Press Trips for Web Writers
There was a very interesting discussion on Travelwriter.com BBS boards concerning writing for the web and PR firms. The first post concerned PR firms and press trips for online articles. It is a subject that has long interested me. The answers that got posted were spot on. Writers such as Jim Benning and Sue McKee responded that when writing for recognized sites such as GoNOMAD or World Hum they found PR people very happy to accept requests. In Jim's case many offers flood in but they at World Hum have not taken press trips. I certainly have been on many trips to wonderful places as senior travel editor for GoNOMAD.
We have worked hard at making GoNOMAD a success and have the ratings to prove it. We attend countless shows and events and network constantly, such as Max’s recent speaking engagement at the Adventure Show in DC. Bottom line is PR firms are getting an idea of just how powerful the web is. Just as in any form of media, if your good you go.
We have worked hard at making GoNOMAD a success and have the ratings to prove it. We attend countless shows and events and network constantly, such as Max’s recent speaking engagement at the Adventure Show in DC. Bottom line is PR firms are getting an idea of just how powerful the web is. Just as in any form of media, if your good you go.
posted by Kent E St. John at 5:59 PM
3 Comments:
Kent,
Just to clarify: We haven't accepted any press trips at World Hum. But PR companies sure offer lots of them!
Keep up the great work!
Jim Benning
Let's face it--print magazines do not have the impact they used to, especially the ones that are more about fashion than travel. The first thing someone is going to do these days when they start making travel plans is to do a Google or Yahoo search. If stories from GoNomad pop up near the top, which they often do, that's going to impact a lot of travelers...
Tim L.
occasional GoNomad writer and editor of PerceptiveTravel.com
Although I have worked closely with a number of top notch professionals who facilitated my work immensely, I often find working with the travel industry public relations staff, especially junior staff, trying. Too often agency employees have an attitude, especially about online media. Details about the trip and program are hard to come by until the last minute, making it difficult to plan. Variations are unwelcome.
To make matters worse they are frequently ignorant about the destination, property, only look out for their client and have a limited understanding or interest in travel writer's needs.
The press trips I've gone on are usually not a fit for my needs - I have heard similar comments from colleagues (although I know of people who will not travel unless every activity, meal and expense is covered because they have to pay the rent at the end of the month). At times there have been back to back activities from early morning into the evening. Many of the activities are not a fit for my articles nor can I write an article about the fam trip for general consumption. At the same time getting out of the itinerary to cover what I need is frowned upon and sometimes awkward.
After much debate, I have stopped going on the organized group fam trips and know of several others who feel the same way.
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