Your Web site: A must for journalists and your customers

Professional business communicators cannot afford to neglect their Web presence. Consumers, investors and clients can now find information on the Internet without waiting for the traditional media or a PR person to tell them about it. A journalists' first port of call may be your Web site. As a growing company with a small or non-existent PR or media relations budget you need to pay extra attention to your online presence.

Each and every day small businesses make decisions that cost hundreds to thousands of dollars with the expectation of a significant Return on Investment (ROI), increased sales and a positive impact on the bottom line. Distributing just one news release can help a small business reach these goals. The value of even one mention in an article is immeasurable. It could make the company. So how does the company get that coverage?

One well written and targeted news release can capture the eye of a journalist who happens to be writing about that particular industry. The news release can pique the interest of a business or feature writer and once their interest is piqued they will likely visit your Web site. The 9th Annual Middleburg/Ross Survey of Media Professionals found that over 70% of working journalists list the company Web site as the first stop when researching a breaking story or a feature. If they go to your Web site and find very little compelling or current content, that opportunity has passed you by.

In this Internet era, the most important and cost-effective PR tool that a small to medium-sized company of any kind can have is its Web site. "It is clear that today's Web site is yesterday's storefront. If you don't have one that is compelling and up to date, the traffic will walk right on down the street. Most companies understand this but they're missing the fact that the Web site is also their PR department. The content needs to be completely accurate, reliable and up-to-date for journalists and potential customers. Why would even the smallest company allow an IT professional or Webmaster to control their Web site content? It just doesn't make sense," says Jason Keller, Web Site ControlRoom Specialist, PR Newswire, speaking at Bulldog Reporter's Media Relations 2005 in San Francisco.

Small businesses now have the ability to manage their Web content using a variety of easy-to-use content management software tools. Without having to learn any programming or technical skills, a business communicator can bypass the IT bottleneck, control and manage their PR content, give journalists what they are looking for online and get better results, faster.

PR Newswire's Web Site ControlRoom is a complete content management system allowing for real-time content control of the entire Web site.

Web Site ControlRoom is a cost effective solution for small businesses that allows online content to be updated as fast as developments take place. Regardless of the strategic and budgetary battle that the decision maker might face within their organization, they are sure of one thing, if a journalist happens upon their Web site for whatever reason, they will be presented with a professional, industry-leading Web site.