If you're going to have a website, you want a Media Resources page.
"I don't need a page for that. I never get interviewed by newspapers or television stations."
Are you thinking this? I hear this objection all the time. From people who should know better.
Disney has complete websites set up for news media, with news releases, a list of story ideas, a calendar, and a gallery of high resolution photographs that are often picked up for newspapers and magazines. They do separate websites for Disneyland and Walt Disney World, for the Disney studios, and for other enterprises.
You don't need to go that far. Just have a page titled "Media Resources" and put a link to it on your front page.
"What if someone who's not in the media looks at the page?"
Are you thinking there's a problem with this? There's not.
Your 'Media Resources' page
In fact, a couple of weeks ago I heard it from a client who couldn't see having a section on the website for news media. A week later, he was complaining to me about the extensive write-up he received in a local newspaper.
If you're in business, promoting a cause, or championing an idea, you need publicity, any way you can get it. Well, we hope you create opportunities for journalists to write about you, to interview you, and to feature you on their programs.
Even if you think you haven't created a publicity opportunity, a journalist may find a way to use you in a story. If they can find you. And if they can get what they need.
Without a Media Resources page, they have to catch you in the office, then you have to gather up the information they need and get it to them. The big challenge is that often their need is on a weekend, in the middle of the night, or while you are out of town.
When I was writing for a newspaper, I was often writing at nights and on weekends. And I hated to wake people up at 11:30 pm to ask them about their activities, or to try to get a headshot to print in the weekend edition.
Your Media Resources page is a welcome discovery for these people. It will be used by:
- journalists who are looking for information about you.
- journalists who are looking for information about your industry or cause, and who discover you online.
- people in your industry who need information for conferences, training, and planning.
- meeting planners who are involved with organizations or groups you might speak to.
A few things you might want to have on your Media Resources Page:
- Press kits
- Photos
- Biographical information on key people
- An overview of what the company does
- Historical information on the company
- List of key people and media contacts
Photos: As you saw on the ThemeParkDetective.com website, it's good to include two or three versions of each photo. The full size photo should be a high resolution scan to a jpg file at "100 quality." Then a smaller or "thumbnail" size is available for viewing amd use on web pages. The full size version is for download by media and meeting planners who need a high quality version for printing.
Your 'Meeting Planner' page
Professional speakers know they need a page for Meeting Planners. But lots of other people do too.
If you do any speaking, or take part in meetings as a trainer, facilitator, or other expert participant, you may be able to help a meeting planner by providing appropriate information. The folks who plan those meetings will be thrilled if you can provide them with information... when they need it, 24/7.
That's the neat thing about your website. It's there when you're not. It's ready to help these folks. It's easier for them, and it's easier for you, too, once it's there.
And it doesn’t cost you anything extra to put it on your website.
A few things you might want to have on your Meeting Planner Page:
- Speaker kits, if available
- List of topics you can speak about, with a short descrioption of each
- List of groups where you have presented programs
- Testimonials
If you do a lot of speaking, you may eventually want to set up sub-pages with specific information for different types of meetings.
Your Meeting Planners Page may also include a link to the Media Resources Page so planners can obtain photos and bios for promotion, for programs, for websites, and for newsletters. (It's not necessary to post all those twice.)
How about an example?
Have a look at a website with very simple, yet effective Media Resources and Meeting Planners pages: ThemeParkDetective.com.
