NewsCactus Newsroom

Creating the online newsroom - A Public Relations Society of America webinar

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:51:04 -0700

In this digital age online newsrooms have increasingly become a staple communication resource for the public relations professional.

Recently, with the proliferation of social media, the online newsroom has evolved further into a must-have digital tool for all areas of communication, including investor relations, employee relations, marketing, and brand awareness.

Join online newsroom experts Pete Codella of NewsCactus and Steve Momorella of TEKgroup as they share best practice online newsroom examples in a PRSA webinar set for January 31, 2012 from 3 to 4:15 p.m. (Eastern).

They’ll provide tips on how to leverage an online newsroom to help increase exposure and decrease content distribution costs. And they’ll outline why a centralized, social media equipped online information headquarters is a must-have part of your public relations toolkit for mainstream journalists and news consumers.

In this webinar you’ll learn how to:

Position your online newsroom as a go-to resource in your industry
Ensure that you have all of the essential elements that mainstream journalists expect
Integrate social media features into your online newsroom so that people can easily share your news
Make decisions based on research with journalists and news consumers on features and functions of an online newsroom
Use content marketing to help increase exposure and brand awareness for your organization
Produce content that supports the search optimization strategy of your organization
Utilize multimedia — documents, images, logos, video and audio files — to tell more of your story
Determine the best approach for your organization: build a newsroom yourself or use a hosted service

Detailed online newsroom case studies will be used to demonstrate the effectiveness of using digital communication tools and integrating social media into your communications efforts.

The webinar is free for PRSA members and $200 for nonmembers.

Registration is available on PRSA.org.

NewsCactus releases updated version of its online newsroom software with improved functionality and streamlined software

Tue, 25 May 2010 17:15:35 -0600

The latest and greatest online newsroom software by NewsCactus runs on improved coding and a more user-friendly administrative interface. It also takes up several megabytes less disc space, making it even faster than before.

"The NewsCactus improvements are based on customer feedback and move us closer to a more perfect newsroom software solution," said company founder, Pete Codella, who is Accredited in public relations. "A lot of care was taken to make the user administrative interface even easier to use, underscoring one of the media room's most powerful features - complete control of the content and timeliness."

Launched in 2006 NewsCactus is built on best practices and recommendations from journalists for best online press room features. With media spokesperson contact information, newsroom-wide search, news releases, press kits, and the ability to subscribe to the newsroom RSS feed, NewsCactus incorporates media room must-haves in a simple, easy to navigate design that's customized for each client.

Version 2.2 allows clients to more quickly identify uploaded content by sorting lists in various ways. The entire administrative interface has been redesigned for usability and efficiency. Additionally, the NewsCactus customer support form is now included inside each client's administration site.

The updated software features a current TinyMCE editor and updated browser compatibility.

Clients who use NewsCactus benefit from the market's least expensive ($199 a month) online newsroom software, responsive customer support and top search placement for keywords, including brands, people, products and services.

News releases published in a NewsCactus site may have any type of multimedia file associated with them and may also be shared with the click of a mouse on any number of social media platforms. Releases may be saved as a draft for future publishing, published right away, or scheduled for future distribution to coincide with other communication efforts.

NewsCactus clients receive a monthly analytics report providing statistics for site activity.

About NewsCactus LLC

NewsCactus is the product of a venture between Codella Marketing and Code Greene, a public relations agency and Web development firm, respectively. The software-as-a-service allows public relations, marketing and business communication professionals to quickly and easily publish news related content online. Available by subscription for $199 a month, NewsCactus is the market's most cost effective newsroom software and the only one developed by a working-in-the-trenches, Accredited public relations professional. For more information visit NewsCactus.com or call 801.683.9578.

NewsCactus newsroom software has a new host and updated programming

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Since 2006 NewsCactus has provided public relations, marketing and corporate communicators with Web-based software to manage and maintain an online newsroom.

At the beginning of 2010 the NewsCactus hardware and software was updated.

With the implementation of its new server and updated programming the standard NewsCactus subscription is now $199 a month. The NewsCactus subscription still delivers unmatched value when compared to other online newsroom software providers.

No other hosted press room solution delivers as much value and as many tools for $199 a month. And no other online media room service was designed from conception to implementation by an Accredited public relations professional.

NewsCactus will continue its 50% subscription discount to nonprofit, 501(c) organizations.

Existing clients are grandfathered at their current subscription rate.

The new dedicated, secured NewsCactus server allows for faster connection speeds, a streamlined database set-up, frequent back-ups and improved customer service.

