What is the future of the press release? View this presentation to learn more about Social Media Releases (SMR) and how Tourism Montreal found success by using an SMR in their communications campaign.
Marketplace and Quality Assurance Presentation - Vincent Chirchir
Social Media Release - Tourism Montreal Case Study
1. 01/30/15
Social Media Press Release – Tourism Montreal Case Study
Sharlene Dozois, Vice President, Sales – CNW
Pierre Bellerose, Vice President, Public Relations – Tourisme Montréal
5. The Social Media Release:
Why, How and Then What?
Know your target audience
6. The Social Media Release:
Why, How and Then What?
Release (plain text)
+
7. The Social Media Release
7
Release title stands out
Enriched
formatting
Standard address in English
or French (indexable!)
Contact details
show at the top
Video with
multimedia marker
8. The Social Media Release
8
Isolated quotes
Tags and links to social
media sites
Integrated moderated comments
17. 100% Web Campaign – APRIL 2009
Tourisme Montréal holds media breakfast
to announce 2008 results and unveil its
2009 marketing strategy
Press release and specs for CNW
"traditional"
CNW "social media":
Links
Video featuring Tourisme Montréal
President and CEO
Video – Montreal in Two Minutes
Case Study
Geotourism MapGuide – JUNE 2009
Distribution of press release announcing
launch of first urban Geotourism
MapGuide
Press release and specs for CNW
"traditional"
CNW "social media":
Links
Drawings by children
Geotourism MapGuide
18. Case Study
Tourisme Montréal: the shift to 100% Web-based advertising yields positive
results – JANUARY 2010
•Distribution of press release announcing the results
•Press release and specs for CNW "traditional"
•CNW "social media":
Links
2 videos
1 image
19. The Social Media Releases
April 2009 Release
Tourisme Montréal shifting to 100% Web-based advertising
June 2009 Release
Montréal becomes the first city in the world to release a National
Geographic Society MapGuide
January 2010 Release
"Tourisme Montréal: the shift to 100% Web-based advertising yields
positive results" on SMR
20. The Results
100 % Web Campaign - APRIL 2009
No traditional media pick up
Numerous specialized blog
Numerous Tweets and Re-Tweets on
Twitter.com
Geotourism Map Guide – JUNE 2009
Several dozen traditional media articles
A number of specialized articles
Numerous posts on specialized blogs
Multiple Tweets and Re-Tweets on
Twitter.com
Source: Google Analytics – CNW. September 3, 2009
21. The Results
Results 100% Web Release (January 2010)
Less impact but on a good niche
No traditional media articles
A number (few) of specialized articles
Few posts on specialized blogs
Multiple Tweets and Re-Tweets on Twitter.com
Social media “spin”:
Facebook
Twitter
Direct, personal contact – specialized bloggers
22. The Results
Google Analytics Summary
CAMPAIGN 100% WEB GEOTOURISM 100% WEB RESULTS
visits 1618 586 1131
Visitors 1222 448 888
pages views 2862 905 1246
direct/cnw.ca 756 230 675
google 520 258 88
facebook 127 36 99
twitter 40 8 109
31. PierreBellerose - Mon 15 Jun 14:03
Montréal, première ville au monde à disposer d’une carte
géotouristique du National Geographic Society http://bit.ly/10BQJk
#Géotourisme
PierreBellerose - Mon 15 Jun 14:06
Montréal becomes the first city in the world to release a National
Geographic Society Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/pTxjQ
#Geotourism
32. StartupCoach - Mon 15 Jun 14:15 via Search
RT @Pierrebellerose: Montréal, the first city in the world to release a National Geographic Society
Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/pTxjQ
ClaudePéloquin - Mon 15 Jun 14:20 via Search
RT @Pierrebellerose: Montréal: first city in the world to release a National Geographic Society Geotourism
MapGuide http://bit.ly/pTxjQ
IChronos4 - Mon 15 Jun 14:22 via Search
Montréal, first in the world to release National Geographic Society Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/pTxjQ
(via @Pierrebellerose)
MarieJugag - Mon 15 Jun 14:39 via Search
RT @claudepeloquin: RT @Pierrebellerose: Mtl: first city to release a National Geographic Society
Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/pTxjQ
