Blogger Resource: How to Use PR Newswire

The MSB team is so excited to have Amanda from PR Newswire here to talk about how you can utilize this resource! A big thank you to Amanda for putting this together for us again!  

Blogger Resource: Updates to PR Newswire for Journalists

Whether it’s a new haircut or a closet overhaul, change can be refreshing. Recently, PR Newswire’s platform for bloggers and the media underwent a makeover. Re-launched in February, PR Newswire for Journalists’ new, responsive design not only looks better, but many of its tools are even easier to use. 

After stopping by Midwest Style Bloggers last year  with a PR Newswire for Journalists how-to, I’m happy to be back to update you on how fashion and style bloggers can take advantage of the site’s different features.

Receive the Style News You Want, When You Want

We’ve streamlined our newsfeed customization process so that it’s easier to receive and save announcements from designers, retailers and others in the fashion industry.

My favorite improvement is that the process of selecting your email preferences and search criteria has been reorganized to fit on one page.

In the top-right of PR Newswire for Journalists, click on “Edit My Profiles” from the drop-down menu beneath your name.   At the bottom of the next page, you’ll click “Create New Profile.” 

If you’re new to the site, you will be prompted to add a newsfeed after you register.

On the “Create a News Release Feed” page, you’ll first tell us how often and when you want to receive news, as well as your other email preferences:

Below that you’ll select the type of news you want by keyword, company, industry, subject, place, and language. 

The search criteria work the same as they used to on PR Newswire for Journalists.  Criteria groups such as Industries and Subjects are combined in an “and” relationship. Within each criteria group, you can make multiple selections which will be combined in an “or” relationship.

For style bloggers, I’ve found that the following industries and subjects work well:

Industries: Cosmetics and Personal Care; Fashion; Jewelry; and Textiles

Subjects: Features; New Products/Services; Product Recalls; Surveys, Polls, & Research; and Women-related News

However, you can mix and match according to your own interests.

If there’s a press release that you want to save, click the bookmark icon next to the headline. When you go to the My PR Newswire tab at the top-left of the screen, there will be a section on the right to view all of your bookmarks.

Other enhancements to our newsfeeds and press releases include the ability to share on social media and view related news from the same company:

Additional Newsfeed Resources:

·       6 Steps to Ensure On Target News Release Delivery

Find Free Multimedia for Your Blog Posts

The new multimedia gallery now has more search options than before.

Instead of just browsing by a keyword or content category, the Advanced Search menu allows you to search for multimedia by geography, industry, date, and keyword in the caption. In the screenshot below, I searched for the tag ‘Fashion.’

It’s also now easier to download an image from a dropdown menu. The client’s original resolution, as well as large, medium and thumbnail versions, are available: 

As before, any images from PR Newswire’s Multimedia Gallery can be used on your blog for free if credit is included. The photo credit is located within parenthesis at the end of the caption. For instance, the above image should be credited to PRNewsFoto/b michael AMERICA.

Just like with news releases, related images will now display to the right of a photo and social sharing buttons will appear above.

Additional Multimedia Resources:

·       42% of Bloggers and Journalists Report Using More Multimedia

Connect with Brands for Product Reviews and Research

ProfNet helps connect bloggers with sources for research, product reviews, and Q&As. The updates made to PR Newswire for Journalists provide more direct access to your query inbox and drafts and our searchable database of subject matter experts.

If you’re interested in reviewing products or are writing a blog post and need an expert’s input, fill out the “ProfNet Query Form” with details about your request:

If there is a geographic region or organization type you always want to submit your queries to, you can now save those under the Query Preferences tab.

For instance, we typically recommend submitting product review requests to the following organization types: Authors, speakers and consultants; Corporations; PR agencies; and Small businesses. You can save those in your Preferences tab so that they are automatically selected every time.

If you save a draft before submitting it or want to access query replies and your expired queries, you can access those in the ProfNet Inbox.

In addition to submitting a query, you can search for sources and reach out to them directly via our database on ProfNet Connect.

Additional ProfNet Resources:

·       Guidelines for Bloggers Requesting Products

·       ProfNet for Journalists: How to Manage Your Query Inbox

·       ProfNet for Journalists: Searching the Experts Database

Discover Other Bloggers, Blogging Trends and Community Events

While most of PR Newswire for Journalists’ changes were improvements to tools bloggers and journalists have been using for years, we also launched a brand new Community section to the site featuring our new media blog.