In addition, the new structure provides for faster access to client newsroom administration even before the client’s destination URL (the newsroom sub-domain) is established.

About NewsCactus

The NewsCactus software-as-a-service online newsroom platform was created by Pete Codella, Accredited in public relations, to serve the needs of public relations, marketing and corporate communicators. The online media room software provides for Web-based access to update and maintain a press room without relying on Web developers or IT departments. NewsCactus is to newsrooms as WordPress is to blogs. NewsCactus fosters improved communication with journalists and other key audiences, and yields top search placement for companies, brands, products and services.

Online newsroom software offering 50 percent discount to nonprofits

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:30:29 -0600

Are you a nonprofit organization in search of a hosted online newsroom service? If so, NewsCactus may be just what you're looking for.

NewsCactus offers a substantial 50 percent discount to nonprofit organizations off its standard $99 monthly subscription.

One of its newest clients, Bad Dog Rediscovers America, utilizes NewsCactus to help tell its story on the Web, garnering increased awareness and supporting fundraising efforts.

A NewsCactus newsroom's features include:

A FeedBurner RSS feed associated with your published press releases
Google Analytics providing monthly metrics of site visitors
Customized Google Search to quickly find information in the newsroom
Multimedia hosting and management for logos, images, video and audio files, and even documents

Nonprofits could even use NewsCactus as their sole Web site, providing the organization with a customizable, off-the-shelf Internet site solution that's ready to go in a matter of days.

To order NewsCactus services, visit the Order NewsCactus Services section of the Web site, select the number of months and complete your order.

Contact NewsCactus for a free 20-minute Web demonstration of both the effectiveness of the newsroom software for online search placement and simplicity of its proprietary content management system.

About NewsCactus

NewsCactus is the market's only $99 a month online newsroom software developed by an Accredited public relations professional. Clients log in via an administrative Web page to share their organization's news and information on the Internet. The hosted newsroom service, provided by Codella Marketing LLC, fosters improved communication with journalists and yields top search placement for companies, brands, products and services.

Online newsroom software that includes multimedia hosting

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:24:59 -0600

The NewsCactus online newsroom software - available by subscription for $99 a month - features a multimedia section where clients can upload images, logos, videos, audio files and documents.

The multimedia section is populated through the newsroom's password protected online administration tool which also includes an asset manager for quick file management.

Multimedia files help communicators and companies tell more of their story to interested journalists and key constituents.

We've all heard the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. That's certainly true for press releases - they're more easily understood and more powerful when the story is told in multimedia as well as text format.

NewsCactus clients utilize the multimedia function in the online newsroom software to provide both low-resolution and high-resolution images. This eliminates the need for a journalist to contact the company's spokesperson to secure an image for print or Web applications.

At a time when we're all pressed for time, employing a multimedia equipped online newsroom is a key tool in today's public relations toolkit.

About NewsCactus

Social media press release functionality in the NewsCactus online newsroom solution

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 09:07:43 -0600

A benefit of subscribing to a hosted online press room solution is that you automatically receive product updates without spending more money, relying on your IT department, or installing new software yourself.

NewsCactus is pleased to announce the addition of a fast facts section for published news releases.

In keeping with features of the social media press release, fast facts allow journalists and others to quickly ascertain the most important pieces of information from a press release.

NewsCactus is the only online media room service developed by an Accredited Public Relations practitioner. At only $99 a month, it's the least expensive solution available.

Most inexpensive pressroom solution, NewsCactus, is only $99 a month

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 10:57:16 -0600

Many public relations professionals are coming to terms with the fact that they've got to do more to share their own message. A tool that is often overlooked is a pressroom, media room or online newsroom, which we'll refer to interchangeably.

An effective Web strategy includes four main elements:

a company's Web site
media room and blog
social media engagement;
and paid Internet marketing.

Using a pressroom that is either a sub-domain of your company's domain or a separate domain (like .net or .info) allows public relations and marketing professionals to tell their own message from two separate sites, in essence buying more than one lottery ticket. And we all understand the strategy behind buying multiple lottery tickets instead of�only one.

Using separate sites for your Web site and newsroom is like putting your eggs in more than one basket.

Hosted media room solutions range from $99 to more than $1,500 a month. They include various features and benefits, bells and whistles.

Public relations and marketing professionals should research carefully before determining which online newsroom solution is best for their company.

