Slides from a presentation on DIY online PR for startups, given by Joshua Steimle at a General Assembly class in Hong Kong on 22 Jan, 2015. Topics included how not to pitch journalists, how to pitch journalists, what constitutes great content, and how to structure online PR efforts for maximum SEO benefit.

1. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Joshua Steimle
josh@mwi.com
@donloper

2. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Intro

3. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Contact Me
josh@mwi.com
@donloper

4. DIY Online PR
For Startups
What Is Online PR?
Online media placement that is not
purchased, typically obtained by
influencing media producers.

10. DIY Online PR
For Startups
3 Forms of Placement

11. DIY Online PR
For Startups
#1 Feature Stories

13. DIY Online PR
For Startups
#2 Expert Mentions

16. DIY Online PR
For Startups
#3 Helpful Content

19. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Why Online PR?

20. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Creates Brand Recognition

21. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Establishes Credibility

22. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Drives Traffic

23. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Improves SEO Efforts

24. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Enduring

25. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Great For Your Ego

27. DIY Online PR
For Startups
How?

28. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Step 1 - Research
Channel
Journalist

29. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Choose the Right Channel

30. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Channels
Industry websites
Niche websites
Blogs
Influential social media accounts
Media-sharing websites (YouTube)
Social networks
Forums
Wikis
Top-tier websites

32. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Choose the Right Journalist
Do they cover your industry?
Do they cover your location?
Do they write for your audience?

33. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Step 2 - Relationships

34. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Step 2 - Relationships
Ask for advice, not coverage

35. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Step 2 - Relationships
Ask for advice, not coverage
Ask how you can help

36. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Step 3 - Great Content

37. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Good Content Is
So Interesting
You Would Read It

38. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Great Content Is
So Interesting
You Would Pay To Read It

42. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Tell Interesting Stories

43. DIY Online PR
For Startups
But I’m Not Interesting

44. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Nonsense!

45. DIY Online PR
For Startups
You Are An Expert

46. DIY Online PR
For Startups
5 Ways To Create
Interesting Stories

47. DIY Online PR
For Startups
1. Problem-Agitate-Solve

48. DIY Online PR
For Startups
2. Tie-in

49. DIY Online PR
For Startups
3. Tell Secrets

50. DIY Online PR
For Startups
4. Look At Your Data

51. DIY Online PR
For Startups
5. Interview Someone

52. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Step 4 - Pitch

53. DIY Online PR
For Startups
When pitching writers,
journalists, bloggers, and other
media producers,
DO NOT…

54. DIY Online PR
For Startups
DO NOT…!

55. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Do Not…Use A Shotgun
Instead, customize your pitch.
It’s obvious when you don’t.

56. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Do Not…Say You’re Special
Show them.
In 5 seconds or less.

57. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Do Not…Tell Them How Much
They I Can Help You
Journalists would love to help you, and
they’d love to help the other 20 people
who contacted them today. But they
can’t help everyone.

58. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Do Not…Ask To Talk On Phone
Offer, don’t ask.

59. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Do Not…Think About Yourself
Make it about the writer/publisher.

60. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Do…

61. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Know What Writers Want
As a writer, I want my
article here.

62. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Know What They’ve Written
If they just wrote a story about your competitor,
what are the chances they’re going to write a
similar story about your company?

63. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Know Their Interests
I write about Hong Kong, entrepreneurship, and
online marketing. But preferably all three.

64. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Offer Something Valuable
“I have an idea for an article that I believe would
get a lot of attention and social sharing.”

65. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Learn From Each Pitch
And make one pitch at a time

66. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Case Studies
How businesses have successfully pitched me.

67. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Case Study #1
Builtvisible, Content Marketing

68. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Case Study #2
HWTrek, Advice & Coffee

69. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Case Study #3
MySugr, Timing

70. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Case Study #4
Hong Kong Visa Geeza

71. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Case Study #5
HK Commons

72. DIY Online PR
For Startups
HARO
Help Out A Reporter (HARO)
HelpAReporter.com

73. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Keys to Success w/HARO
Respond quickly
Include “HARO - [story request]” in subject line
Give them what they want, nothing extra
Give them what they want in the first sentence

74. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Other “Pitches”

75. DIY Online PR
For Startups
I’ve Got Quotes
“I saw your article on big data. I run a startup in
Hong Kong that works with big data. If you ever
need a quote for an article, let me know.”

76. DIY Online PR
For Startups
I’ve Got Connections
“I saw your article on big data. I run a startup in
Hong Kong that works with big data and have a
lot of connections in the industry. If you ever
need a source for an article, let me know and I’d
be glad to make some introductions.”

77. DIY Online PR
For Startups
I’ve Got Data
“I saw your article on big data. I run a startup in
Hong Kong that works with big data. If you ever
need stats or figures to support an article you’re
writing, let me know.”

78. DIY Online PR
For Startups
I’ve Got Pictures
“I saw your article on big data. I run a startup in
Hong Kong that works with big data and we’ve
created infographics and visualizations of a lot of
data. If you ever need something visual to
accompany your writing on big data, let me know.”

79. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Think Digital
Get the link!

80. DIY Online PR
For Startups
Questions?
www.mwi.com