Suzlortie - Mon 15 Jun 14:43 via Search
RT @Pierrebellerose: Montréal becomes the first city in the world to release a NatGeo Society Geotourism
MapGuide http://bit.ly/pTxjQ
Jgettrion - Mon 15 Jun 14:46 via Search
RT @suzlortie: RT @Pierrebellerose: Montréal first city in the world to release a NatGeo Society
Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/pTxjQ
RT @PierreBellerose
33. Varseneault - Mon 15 Jun 15:43 via Search
@Pierrebellerose Montréal becomes the first city in the world to release a National Geographic Geotourism
MapGuide http://bit.ly/pTxjQ
Bibliofusion - Mon 15 Jun 16:07 via Search
RT @Pierrebellerose @NatGeoSociety: National Geographic and city of Montréal launch first urban
Geotourism MapGuide http://ow.ly/edH5
KaterineRollet - Mon 15 Jun 17:15 via Search
RT @Pierrebellerose: Montréal becomes first city to release a National Geographic S. Geotourism
MapGuide http://bit.ly/pTxjQ #tourism
LaureMHart - Mon 15 Jun 18:52 via Search
RT @katerinerollet @Pierrebellerose: Montréal first city to release a National Geographic Geotourism
MapGuide http://bit.ly/pTxjQ #tourism
KimVallee - Tue 16 Jun 14:46 via Search
@urbangreengirl Honestly the link to download the map was not obvious to find. I spoke to
@pierrebellerose for the paper version
Ruby Roy - Tue 16 Jun 07:22 via Search
Montréal the first Geotourisme City since 2007! Want to know more...come visit with me and you will see
why... www.montrealgeo.com..
RT @PierreBellerose
34. Cifort: Montreal’s all-new geotourism MapGuide published by the National
Geographic Society: http://tinyurl.com/m2lljt
PublishingNews: Montréal becomes the first city in the world to release a National
Geographic Society Geotourism MapGuide: TOR.. http://cli.gs/mQ4JjM
montrealgazette: Montreal first for geotourism http://snipurl.com/k5x41
TodaysReleases: Launch of the Island of Montréal's first Geotourism Guide
Produced by the National Geographic Society: MONTREA.. http://cli.gs/hXesbE
CNWGroupSMR: Montréal becomes the first city in the world to release a National
Geographic Society Geotourism MapGuide http://tinyurl.com/lgo3c6
jgeoffrion: RT @suzlortie: RT @Pierrebellerose: Montréal first city in the world to
release a NatGeo Society Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/pTxjQ
suzlortie: RT @Pierrebellerose: Montréal becomes the first city in the world to
release a NatGeo Society Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/pTxjQ
#Geotourism
Page 1/7
35. JeffWelchMT: RT: @NatGeoSociety: National Geographic and city of Montréal
launch first urban Geotourism MapGuide http://ow.ly/edH5
mariejugag: RT @claudepeloquin: RT @Pierrebellerose: Mtl: first city to release a
National Geographic Society Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/pTxjQ
knwachter: RT @NatGeoSociety: National Geographic and city of Montréal launch
first urban Geotourism MapGuide http://ow.ly/edH5
Nancy_BP: RT @NatGeoSociety: National Geographic and city of Montréal launch
first urban Geotourism MapGuide http://ow.ly/edH5 (Yé à @PierreBelle ...
NatGeoSociety: National Geographic and city of Montréal launch first urban
Geotourism MapGuide http://ow.ly/edH5
iCronos4: Montréal, first in the world to release National Geographic Society
Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/pTxjQ (via @Pierrebellerose)
#Geotourism
Page 2/7
522 followers
845 followers
21 712 followers
36. missmartine: RT @Pierrebellerose: Montréal becomes the first city in the world to
release a National Geographic Society Geotourism MapGuide http://bi ...
Pierrebellerose: Montréal becomes the first city in the world to release a National
Geographic Society Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/pTxjQ
#Geotourism
geotourism: A salty treat for the day. Check out how salt mines and routes in
Mexico are creating jobs and responsible tourism. http://ow.ly/edhl
NewProductsCNW: Montréal becomes the first city in the world to release a
National Geographic Society Geotourism MapGuide: TOR.. http://
tinyurl.com/mjvzny
mattforsythe: @MTLCity Everyone's talking about Montreal's geotourism map
today. Isn't the term 'geotourism' redundant?