Here are a few key features public relations practitioners should look for in an online newsroom service:

A domain that includes their company's main domain (i.e., news.YourURL.com and not YourCompany.NameOfService.com)
RSS and social media functionality
An unlimited ability to publish as much or as little as possible without incurring additional monthly charges
Top search placement of press releases that are published using the service

Whether you call it a media room, pressroom or newsroom, maintaining an online site with your company's most current news and information is vital to communicating effectively with journalists and every other key audience.

Properly coded and designed, a media room should provide your company with yet one more way of controlling top search placement. After all, if your information doesn't appear at the top of search results on the first page, you're missing the majority of your online audience.

Perhaps the biggest benefit to using a hosted pressroom solution is that you can avoid adding workload to your internal or contracted IT department. Hosted media rooms take the hassle out of publishing your content online.

The NewsCactus hosted pressroom provides the greatest results for the least amount of investment, only $99 a month. There is no set-up fee and no long-term commitment to use the NewsCactus online newsroom.

NewsCactus is the only newsroom solution that's developed and managed by an Accredited public relations professional.

Savvy public relations and marketing professionals turn to the NewsCactus media room solution for news that sticks^SM.

NewsCactus online newsroom solution takes hassle out of Web development

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:08:35 -0600

The NewsCactus online newsroom solution eliminates reinventing the wheel. Just like many organizations turn to WordPress as the content management system for blogs, companies and organizations are increasingly turning to NewsCactus to manage their online press room.

NewsCactus is installed as a sub-domain of an existing Web site or as a standalone site, depending on the client's preference.

NewsCactus is a social media equipped, mobile friendly newsroom. It incorporates social media bookmarks so it's easy to share interesting news with social media networks, and its layout is clean, easily read with simple navigation for mobile site visitors.

NewsCactus is the only online newsroom solution developed for public relations and marketing professionals by an Accredited Public Relations counselor. It is also the market's most cost-effective solution, available for only $99 a month.

Members of the Independent Practitioners Alliance of the Public Relations Society of America can subscribe to NewsCactus at a 50 percent discount off standard subscription rates. NewsCactus will also pursue additional discount programs with organizations where needs and benefits are aligned.

The beauty of a NewsCactus online newsroom is that professional communicators can spend their time managing key messages for audiences instead of working with Web developers to create a custom online newsroom.

The NewsCactus team takes the hassle out of creating an online newsroom. Typical installation takes only two to three business days.

To sign-up for a NewsCactus online newsroom, simply complete the online order form to order NewsCactus services.

NewsCactus hosts teleseminars to introduce PRSA IPA members to services

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:26:40 -0600

Members of the Public Relations Society of America Independent Practitioners Alliance are invited to register for one of two August teleseminars to learn more about the features and benefits of the NewsCactus online newsroom service.

The seminars will be held:

Tuesday, Aug. 12 at 6 p.m. Eastern/3 p.m. Pacific
Wednesday, Aug. 20 at noon Eastern/9 a.m. Pacific

Interested participants should complete the NewsCactus online contact form�to request dial-in information.

In addition to outlining the NewsCactus newsroom service and IPA member discount, the discussion will focus on search engine optimization best practices and social media release trends.

NewsCactus is the perfect home for today's social media releases.

Several IPA members currently use NewsCactus for their own business as well as for clients. The service allows independent public relations practitioners to create additional value for clients by leveraging the online newsroom tool to secure top search placement for clients and products.

IPA members can also re-sell the NewsCactus newsroom, turning it into a revenue source for their practice.

Because of its design, simplicity and ability to secure top search results, NewsCactus is one of the most powerful, cost-effective online newsroom tools available and the only one designed by an Accredited Public Relations professional.

NewsCactus online newsroom provider announces reduced pricing and additional services

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:55:38 -0600

NewsCactus, an online newsroom solution for public relations and marketing professionals, has reduced its monthly subscription to $99.

In addition, the company has added a number of value-added services designed to make management of its online newsroom product even more convenient for clients.

New services include:

PublishCactus

$19 per item
Clients do the writing and NewsCactus does the posting. Includes all newsroom modules: home page description, company overview, news releases, news highlights, in the news, multimedia files, press kits, important links, and photo with caption modules.

WriteCactus

$149
Up to a 400-word news release written by an Accredited public relations practitioner and published to the client's newsroom.

KeywordCactus

$199
NewsCactus helps clients claim top search placement based on keywords. Includes a news release along with development of keywords and description along with a media contact list and distribution to the contact list through NewsWire One.

