The seven areas that online public relations covers are as follows:

Press Releases

If you read the ebook, then there are only three pieces of valuable information I can add at this time. One, read it again in six months. Two, this ebook is your new bible and should be required reading for everyone sending out press releases, especially a public relations firm/person you hire in the future. Three, only send out a press release or put it online if you actually have newsworthy information. You’ll know it’s newsworthy because of the following:

• It’s something new, different, unusual, controversial or outlandish
• Someone has done something heroic, highly admirable or unusual
• It is something that will catch the general public's interest and attention
• The story has an impact on the general public
• The story relates to a prominent local, regional, national or international issue or trend

Taking your press release online is only going to strengthen your online presence and help make a journalist’s job, somewhat, easier.

Blogs

A blog is a journal or diary of events usually displayed in a reverse chronological order. Blogs are changing how we communicate on a global basis. They may have started out as purely text based entities, but now have risen to a mass medium which now encompass the use of video, photos and audio on some blogs. There are 55 million blogs online, and there is at least one for every industry and niche interest you can think of. Fans, consumers, the media and your grandma are writing and updating blogs globally. Using a blog to communicate with your community or to update internal employees on an on-going subject will help open the two-way channels of communication.

Wikis

A wiki is a website. However, it’s different from most websites because anyone can update and edit the site. Wikipedia is the most common known wiki out there today. Wikis have been used for everything from collaborating on projects to growing a user-base knowledge on a topic. In the next column, we’ll look at an “unusual” use for a wiki and one that could take off within the industry and save you money.

Message Boards

Message boards date back to the humble days of the Internet; pre-1991. Message boards still hold a lot of weight on the Internet today and are used by communities wishing to communicate with each other, but don’t need instant replies, which the use of e-mails or IM would allow.

Podcasts

Podcasts are audio programs, much like a radio show, but delivered online to the consumer if they chose to listen to your program. Larry Hryb, a.k.a. “Major Nelson” from Microsoft, is a great example of compelling content that his community wants to listen to.

Video

I don't think this even needs an explanation. YouTube, Metacafe and Revver are all poplar video sites on the Internet. The Mentos & Coca Cola video is a great example of compelling content. Compelling content is what makes your game stand out, and you need to bring that to your online PR efforts. Standing out from the crowd and giving your community something they would watch is only going to help promote your game.

Social Networks

Much like video and podcasts, you are going to need to make compelling content for your user base. MySpace, Facebook and FaceParty are all social networks that are doing well, and especially for the niche they go after.

Online Magazines/Newsletters

Starting an online publication is a great way to communicate with your audience. As always, provide compelling content and you are off to a good start. In my next column I’ll talk more about what is compelling content.

Conclusion

A lot of the tools above will facilitate and open the channels of communication with you and your community. However, you need to provide compelling content, not force it on your fans & customers and listen when your community speaks. I hope the examples are a good primer for our next column.

As I mentioned before, next time we’ll cover how to use these different areas, how to do it safely, bridging the gap between online and offline PR and what tools to use to track your messages once it’s out there.

Lastly, I want to use our next column to show some unique ways to use the above tools and reach your community with compelling content. You’ll have to be a trendsetter, but if you are willing to take some risk, you can be a leader in online PR. Until next time, please practice safe, ethical and smart PR.