even if the editor doesn't immediately respond to your work, through regular emailing you can build the necessary rapport to eventually learn what the editor is looking for and tailor your material to fit their needs.
Avoid any distracting fonts, graphics and bold lettering. Your email should be very professional, very easy to read with short sentences that clearly state what you have to offer and how it is of benefit to the editor you are contacting. The more your email presentation matches the look of the articles on the site, the more the editor will tend to read your email. Above all, check spelling and grammar.
Bear in mind your email presentation should be designed to capture their attention and guide the editor to your site. If you have built your website correctly and featured your content, NOT your product, than they can learn all they need to know about you. If you include too much in your initial email you will end up in the dreaded "I'll read that later" pile.
Follow up on your initial presentation weekly. Editors are overwhelmed with email and it can easily get lost in their desk or even in cyberspace. If they truly do not wish to work with you, most editors will have the courtesy to let you know, especially after a persistent campaign of emails that are pleasant and brief.
Tie in your presentation to current events or seasonal content as much as possible. You many be the best financial advisor in the world and have great information on a variety of topics, but come January the only content the editor may wish to see is content offering tips on taxes.
Overall, a successful online presentation combines quality material presented to the right editor with a knowledge of the website you are targeting and how your material might fit their needs. When this is done well, and it is done in a brief, pleasant, professional and consistent manner, placements can be made on virtually any website. Editors are looking for you to make their job easier and make them look good. Ultimately, offering content that is a strong match for the site's audience will secure a long-term relationship and open doors for greater promotional opportunity within each site.
Anne Leedom founded Net Connect Publicity, an online content management agency for authors, experts and websites who wish to promote their work via the Internet. Net Connect opened in 1999 and handles clients in various topics including parenting, health, business and spirituality. The company is based in the Sacramento, California region. Contact Anne at
anne@netconnectpublicity.com
. In addition to online placements, Net Connect offers traditional media placements in radio and print. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
