Writing a press release

I need to boost site traffic. Page views went down after I finished my career as an Emazing tipper...

I'm working on a press release to send to newspapers and magazines in the US - telling them mostly about our growing community in the forums. I thought maybe some of you can help. Please let me know if you can think of any newspapers and magazines that might be interested in running a story on TCS and our community. Maybe you know of any major newspapers that run websites reviews or such? If you could give me any addresses, that would be great.
I am told that sending PR by mail is better than emailing it and I'm willing to give it a try.

Also, if you have any quotes you think should go into this release, just shoot... If you have something special to tell about how this site helped you or something like that. Just make it 2-3 lines long and I may just use it...

You can either post here or send me an email.

A million thanks to you all!!!

The Times Union in Albany NY is always running stories on animals etc. They might be a contact. Albany is the Capitol of NYS .

The Buffalo Evening News in Buffalo NY might also be a good target. That way both ends of NYS would be covered.

I am not a newspaper person so I do not have much else to offer. I do think this is a great idea. TCS is wonderful. I have gotten much needed advice and encouragement with my little projects with my ferals and my own fur babies. What I like is that no question or problem is too small to talk about and someone is always there with good advice or consolation - even if there are no magic answers.

Good luck with this idea, Anne. I think it is fantstic. Where do you get all the energy for stuff like this?

Anne,

Seeing as I work for a newspaper, The Hartford Courant, if you'd like to fax the press release to me. Or...write it in the site and I'll write it up for you to save time and submit it. Might I also suggest Cat Fancy??

Let me know what you want to do. I'd be glad to help in anyway I can. Hope you and baby are doing well! Say hi to hubby.

Love,

Donna

I was also going to suggest Cat Fancy...but Donna beat me to it!
I would think the other cat magazines, though I do not know the names, would also make good targets! And in Iowa, the Des Moines Register would be a great one!! It reaches so many people from miles and miles away from there. Hope this helps.

I love reading computer magazines. Family PC and Yahoo! Internet Life are a couple of my favorites. What about sending a letter to the editor of those magazines? Maybe they're planning an article about pet sites on the web?

smiles...

I think since there are so many of us here from Oregon we should be represented...so maybe the Oregonian, which has a Living and Metro section, and runs many human interest stories?

Also there are some smaller but widely read free papers, Willamette Week is the only one that comes to mind right now though...I'll think on it...or better yet...ask Mr. Cat!

Spread the word!!!

Cleo

Originally posted by debra myers
Where do you get all the energy for stuff like this?

Click to expand...

I don't. That's why it's taking me so long to do anything. I'm on limited computer time (still under doctor's orders) and I don't have a lot of energy.

I just really need more traffic. You see, this site is supposed to be my main source of income eventually. So far, after 9 months, it still isn't making any money to speak of, though thanks to the generosity of members who paid membership fees or purchased products, it's now paying back it's hosting costs. The site is large enough and has lots of content and the forums have definitely taken off, so what I need now is more traffic. If I could have ten times the traffic that I have now, I could be making several hundreds dollars a month and that would be something nice that I could stay at home with and not have to get a proper day job. As I don't want to spend a lot of money promoting the site, I figured I should be working on things like press releases and see if that brings in visitors.

Anne,

Since there are alot of cat lovers at work, I'm going to post the web address on the bulletin board for people to take a look.

Donna

Anne; My experience with press releases has proven that you need great "HOOK LINE". Somethig that trips the curiosity and spurs the reader to finish reading the rest of the release. It need to be "Current" or to playoff of a current fad. Such as: Who Let the Cats Out ? Pu-r-r-r-rfect Answer to WHATSSUP ?
Web Surfers, Check Out This LITTERBOX!
Answer to Virtual Pets: Cat Fanciers Find Cyber Support Group (do you follow what I mean? These are just 4 examples of Hook Line that you could use to open the release. But, Hey, where is Mr.Cat (he did this type of thing in the Real World just like Donna; who I am sure has great suggestions also.)

I just put a notice on our bulletin board in bold, capital letters about the cat site and all the neat stuff it offers. I'll let you know how it works out.

Anne....I would hate to see this site go under....this is the only thing I do on the internet anymore...is come here, to see my friends. I know you need to make some money to keep it going, and I as others, have donated, but I am sure it is not nearly enough. I wish there was something more I could do....I wish I could win the lottery and give you half of it, to keep this site going...I am so scared that it will disappear, just like when I got so attached to a forums site...Frappydoo...that you also were a member of, (that's how I found this site) and one day everything was fine, then the next day, the administrator of the site said...the end of this week we are shutting down. No more. I could not bear it if that ever happened here! If you get to the point (and I pray you don't) where you are considering shutting this site down, please give us some warning, so that maybe, if at all possible we can somehow help out enough to keep it going!!!!
I just know I as others would be heartbroken if this site went under...but yet it should not be totally your responsibility to keep it going...we all need to help...and if you can't make enough money to stay at home and do this, we understand. But please give us some warning, more than they did on Frappydoo, so that we could somehow dig even deeper in out pockets behind the lint, and try to help!!
WE LOVE YOU! And we love this site...and maybe I am getting carried away, but I would hate to lose this place...it is my home away from home. Without it....my life would be so much more empty. I am sure many members agree.

Oh, Debby...

I don't think I'll ever close these forums - they're too dear to me. I don't know why Jim did what he did in FD. I intend to keep the forums even if they are not profitable. At most, I'll have to limit some features to save on hosting space and I won't be around as much and won't update the rest of the site - but the forums are here to stay.

Hubby and I had a long talk today, about how it's been one year since I left the army and I'm still not making any money. By September I will start looking for new venues of income, mainly tutoring. I hope I will still have enough time to spend on the site, but I can't go on like this forever. I am also looking into finding a sponsor for the site (like a large cat food company or something like that). And maybe the press releases will help me get some more needed traffic. All in all, I do not despair so please don't worry about it now! You have enough on your mind this week with poor Peaches gone to need to worry about the site.

Anne,

I like coming to this site too, even though I don't have 1000+ posts! :tounge2: I think you are doing a great job on this site -- As for money, have you thought of going into web design as a career? Lots of people who are in that business make lots of money and can work from home.

Yes, I am doing that actually, but there are not a lot of potential customers where I live. I've tried to find international customers. If you know anyone who's looking for a web designer, please refer them to : www.hogsmead.com

Thank you, Anne, for putting my mind at ease....this place means so much to me...when everything else in life is all screwed up, I can always come here, and find solice, and it is like when I was a little girl, and when life got too much to handle, I had this special tree about a half mile from home, that I would go sit under, and it was my special place...well this is my special place now!!! ( I hope that didn't sound totally insane!)

If there is anything at all I can do to help you out...please don't hesitate to ask!!!

Anne,
I would like to make a donation, but don't have a credit card.
Is there a way I can send a money order, and if so, what is the address?
I'm far from wealthy, but would like to help support this site, it gives so much to me.

Cleo