On Beyond Bylines, bloggers can find information on blogging tips, trends and tools, as well as blogger profiles. 

We also have compiled a list of upcoming blogger events and our industry newsfeeds on Twitter, such as @PRNFashion and @PRNleisure. 

If you’d like your blog to be considered for a Beyond Bylines profile, submit your information here.

Additional Community Resources:

·       Creating Community Within These Walls

If you have any questions about PR Newswire for Journalists or need help creating a free account for your blog, email us at Media.Relations@prnewswire.com. You can also register online.

Social Saturday 5/3/14

Now Until May 6th- Eeny Meeny Miny Morgan is hosting a giveaway featuring Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint (perfect for any DIY!) Enter here!

May 16th- 5th Annual Rock the Block Fashion Show at the Kansas City Live Block! in the Kansas City Power & Light District at 8pm. More info here!

May 18th- Spring Style Swap Party in Chicago from 3:00–6:00pm. For event details and ticket information, click here. 

May 24th- Iowa Blogger Coffee Date from 10am-Noon at Smokey Row (RSVP: Katelyn at KatalinaGirlBlog@gmail.com)

Now Until May 31st- Kelly Elliott Creative is offering 25% off 100+ business cards. Email her at kellyelliottcreative@gmail.com. 

Now Until June 1st- Chelsea Photographie is offering 1-hour blogger photography sessions in Iowa for only $30. Contact her here!

February 22nd- Go Blog Social - GBS "Workshop"! This event will take place February 22, 2015 at River Market Event Place! Save the date and stay tuned for more details.

Friday Favorites link up, v.9

Hello Friday! We're happy to post another edition of our Friday Favorites Link Up. We've hand picked four of our favorite images from the Midwest Bloggers network to share with you. Have a great link for next Friday send it to us at MidwestStyleBloggers@gmail.com with the subject line "Friday Link Up" for a chance to be featured. 

Our Faves!

1) Lindsay of the blog Pink and Navy Stripes just got back from the Reward Style conference in Texas last week. Check out a few of her pictures oh and we love that scarf!

2) Courtney, blogger behind As We Stumble Along is sharing the ins and outs of a Tangerine-colored lip. Because duh, orange is the new black!

3) Jenna of Clothed in Confetti is rocking some seriously awesome heels. We don’t know about you but we can’t get enough of the strappy and lace up styles.

4) April, the voice of Sweet Escape is showing a little tummy is her gorgeous crop top. This girl has two little cuties and still manages to look and feel sexy—you go April!

Don't forget to share your favorite post of the week below!

Interested in hosting a Friday Favorites link up with us? Email us at midweststylebloggers@gmail.com!

Branding Your Blog: Abby Madison of Home Sweet Townhome

We're so excited to have Abby of Sweet Home Townhome sharing her process of her most recent blog rebrand with us today! Rebranding can be a big undertaking, but also a huge step in the right direction when it comes to creating your own unique space online. We love what Abby's done, so we wanted to share her own process with all of you!

    

 When I began my blog last June, it was purely a fun side project. I wasn't sure how long it would last, since the premise of it was to turn our outdated rental into a cozy, attractive home. But it's survived the worst of my procrastination, and I've found my blogging groove as time went on. However, the branding itself was all over the place. There wasn't a solid focus, which made the designer in me cringe. I finally made myself take the time to sit down and figure out what Home Sweet Townhome was all about. This process was so important in narrowing down the branding for my blog, and also for taking that next step in my blog's growth. Below is the process I recommend working through when you're at that point with your own blog (or possibly considering a rebrand.)

Pictured above are a few different logos explorations I went through when working through the process of branding my blog. 

1. Research: Ask yourself... What is my blog all about, and does it need a stronger focus? Who is my audience (and or desired audience)? How do I want people to feel when they're reading my content (spiritual, happy, informed, inspired, etc)? Where do I want this blog to go in the future? What are other similar blogs doing with their branding that's successful or not working, and how can I set myself apart from them? -- Base every design decision on this research so you have a reason behind every choice you make. You'll thank yourself later when you're tempted to sway in a sea of trends. 

