Recently, there have been many incidents where journalists have been duped by fake experts. Articles have been published quoting fake “experts” who weren’t even real people. Because of this, journalists are doing even more due diligence when vetting sources.

And where’s the first place they go?
Google.

Yes! Google pulls information straight from your Google Business Profile (GBP) and displays it prominently in search results. So before a journalist even clicks on the link to your website they’re already forming an opinion based on what they see. It’s the first real world glimpse to your organization.

By having a profile that is spot on it shows that you are credible, real, active. These signals, along with social proof (reviews, photos, and posts) are what reporters look for when deciding to trust, quote or interview you.

Consistency is King. Make sure every primary field is complete and matches your website and any other online profiles. This includes your business name, category, description, address, hours and contact info.

Use the description section to clearly state what you do, who you serve, and why you are uniquely qualified as an expert, not just as a business. Make sure your categories and description in the GBP are aligned with the topics you want to be quoted on.

Think of reviews as an informal reference from others about you. Journalists will read what others have to say about you and see how you respond. So be professional and in tune with your brand voice.

It’s ok to ask clients for reviews. Just do so in a natural way. Don’t give a template of what to say. Just ask “Can you leave a review of how we helped you today?”

FYI: Reviews DO influence Gemini results. So they are valuable for visibility!

💫 Pro Tip: Google has tightened its review policies. Businesses should not ask reviewers to mention specific employees by name, as those reviews may be removed. So don’t be surprised if you soon you find loads of reviews deleted or disappeared because of this new policy.

💫💫 Double Pro Tip: Screen shot or somehow record all of your google reviews. That way if Google does delete your reviews and then say they can’t find them, you have proof of these reviews. You have a slightly better chance of restoring them.

Did you know you can add your own photos to your GBP? Why not take control of the story you want to tell and add photos of you, your team, your office, events you have coming up, speaking engagements you’ve been on, etc. These show you’re a busy business, visible to the community, and legitimate – not just a listing.

Don’t forget to publish regular Google posts about news, articles you’re quoted in, any upcoming speeches, webinars and case studies to show your relevance. Keep that profile fresh!

You can even use GBP in your media outreach. Put the link in your media kits, email signature and pitches when appropriate.

Do this now: You know what I’m going to say… Check your GBP!
How strong is your profile?
Is it consistent and accurate?
Can you add any images?
What can you do to improve today?

Get PR techniques from recent news.

Within a span of two days, both Lululemon and Apple announced new CEO’s. The market responses were quite different.

Lululemon announced last Wednesday Heather O’Neil would be the new CEO of the struggling company. Shares fell 12%.

Apple announced Tim Cook would be stepping aside and John Ternus would be taking over as CEO. Their stocks saw a much smaller decline of 2.5%.

These are very different companies in very different situations—but the underlying PR lesson is the same: people want to feel confident and secure in new leadership.

Apple had a clear succession plan. Lululemon did not. It was reactionary and tied to the companies struggles.

If you have a “changing of the guards” on the horizon, keep this in mind:

Essential strategy:

💫 Pro Tip: Most small businesses don’t need to issue a press release for a new hire.

Publicly traded companies, on the other hand, are required to issue press releases for C-suite changes. These often include a section called a forward looking statement, which outlines expectations and protects the company legally.

I might be a bit of a weirdo, but I do love reading these press releases and studying the structure and finding the small details most people overlook.

Useful PR Resources.

Wouldn’t it be cool if you could get Google to do a doodle about something dear to your heart?

Well you can! People and organizations who are featured (or whose cause is featured) can absolutely treat it as a huge PR moment. Just remember when pitching your idea Google Doodles are playful, creative, and globally aware. They celebrate culture, history, science, and under-recognized figures. This isn’t a pay-to-play situation. It is for truly noteworthy organizations, causes or people.

Sophie, this goofy Australian Shepherd Catahoula Leopard mix (say that 10x fast), whines and whines some more when she doesn’t get the attention she is looking for. In her mind it’s the end of the world when she isn’t granted the attention she wants. We might have found our Attention Seeking Queen.

Sophie’s momma is assistant extraordinaire at RC Salon Collective where everyone there has fun tales (and tails) of their fluffy attention seekers.

I checked out the Google Doodle and this year so far my favorite is Artemis II mission Around the Moon. The only thing better than candy PR is space PR!

Until next week, keep your shades on and stay cool.

Your fellow Seeker,
Keren

🕶️

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