And this month is the 4th anniversary of this blog delivering views, news and interviews.  I said on the 500 posts entry about what I had learnt and how I think I have improved as a writer and communicator (barring my desperate need of a sub-editor at times – no more job inquiries I was joking ( well half-joking!) (I do not need a sub-editor for my client work!)).

Well a few of the really early attempts to create material of interest that reflected my outlook and were possibly of interest to readers are not bad on reflection.

I thought this piece (from way back in April 2006) was worth a look: 10 PR Crimes.  This was based on a piece I got in Entrepreneur NW on 10 Networking Crimes for Mark Greenwood of Simply Networking.

Mark actually called me a month ago or so about another article I had written for him that he said read really well and was still fresh even though it has been written a few years ago.  Such praise is welcome.

Anyway here it is:

Rob Baker of Artisan follows on Mark Greenwood’s Networking Criminals article (that appears in the current issue of Entrepreneur North West) with 10 PR crimes that should be outlawed.

Writing poor English.

Anything that hampers the reader: long sentences; long paragraphs; over use of capital letters; jargon etc.

Disguising a press release as an advert – PR is about news, it is not free advertising. If it reads like an advert then you will not get in the paper, but you might get a call from the sales department inviting you to advertise.

Sending stories to papers that are of importance to you but are of no interest to anyone else.

Not recognising a great story when you have one to tell.

Not recognising all the titles and media channels that would be interested in your story or a contribution from you. It is alright getting in the Obscure Suburban Times
or the Unheard Of Village Enquirer but it is a rather limited outlook that will not yield the best results.

Telling the reader how delighted the managing director is that the company has won a one million pound account –would never have guessed that he or she would be pleased, but you can never tell. Quotes should be interesting and give a further insight into the story.

Dull photos. Use images to really enhance your story –it makes all the difference.

Not engaging with journalists. You should build up your relationship with journalists. Anonymous blankets e-mail shots with your story can have their place if you do not have much time. However, working with journalists, learning about their publications, their foibles and needs will really help you.

Writing poor English –it has to be said again.

This is one of the PR Tips article links on the front page of my blog, so it couldn’t have been so poor.  Check out Getting more out of your agency, Tips to improving your PR and Choosing your PR agency.

Mick Greer, a Manchester based advertising copywriter, mentioned a new concept today: digital ghost towns.

(I suspect digital media professionals like Simon Wharton are familiar with this term and I am just pre-empting a comment to that effect).

Digital ghost towns are big corporate websites that are essentially static and dull and receive far fewer visitors than they should.

Mick referred to the Scamp blog, written by a creative from advertising giants BBH, which gives some light on the subject.  But better still there are two awful examples of companies with powerful budgets producing static unengaging sites that are mentioned: Budweiser and Texaco.

Scamp actually mentions BudTV, but I came across the Budweiser UK site first, which I have linked to above and is duller.  I guess it doesn’t help that I like real ale and view Budweiser, Fosters, Carling, Strongbow as tasteless mass produced piss.  Sorry I put it like that, I should be harsher.

The thing that gets me is that content, whether traditional PR, online PR or digital media or pieces that cross over,  is king.  Of course the distinction is not always clear nor can it be most of the time.

I believe we will see more businesses using their web more constructively, especially if we have to fight harder for business.

But there will still be plenty of digital ghost towns, or should I say villages, populating the web for small enterprises that need to punch above their weight in the harder times we have now.