  

2. Edit: I compiled tons of images on a private board on Pinterest that reflected where I wanted my branding to be. I then edited that down to a mood board to inspire my next step. I looked at everything from logo designs to blog layouts to vintage book covers, and each offered something unique to my inspiration. 

  

3. Logo: If you aren't ready financially to hire a designer to create a logo for you, then remember these basic rules about logos. Logos are the singular mark of your brand. They should be simple but bold, and also flexible for a wide variety of situations. I designed my own logo with the intention of it being a recognizable mark on its own, sans wording. If you're a reader of my blog, you'll hopefully recognize the townhome graphic on its own after only a few visits because it's one of a kind. If you do know it, I know I'm doing something right in my branding. Logos should also be unique for that very reason. In a nutshell, well-designed logos are simple, bold, flexible, and memorable. It's a hard mark to hit, and a lot of brands go through logo refreshes over time, myself included! 

  

4. Color: In my own blog, the colors reside mostly in the photos. However, I wanted to add more graphic elements to my posts, and I needed a strict color guide to stick to. I chose light pastels because they show up often in my own home, and they're neutral enough that I can use them in a variety of situations. I don't want anything competing with the photos on my blog, so the colors needed to be both complimentary and quiet. Colors make a big impact on how people feel when they visit your blog. This article on color theory might give you some helpful insight there if you're interested! 

 5. Layout & Graphic Elements: I've been really happy with the layout I've been using recently. It's clean, and focuses the eye on the photography. Graphic elements, like the lamp icon in the final graphic of this post, will mostly peek through in my marketing materials and blog posts, while the layout leaves plenty of white space. Leaving things open right now also allows me a little wiggle room in the future should I decide to add to the sidebar. 

 6. Consistency: Make sure to keep your visuals consistent outside of your blog on every marketing material, social media platform, and ad. As tempting as it may be to experiment outside of the branding guide you've created, resist. This is so so so important. I know I've personally struggled in the past with wanting to completely revamp my entire blog after seeing another beautifully branded blog. This is exactly why I created the branding guide for HSTH. I needed something to hold me accountable to the informed decisions I've made about my blog. If eventually you feel an itch to rebrand, refer to the research you did in Step 1. Feelings on colors and styles may change, but if they're built on core decisions you've made for your blog's brand (that probably won't change), you'll think twice before jumping ship.

What I've come to realize is that branding a blog is like having a dinner party. The blog layout is like your kitchen table. It can come in a variety of different sizes, colors, styles, etc. and when you choose that table you'll need to think about the people who dine there, the food you place on it, and the table settings you'll put together. Choose a handcrafted farmhouse table with Indian food, pink polka-dot napkins and gold glittered plates, and people will be so very confused... And as a result, they won't know what to expect for the next meal. 

At the end of the day, you want your brand to be the best, most complete experience of dining at that table. The food (your content), the table setting (design elements), and the table itself (layout) are all what make up the dinner, or... your brand. And most importantly, you'll gather a more focused community to the table as a result of a complete dining experience. Finally, remember that every detail matters, and consistency is key. The blogs that I love are consistent in their branding, and it makes me want to visit again and again. This is the goal of building your brand to begin with, of course!

   

I'm really pleased with the guide I've created for Home Sweet Townhome. My hope is that I can turn to it for inspiration and guidance to stay consistent with the brand I'm trying to build. 

Interested in info or rebranding your own site? Reach out to Abby at abby@homesweettownhome.com!

Techie Tuesdays: Difference Between Logo & Header

Developing your blog identity is essential to increasing readership and following; your website's look and feel contributes to the overall message of your brand. In the blogosphere, very often the words "logo" and "header" are used synonymously. When trying to brand yourself, it is importance to understand both, especially if you are working with a designer to create your over all look. Understand the difference between a logo and header will help you identify the long-term goals of your blog as well as increase your return on investment while working with a designer. 

What is a logo?

In the most basic sense, a logo is a graphic mark/emblem that conveys your brand as quickly as possible i.e. think of Apple, Starbucks, Nike. A logo should be able to work in black-white as well as in 4-colors. A logo is used on all print and digital publications. Most, if not nearly all companies have logos. Logos are simple, memorable, timeless and versatile. Below is the logo I designed for The Garden Apt. It uses on the "G" and "A" to play on an apartment building number. This TGA is used on my website, as a favicon, in my social media profiles, and on my business card. When I'm collaborating with other brands and bloggers, the logo can be used for different materials. It's simple and clean.