MTLCity: Montreal's the first city to do a geotourism map which groups together
both famous and less well known features .. http://tinyurl.com/kjm6mp
#Geotourism
Page 3/7
497 followers
37. natgeomaps: NatGeo and city of Montreal launch first urban geotourism mapguide
with cartography from NG Maps. http://tinyurl.com/nc68wy
montrealgazette: New city guide puts Montreal on the geotourism map
http://snipurl.com/k83u9
MindfulTable: RT @moniquebeaudin Blog item: Montreal first city to get National
Geographic geotourism map http://tinyurl.com/m89pxz
LaurelMHart: RT @katerinerollet @Pierrebellerose: Montréal first city to release a
National Geographic Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/pTxjQ
#tourism
canadacomnews: Montreal first city to get geotourism map: Montreal Mayor Gérald
Tremblay is to officially unveil a new geotouri.. http://tinyurl.com/mabvbt
katerinerollet: RT @Pierrebellerose: Montréal becomes first city to release a
National Geographic S. Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/pTxjQ #tourism
#Geotourism
Page 4/7
1 023 followers
516 followers
38. moniquebeaudin: Blog item: Montreal first city to get National Geographic
geotourism map http://tinyurl.com/m89pxz
gazetteblogs: Green Life: Montreal first city to get National Geographic geotourism
map http://tinyurl.com/m89pxz
StephanieLaurin: RT @missmartine: RT @Pierrebellerose: Montréal becomes the
first city in the world to release a National Geographic Society Geotourism M ...
bibliofusion: RT @Pierrebellerose @NatGeoSociety: National Geographic and city
of Montréal launch first urban Geotourism MapGuide http://ow.ly/edH5
moniquebeaudin: Montreal gets a new geotourism map http://tinyurl.com/m2lljt
Pierrebellerose: RT @NatGeoSociety: National Geographic and city of Montréal
launch first urban Geotourism MapGuide http://ow.ly/edH5
varsenault: Montreal is the first city with a National Geographic Society
Geotourism MapGuide http://a2a.me/IIb via @AddToAny
#Geotourism
Page 5/7
418 followers
323 followers
39. chrisarsenault: RT @twtfelipe RT @KimVallee: Montreal is the first city with a
National Geographic Society Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/tLo61
AndresRestrepo: RT @KimVallee: Montreal is the first city with a National
Geographic Society Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/tLo61
urbangreengirl: @KimVallee I got the PR too for GeoTourism map but I thought it
wasn't available yet.
mohakprince: @twtfelipe Kudos Montreal Community | So,Nice to see a city with
NatGeo's Society Geotourism Mapguide #w00t
FlowersMontreal: RT @KimVallee: Montreal is the first city with a National
Geographic Society Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/tLo61
twtfelipe: RT @KimVallee: Montreal is the first city with a National Geographic
Society Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/tLo61
evablue: rt @KimVallee Montreal is the first city with a National Geographic Society
Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/tLo61
#Geotourism
Page 6/7
865 followers
40. endirectdesiles: Retweeting @KimVallee: Montreal is the first city with a National
Geographic Society Geotourism MapGuide http://bit.ly/tLo61
KimVallee: Montreal is the first city with a National Geographic Society Geotourism
MapGuide http://bit.ly/tLo61
ecomentum: RT @GeoTourista Montreal gets first urban geotourism map guide
w/National Geographic
GeoTourista: Montreal gets first urban geotourism map guide w/Nationl Geo
KimVallee: @stephdau: MTL is the 1st and only city to National Geo. Center for
Sustainable Destination's Geotourism Charter. I am writing about it
stephdau: Montreal is the 1st city to sign the National Geographic Center for
Sustainable Destination's Geotourism Charter: http://montrealgeo.com/
#Geotourism
Page 7/7
3487 followers
42. The Social Media Release
What is the future of the press release?
Notes de l'éditeur
Hello and welcome.
I’ll begin by introducing myself: I am Sharlene Dozois, Vice President, Sales at CNW Telbec.
And with me is Pierre Bellerose, Vice President, Public Relations at Tourisme Montréal.
We are here to present to you the Press Release 2.0: The essential items to be considered, with a case study by Tourisme Montréal.
We’ll start off our presentation with a question:
"What is the future of the press release?"
In order to be able to answer this question, we need to take a trip into the past and watch this short video describing the evolution of the press release.
We will then discuss the main differences between the traditional release and the social media release (SMR), i.e., 2.0.
Pierre will then tell you about his organization’s route through Web 2.0 and how they used a social media release as part of their communications campaign. He will also share with you what they learned with a view to optimizing outcomes.
We’ll conclude with a Q&A…
This video was created for CNW by Mark McKay, a Canadian blogger and videographer, to support the launch of our social media release.
It provides an outline of how the press release evolved.
The traditional press release is sent out over the newswire – a specialized digital network that directly feeds each newsroom’s editorial system.
The newswire is set up on a pre-authorization basis, which means that releases are only sent to media that have asked to receive them.