ManagedCactus

$999
A completely managed online newsroom solution that includes the monthly subscription, up to four news releases per month, media contact list development and distribution through NewsWire One.

DistributeCactus

$225
Clients can order Business Wire distribution of any NewsCactus news release and NewsCactus takes care of the details.

NewsCactus offers a generous referral program where each new client referred by an existing NewsCactus client results in both companies receiving a free month's subscription.

NewsCactus provides the industry's most cost-effective, easy to implement and administer online newsroom. Its features include social media compatibility and incorporate a number of multimedia tools and additional links that can accompany each news release. Companies looking to secure additional search results for services, products, keywords or team members turn to NewsCactus to supplement existing online positioning efforts.

NewsCactus online newsroom announces aggregated news network for client press releases

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:00:00 -0600

NewsCactus, provider of an online newsroom solution for public relations and marketing professionals, now has the ability to distribute all client announcements through one channel, known as the NewsCactus News Network.

Every time a client publishes an announcement to their online newsroom, the announcement is also distributed through RSS feed on the NewsCactus News Network.

This doubles the opportunity for online impressions, first from the client's own newsroom RSS feed, and second from the much larger, NewsCactus community-wide RSS feed.

Because of its design, NewsCactus naturally secures high search placement for client press releases. By adding the NewsCactus News Network to its list of features, NewsCactus becomes an even more powerful search placement tool.

NewsCactus combines traditional public relations with social media tools

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0600

It seems the new buzz words in business communications, public relations and marketing are ‘social media.’

For an explanation of what social media is, visit Wikipedia.

The term is a bit ironic, since all media (and the communications model) is really social. But perhaps what social media describes is the utilization of technology to now share and comment personally on information from others.

Gone are the days of media gatekeepers who decide what stories are important and air them during the evening news or publish them on the morning newsstand. The 24-hour news cycle demands a more vigilant approach and social media demands that ‘traditional’ media pay more attention to what ‘the people’ are talking about.

Want proof? Consider how bloggers and YouTube have helped shape this year’s U.S. presidential election debates.

Enter the NewsCactus Online Newsroom Solution

Companies and organizations can utilize the NewsCactus newsroom plug-in to enhance press releases with social media tags.

The following social media tags are currently included in NewsCactus media rooms:

Digg It!
Bookmark it!
Seed Newsvine
Reddit
Stumble!
Furl

As with all technology, change occurs quickly. That’s another reason the NewsCactus online newsroom solution is advantageous, because clients don’t have to keep up with changes in the social media landscape. They can simply rely on updates and continual tweaking by NewsCactus programmers to know that the most popular social media tags are incorporated into clients’ online newsrooms.

Making it so your corporate announcements can be shared by others opens the door for increased visibility of your products or services. It also positions your organization as technology friendly and cutting edge.

If those characteristics are important to your key audiences, they should be important to you as well.

Bottom Line

NewsCactus incorporates social media tools, thereby providing clients with multiple ways of interacting with key constituencies.

NewsCactus incorporates FeedBurner into newsroom service

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600

In order to provide increased metrics for clients using the NewsCactus online newsroom service, the company has now incorporated FeedBurner.

Now NewsCactus newsrooms come complete with FeedBurner statistics that include information like the number of RSS subscribers and how they subscribe to the newsroom feed.

NewsCactus clients also benefit from yet another way reporters can receive information, and that's in their email inbox. If key journalists aren't yet using an RSS reader - don't worry, they will soon - they can receive newsroom announcements in their inbox by subscribing with an email address.

NewsCactus clients will receive monthly FeedBurner reports that include the email addresses of those who have subscribed to their newsroom feed.

This new functionality makes it even easier for corporate communications, marketing and public relations professionals to distribute announcements and be assured they're being received.

NewsCactus launches online communications blog

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Pete Codella, APR and David Rosowsky, co-founders of the NewsCactus online newsroom solution, have launched the NewsCactus Blog to discuss various facets of online communications: marketing, public relations and advertising.

The duo brings 25 years of combined experience to bear in the new online forum.

"The NewsCactus Blog will be a place where we can share our expertise with the marketplace," said Codella. "We plan to chime in on industry trends and provide easy-to-follow instructions for professional communicators to make the most of technology and communicate effectively using social media."

The NewsCactus Blog will also feature how-to articles for NewsCactus clients and an ongoing discussion of the many benefits of online newsrooms.

The NewsCactus Blog is located at http://blog.newscactus.com. Those interested in the discussion are invited to join in.

