 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Publicity On The Net - For the Bookshelf Major Keary |
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When Steve O'Keefe's book, Publicity on the Internet was published in
1997 the first chapter, The Power of Internet Publicity ran to just four pages, two of which were in
fact about the author and the book. In this new title, Complete Guide to Internet Publicity, the first
chapter is also named, The Power of Internet Publicity; however, it runs to eleven pages in which the
author presents a useful discussion of the background, problems, principles, and
practice of using the
Internet for commercial publicity.
The reason for the change from a simple pros and cons statement to a more detailed analysis is
simple: times have changed. E-mail has effectively replaced the fax as a delivery vehicle for press and PR
releases, which now have to survive spam filters and knee-jerk deletion.
The Complete Guide to Internet Publicity is about "creating and launching successful online
campaigns". The focus is on commercial operations, but the principles can also be applied to community,
public interest, and political issues.
There are a number of ways other than e-mail in which Internet services can be used for publicity campaigns.
The author discusses online news rooms, discussion groups, newsletters and direct marketing, chat tours,
online seminars and workshops, web site registration and linkages, contests, and syndicating promotions.
There is even a chapter on how to build your own online publicity operation.
It is common to find that books written about marketing campaigns are largely the kind of hyperbole spouted
by motivators and the like. There's not a trace of that in this title. The author gives sound, practical
advice backed up with technical detail that won't leave the non-technical reader floundering. If you want to
create a successful online campaign, for whatever purpose, it will be necessary to understand Web mechanics,
which is not the same as Web design. The two overlap, but an example of pure mechanics is Web site
registration and linkage. It is one of the important mechanisms that controls who you want at your site, how
people will find your site, and search engine optimisation. Registration, for a commercial campaign, costs;
it also requires knowledge of the procedures involved. Linkages require the right approach to web masters.
Steve O'Keefe deals with the issues in depth and suggests formats that are practical and - in his experience
- have worked.
This is a book written by someone who has 'been there, done that'. It is pitched at people who are
involved in, or want to know about, commercial promotions and publicity campaigns. The principles are much
the same for community campaigns, and it is recommended to anyone who wants to use the Internet to save the
environment at large or particular bits. It deserves a place on reading lists for communication (as in
writing) courses.
| Steve O'Keefe: Complete Guide to Internet Publicity ISBN 0-471-10580-5 Published by Wiley, 436 pp., RRP $73.95 incl. GST. |
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Reprinted from the June 2002 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
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