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MEDIA MATTERS
30 Tips for Creating a Digital Press Kit
By Ann Handley
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Q: What is the appropriate photo file size to post for executive headshots and other images? What's the best format to have your images saved in the Image Library?
A: I find more requests for .jpeg than for other file formats. Size depends on usage—Web photos need to be small, while photos for a glossy magazine need to be high resolution. Best option: Post photos in a small, medium, and high resolution.
Q: What kind of information should executive bios contain?
A: Avoid resumes. Focus on highlights and accomplishments. Give us a sense of personality and vision. Make the person real and not just a cardboard cutout.
Q: Should you mention a company's charitable contributions or causes?
A: Yes. If you company is taking a leadership position by being a good corporate citizen, that's important. You may find that some customers and potential partners will value that in their consideration.
Q: Is there a suggested time frame that press releases should be posted on the site, or should all be posted in archives?
A: I think one year is all most people care about. After that, really important stuff should be added to your corporate history.
Q: How about offering free "expert-authored articles" via the press kit...? Any tips in that area?
A: I'd post the free expert articles on a site like eZineArticles.com and similar sites rather than hiding them in your press kit. That way they also help drive traffic to your site and will be picked up by other sites, bloggers, and reporters.
Q: Should you include case studies, if you have them?
A: Case studies could make a very good inclusion. Make sure they are benefit-oriented and tell a coherent story. Always get permission from your clients before using their name or using identifiable information, else blur the company identity and avoid identifying details.
Q: Is it appropriate to offer executives to speak as experts on a subject area? Does the press appreciate a company contact and expert to verify and validate their story?
A: Absolutely. We call those people "subject matter experts" (SMEs), and they can be valuable resources. Good SMEs are knowledgeable about their industry, can speak without launching a sales pitch, and are easy to reach on short deadline.
Q: How do blogs fit into press kits? Can press kits have blogs attached to them?
A: I think a blog can reference a press kit and a press kit can have a link to a blog, but it's not really the same as "attaching" them. Blogs are more of an ongoing dialogue with readers in your industry—either peers or consumers. Good blogs aren't just promotional—they're informational. Be careful about mixing the two.
Q: How are companies using RSS to tell their story?
A: RSS is "Really Simple Syndication," a way that Web sites broadcast a new posting to the Internet and to subscribers. RSS gives interested readers a way to subscribe to your press releases and your blog or podcast postings so that they automatically get every new posting instead of having to go look for them.
Q: Finally, how do you convince the C-suite that this is an investment worth making?
A: Justifying the continued existence and budget of the marketing department is always marketing's most difficult pitch! :) You've got to invest in C-Suite education. And if that fails... show them what your competition is doing!
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