The newswire guarantees distribution of your full-text releases, simultaneously, to both the media and the financial world.
The traditional press release is comprised of three key components:
The title
The content or message you want to communicate
Your target audience
When sending a traditional press release, your aim is to reach your target audience through the traditional media.
With the social media release, your aim is to reach your target audience directly.
Rule number one: Know your audience. This remains a constant whether your release is created specifically for the traditional media or for on-line media (audiences).
The same effort you put into reaching a journalist who covers your industry is needed to reach a blogger or serious connectors. Your challenges will always be to find and understand this person, and to build a relationship with him or her.
Once you’ve come to know your intended audience, gathering the material needed to win them over becomes an easier.
For example, if you determine that a given segment of your target audience prefers to download audio content for their i-pods or another type of MP3 player, be sure to include an audio file in your SMR.
Think of everything you can share on the Web – photos, audio and video files, PDFs, hyperlinks, etc. – in the format preferred by bloggers and other on-line consumers.
Keep in mind that websites are different from print media and television, which are limited in scope because of space (column inches) and airtime restrictions respectively. These traditional media have their own websites nowadays, on which they are able to broadcast news in its entirety.
Journalists who run their own blogs, bloggers known as "citizen journalists". The gap between these two groups is becoming narrower all the time.
Now let’s take a look at the specifics/characteristics of the SMR.
First, the URL for this release: a complete address that includes the title, which helps with referencing. It’s also indexable, which makes file sharing and saving easier.
The press release title – still a very important element – stands out on the social media release. Furthermore, it should be no more than 140 characters in length, to maximize distribution potential on Twitter.
The contact information is displayed near the top of the release, unlike the traditional release where it appears at the end.
Formatting is enriched through the use of boldface characters, underlining and italics, and also includes hyperlinks leading to additional information.
To help with referencing, the release should be written using commonly employed terms/words. Take, for example, the brand name "Kleenex" and the generic "tissue": Google Trends reveals that "Kleenex" is more frequently used in this search engine.
Social media releases also make possible the integration of multimedia content, such as photos and videos with multimedia markers to facilitate sharing and integration into a website and blogs.
Quotes are detached.
Integrated moderator-reviewed comments enable "one-stop" discussion, which places control in your hands and gives you time to prepare a reply if needed.
Transparency remains Rule #1 among best practices for on-line discussion (blogs).
Also contains tags and links to social media sites (this feature is also available on traditional releases)
At this time, the social media release is still a Web page located on the CNW site.
At this time, the social media release is still a Web page located on the CNW site.
To integrate the on-line and traditional media, we send the latter a short advisory that includes the title and the link to the SMR.
All releases – both traditional and SMRs – are also posted to CNW’s site: newswire.ca (English) or cnw.ca (French).
The newswire.ca site attracts heavier traffic than any other similar website in Canada – approximately 3 million hits monthly.
As a result, we benefit from excellent referencing in the search engines. For example, when you search Google for the latest news about your company, the CNW release will often appear even before it’s displayed on your own site. So you benefit from the CNW website’s traffic.
All releases – both traditional and SMRs – are now distributed on Twitter, where users can subscribe to receive releases for specific sectors.
You can also subscribe to the RSS feed, to receive all your social media releases.
The videos are distributed through a number of video websites, including CNW’s YouTube page.
You also receive statistics for videos and Web pages visited.
You also receive statistics for videos and Web pages visited.
CNW will send you a weekly automated report, created using Google Analytics, that presents a profile of the number of people who looked at news about your organization, the most frequently searched terms and the most popular hyperlinks.
These data-rich reports can be used to evaluate the success of your campaign and serve as a guide for future ones.
Issuing a press release is only one step in the process.
Although we offer strong media exposure whatever the network chosen, media follow-up using the traditional press release is essential.
Just as telephone calls can help you garner traditional media coverage, an e-mail might produce comparable results in the blogosphere.
Relationships – as with any type of business relationship – must be built,
So don’t delay… Socialize within these social networks!
This means building relationships with bloggers and on-line communities, the same way you do with journalists.
When you pitch your news or ad to them, don’t expect them to start writing about your ad or product immediately. Remember: They are sure to have full-time jobs as well, so they might hold your news for the blog posting they expect to write or comment on sometime on the weekend. Sign on to their RSS feed and do your usual monitoring!
Put the SOCIAL in social media!!!
Now, here’s Pierre Bellerose, who will put into practice the theoretical elements I have just shared with you.