Shannon Whitley, of PRX Builder, has released the first plugin specifically designed for the creation of a social media news release. SimpleSMPR WordPress Plugin Alpha Version 0.3.
I’m going to play with the plugin to create a release, but first I’ve simply placed the “sample release” Shannon provides in this post (see below).
First of all, congrats and thanks to Shannon for creating this plugin. I think it has potential for positive use.
I’m just going to jot down my thoughts, in no particular order, as I look at his plugin. I did this fast, so please forgive any errors.
This plugin is the first to format a post specifically for a release. Yes, the Structured Blogging Plugin may be adapted to accomplish this task. Also, the WP Default Post Content could be used to create a blog solely for releases and seeded with the appropriate code tags. Then, you edit the post as needed. That would take time, though.
Shannon has created a tool which will allow you to create the SMNR for your blog and also upload it to your PRX Builder account.
The plugin works much the same way the WordPress quicktags editor does and uses BBCode, of sorts. You highlight text and click a button to apply the tags like [body] and [multimedia], [quotes], [links] etc.
Shannon calls this the SMPR plugin and I’ll keep using SMNR as these releases are more for the release of news, in general, and not necessarily intended for the press. A small quibble for now, but it reminds us that in this early adoption process an agreed upon name is still in question.
For those worried about validation … The plugin/template uses tables. For some CSS/markup purists, this may cause some angst. Let’s remember that the plugin is in Alpha stage and this can be changed.
It might be nice to provide a unique CSS file for the release plugin just in case this PRX Builder plugin’s div class=”body” and p class=”body” conflict with someone’s existing CSS stylesheets. Don’t know if that is a big issue, but it may happen. Right? Also, it might be best to use this on a blog whose theme is one column.
OK, I’m out of time right now, but I’ll revisit this a bit later. Read on to see the sample release Shannon’s plugin generates. I think you did a great job, Shannon. Look forward to talking with you about it in the future. We’ll try to use it in class, too. Thanks!
P.S. I already see one glitch. When posted, the quicktags from the comments section show up above the !–more– tag. Interesting and strange. Remember, it is an Alpha version and therefore still under development.
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SHIFT COMMUNICATIONS DEBUTS FIRST-EVER TEMPLATE FOR “SOCIAL MEDIA PRESS RELEASE”
[subheadline]- The “Re-Mixable” Press Release Provides Relevant Context & Content in a Hyperlinked Format for Journalists, Bloggers -[/subheadline]
[dateline]May 23, 2006[/dateline]
[body]NEWS FACTS
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SHIFT Communications – a mid-sized independent PR agency – is the first to offer a template for use by PR professionals looking to evolve traditional press release formats for the dawning “social media” age.
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The format is available, in PDF format, from SHIFT’s website and agency principal Todd Defren’s blog.
Use of the template is freely available; no copyright protections apply. -
SHIFT Communications believes that journalists and bloggers are now fully adapted to using the World Wide Web for research purposes. The “Social Media Press Release” merely facilitates their research by using the latest tools (social bookmarking, RSS, etc.) to provide background data, context and on-going updates to clients’ news.
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The “Social Media Press Release” is also distinctive for tying together various multimedia elements in one place, enabling the journalist to view and/or “re-mix” media elements.
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For example, the journalist can learn more about the client’s story via a demo video, or, adapt the multimedia content for their own stories.
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The next-generation press release format was inspired by Tom Foremski of Silicon Valley Watcher.
[/body]
[links] Please use this link to access a purpose-built del.icio.us page, for more information.
RSS feed to purpose-built del.icio.us site.
Updated with on-going coverage, industry news & reaction
[/links]
[multimedia] MULTIMEDIA ELEMENTS:
 SHIFT Communications logo |
 Todd S. Defren, Principal SHIFT Communications |
 “Social Media Press Release” version 1.0 template |
[/multimedia]
ATTRIBUTABLE TO TODD S. DEFREN, PRINCIPAL AT SHIFT COMMUNICATIONS
(Click here for Todd Defren’s LinkedIn profile)
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“The ubiquity of broadband Web use, combined with ever-easier-to-use online tools and relevant, user-generated content is creating a unique opportunity for the PR profession to re-think what we do and how we do it.”
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“The ‘Big Change’ is the recognition that journalists are Internet users – they are increasingly comfortable researching and working online, across many types of ‘re-mixable media’ (hyperlinks, text, photos, videos, etc.) … The Social Media Press Release merely amplifies prospective source materials; it does not replace a well-crafted, customized pitch nor replace the need to provide basic, factual news to the media.”
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“As the consumer-generated media wave continues to crest, it will be incumbent on the PR industry to stay current, in order to remain a relevant source of story ideas for the media.”
Please contact Parry Headrick to arrange an interview and/or for additional quotes.
[/quotes]
[boilerplate]ABOUT SHIFT COMMUNICATIONS
SHIFT Communications’ high performance public relations and marketing communications services bolster clients’ marketplace reputation and produce measurable results that directly lead to increased revenues. The independent agency works with both new and established companies competing in a variety of technology, business-to-business and consumer markets. SHIFT Communications’ offices are located in the Boston, Mass., and San Francisco, Calif. metros. For more information, visit http://www.shiftcomm.com/.[/boilerplate]
[services][/services]
[smpr_tags]social media, press release, Foremski, pr, public relations, SHIFT Communications[/smpr_tags]
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