What is a header?

A header is a usually a rectangular shape design of your website title. It usually appears on every website. It is usually full of decorative text and less emblematic. Frequently, headers don't have the same functionality as logos, but people like to try to make them work. For example, ever try to resize your header to fit in as a square image for social media; you understand the issue.

Isn't a header just enough?

Most bloggers do not; bloggers have headers. If working with a designer to design and build your site, I always encourage my clients to go for a logo option. If you are going to spend the money, you might as well get a option that will give you the most longetivity. What if you do become insanely popular, a good logo will be able to translate to various print and digital publications designed by other third-parties. 

A header is not going to make the cut. BUT, if you think, this is just my blog, I might have a blog design and a business card with it, but that's it, then a header is your more affordable option depending on who you are working with.

Do you have tech or design questions you would like answered? "Techie Tuesdays" is a weekly series written by Lindsay Humes of White Oak Creative and The Garden Apt. In order to make this series as beneficial to Midwest Bloggers, you can email your specific questions to Lindsay at lindsay@wocreative.com and she will answer them in her weekly series.

Behind the Bloggers: Brewed Together

Names: Marilyn and Kaleb Nimz

Blog Name: Brewed Together

Current City: Oklahoma City

When & why did you start blogging?

We started our blog on January 1st, 2013 as a new years resolution to document all of our creative interests together. We both had been dabbling in several different creative things separately and together, so we decided to create a blog to begin documenting everything. We work together on several things and value each others opinion on anything creative we do, so it makes sense for us to do this together.

What’s the greatest thing that’s come out of blogging? 

The greatest thing that's come from blogging is probably the friendships we've made. Through blogging, we've met and become close to so many people around the U.S that have something in common with us. While we don't always share the same creative passions, we share the same interest of blogging. And many of those other bloggers know what it's like to struggle with creating good content or finding people to read your blog. It's crazy to think that 50% of your time and energy actually goes into maintaining, taking photos, and writing for your blog. But nothing is more fulfilling than seeing your work laid out in the end on your blog. Having a blog is like sharing your most personal diary with the world and releasing it into the wild. You never know what's going to happen, but it's an adventure - and what would life be if you weren't risking anything?

 When you’re not blogging, what can you be found doing? 

Getting coffee and waffles together at our favorite place called Cafe Evoke. Also when we have a free weekend, we enjoy camping with friends. We also enjoy being active and love running, cycling and rowing. Being outside is a great way for us to find inspiration for our blog posts.

  What’s the one piece of advice you would share with bloggers just starting out? 

Don't be afraid to be completely yourself on your blog, but also be aware that your family will be reading every post (maybe even your grandmother). Be the best version of yourself and let it shine!

What’s your “can’t live without” piece in your closet, kitchen,  home etc? 

For Marilyn: Probably my 50 dresses I have in every color in my closet. Not a week goes by that I don't wear at least one dress. For Kaleb: Probably my camera collection. I take one of my cameras with me wherever I go and it's become one of my greatest passions in the last year.

On a Friday night, what can you be found doing? 

When we were younger, we could always be found out and about at the latest social event and with people all the time. Nowadays, we are usually at home in our living room watching Netflix, working on something creative (like painting or drawing), cuddling with Evie, and eating popcorn.

How do you balance blogging with a work/social life? 

This has been one of the greatest challenges of blogging for us. We love the challenge of working on our blog together, but we also maintain day jobs that we are also passionate about. We definitely don't get as much sleep as we used to. But since we started our blog a year ago, we made the commitment to our blog and haven't looked back. And it has totally been worth it. As far as balancing everything, we find that we do best with focusing on our day jobs throughout the week and focusing on the blog on the weekends. Sometimes if we have a weekend completely free, we can get ahead in prepping posts and have some backlogged for a few weeks. And we always make time for a social life because we adore our friendships and we do need a break from the blog sometimes.

What’s your favorite “little thing” in life? 

Our favorite 'little thing' in life is traveling around to different coffee shops, trying new coffees, and hearing/experiencing the story of how that shop got it's start. This has been so much fun for us and something that just makes sense. Our first date was over coffee, so it's only natural that we carry on the tradition of making time for coffee dates.