As the night managing editor at the Daily Hampshire Gazette, Stan oversees the newsroom in the evening, directing reporters and editing stories. Being the business editor as well, he is also responsible for selecting stories that will be featured in the Business section of the paper from week to week, assigning those stories to reporters, then editing the finished product.

In his current positon, Stan is on the receiving end of many press releases from Beetle Press—and other businesses and nonprofits across Hampshire County. For this reason, we think he’s an invaluable resource on what editors look for in press releases, and he was kind enough to spell it out for us.

Stan is a skilled editor and writer as he has had vast experience in many different roles during his 40 years at the Gazette. He started out as a reporter, covering news on education, social services, mental health and politics. Over the years he has been an editor for all different sections of the paper, such as general news, the website, sports section, business column and overall content.

“I’ve done a lot of different things in the newsroom and that’s been positive to keep me fresh,” Stan says.

One of the most memorable days in his career was working during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 as he had to process and react to that event as both a human being with deep emotions and an objective news reporter. Even though the Pioneer Valley is removed distance-wise from where the attacks happened, the paper still had to plan its local coverage while also dealing with the national crisis on the website.

Journalism has changed tremendously since the Internet was born. Readers now have a variety of media through which they can receive news instantaneously. One effect of this is that, with the digital publishing of news, sometimes the usual checks and edits aren’t done with the same level of thoroughness and precision. This because editors are moving more quickly to accommodate consumers who rely on quick minute-by-minute updates.

Stan agrees with us that press releases are an important tool for business owners and organization leaders to call attention to the good work that they are doing. He looks for releases that highlight:

• A new business
• A business that’s expanding
• A shift in marketing strategy
• An alteration in product
• A change in or adding to members of a staff

When constructing a press release for your business, Stan advises keeping the following things in mind:

Clarity. Be clear about what is the news, what’s new, what’s different, why does your press release deserve space in the paper. Your intent should be immediate, the first thing that you learn about as you read.

Be Concise. Writing a few sentences is better than a few pages. There is not always time for the editor to read your entire release so only report on the essentials; don’t give a history of your business.

Media. Press releases can be delivered electronically by email, which gives you the advantage of being able to provide a link to your business’ website for the editor to reference if they want more information about your company.

Timing. If a press release is calling attention to a future event, it is better for the editor to receive it a month ahead of time rather than a week ahead of time. The more time that you allow the editor, the more time they have to work with you on coverage possibilities.

Contact Information. Be sure to provide the names and contact information for key people in your business that can field phone calls and set up possible interviews and photo shoots or provide more information about your company.

Persistence. If you haven’t heard back from an editor, follow-up with an email or phone call. This gets the attention of the editor and helps ensure that your press release hasn’t been forgotten at the bottom of a pile of work that the editor hasn’t had time to address. Don’t give up!

We help many clients with press releases. We’d be happy to help you as well. Contact Janice to suggest your press release idea. Or if you’re the DIY type, read our blog on sending press releases.

The post What This Gazette Editor is Looking for in Your Press Releases appeared first on Beetle Press.

A year ago, while still planning out my career, I was an intern with Beetle Press. Now, as a digital content strategist, I am responsible for creating, curating and developing strategies for written and multimedia content, such as press releases, articles, blog posts, infographics and videos. I also manage the social media platforms and propose new platforms for organizations and magazines to use to extend their reach.

I know that social media is key to content strategy for several reasons. It’s essentially free advertising, with the exception of paid “boosted” social media posts, and that makes it easier to come across new organic viewers, readers and users.

Digital is the way that marketing is headed, and it’s crucial to get familiar and get involved. Potential clients are already using social media platforms, and it’s a great way to reach them, better nowadays, when people are watching commercial television less and less.

Here are three key tips for social media success:

Know your current audience and your target audience(s). If you already have an established website, product, publication or blog, you already have an established audience; they are the people who are currently engaged with whatever your business or organization is offering up online and electronically. It’s important to research and understand the demographics of your existing audiences on Facebook, Instagram, your blog and website, to name a few, and determine new audiences you want to target. Then create content for both.

Separate your content in a way that makes sense. Organizing your content is extremely important, especially because, as noted earlier, you probably have more than one target audience. If you run a website that has content about technology, fashion and politics, it’s necessary to separate those content hubs. Some of your audience base wants to read all three sections, but others most likely only want one fact, or perhaps, two. Make it easy for different target demographics to find what they’re seeking. On social media, you can use different lists and sections, depending on the platform that you’re using. For example, Twitter offers a feature known as “lists” through which you can separate people you follow by categories that you choose, which makes it easier to sort through posts. If you have a large enough readership, you can even separate your social media accounts—The New York Times has separate Twitter and Facebook pages for its weekly Modern Love column, for example.

Know when, what and where to post. There is an abundance of research on the Internet about the best times of day to post on social media, the most effective SEO (search-engine optimization) keywords, and the typical formats of most viral content. Use all of that research to your advantage, and then keep your audience and intended audiences in mind. Is there a difference, according to research or personal experience, in when 20-year-olds are most likely to share a post versus when 40-year-olds are most likely? Do college students share how-to articles more often than middle-aged parents? Map out your current audiences and what types of content they share, when they share that content, and which social media platforms they’re using. In general, younger users are the most likely to be on brand-new platforms first, while it takes older users longer to learn and become involved on a social platform. If you’re concerned that a user may not know how to navigate your social media, make it easier for them by including an explanation of how to share your content.

Take advantage of the very cost-effective social media available to you, and experiment a little with how you use it to market your content and reach your viewers. Test by creating fun surveys, or offering contests with prizes involved, or asking for reader-submitted photographs. You may just find that there’s an unexpected way to reach your viewership that you hadn’t thought of before.

The post Three Tips for Social Media Success appeared first on Beetle Press.