NewsCactus is a plug-and-play Web template that drives and displays company news. Its goal is to keep media and other key audiences informed of company announcements, team members, products and services. In so doing, it not only provides current online content, but because of its design and utilization of RSS NewsCactus greatly improves search engine placement.

Online newsroom services like NewsCactus put corporate communicators, or public relations practitioners (whether in-house or at an agency), in complete control of his or her jurisdiction. There's no waiting for IT to upload a press release or update old information. The newsroom is easily managed by the communicator through an intuitive online interface.

NewsCactus is the only online newsroom solution developed by an Accredited Public Relations practitioner.

Because of its design, simplicity and ability to secure top search results, NewsCactus is one of the most powerful, cost-effective self-publishing Internet tools available.

How journalists use online newsrooms

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0700

We recently read a fascinating article about the way journalists use the Internet. As suspected, they use it a lot!

The study referenced by the article was done by the Arketi Group. Surprisingly, their research shows that 93 percent of journalists use the Web to find news sources. 97 and 98 percent of them read publications and read the news online, respectively.

Some wonder how an online newsroom can be part of a media relations pitch. This is how.

With nearly all journalists surveyed admitting to reading news and looking for sources online, it's easy to build a case for both having and maintaining an up-to-date online newsroom.

Online newsrooms, or media rooms or press rooms as they're sometimes called, are a key tool in the communicator's arsenal. Often the process for maintaining content on newsrooms becomes so bogged down in the tech world that the communicator feels powerless.

With the tools offered through NewsCactus, there's simply no reason a communicator should ever feel hog-tied to an IT department for publishing company news.

If you don't have an internal system that's working, perhaps now's the time to consider an online newsroom service.

Journalists are using the Web. So should you.

NewsCactus announces sponsorship of Public Relations Society of America Independent Practitioners Alliance

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Independent Practitioners Alliance (IPA), a section of the Public Relations Society of America, has entered into an agreement with NewsCactus to provide a discount for its online newsroom service to IPA members. In exchange, NewsCactus will become a corporate sponsor of IPA in 2008.

"This partnership provides IPA with a valuable tool for the distribution of section news and announcements," said Kelly Davis, APR, chair of IPA. "We're thrilled to provide section members a substantial discount on NewsCactus monthly subscription rates, further enhancing the value of IPA section membership."

As part of the 2008 sponsorship, NewsCactus has agreed to provide free newsroom installation and set-up along with a deeply discounted monthly subscription rate to all IPA members, making the service very affordable for independent public relations practitioners as well as their clients.

To sign-up, contact NewsCactus online. Be sure to mention you're a PRSA IPA member to receive this special offer (membership will be verified).

NewsCactus included in Wikipedia online newsroom search

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0700

A December 2007 entry in Wikipedia describes online newsrooms. It outlines a key function of an online newsroom: a Web site used by communications professionals to relay company information to the media in an easy to access and understand format.

An online newsroom - also known as a pressroom, mediaroom, press center or media center - is often a journalist's first stop when writing a story about a company or organization. In fact, when surveyed, nearly all journalists agree that displaying news and information in an online newsroom is expected, especially of large entities.

NewsCactus is included in the list of newsroom providers.

For a small monthly subscription the NewsCactus online newsroom solution is available to any company or organization. The newsroom is customized to match the design of the entity's public Web site, making a seamless connection between the newsroom and public site.

NewsCactus newsrooms can be deployed almost immediately, providing a valuable tool to public relations, marketing and corporate communications professionals.

NewsCactus includes the most important newsroom features at the industry's most cost-effective rates.

NewsCactus announces new referrals program

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0700

NewsCactus clients who refer new customers will be given a free month subscription to NewsCactus.

In addition, the new client that signs-up because of an existing NewsCactus client's referral will also receive a free month.

"It's our way of saying 'thank you' to existing clients and 'welcome aboard' to new ones," said NewsCactus founder, Pete Codella, APR, president of Codella Marketing.

NewsCactus will honor this referral program until further notice.

NewsCactus offers 30-day free trial

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0700

NewsCactus is offering a 30-day free trial of its online newsroom solution for clients who sign-up before Jan. 31, 2008. In addition to receiving 30 days of free service, customers will have their newsrooms designed and installed free of charge, a combined total value of $700.

NewsCactus offers a simple, yet powerful tool that serves as a highly cost-effective way to improve search engine rankings, while providing clients with an easy way to self-publish news releases, articles and other information.

Although NewsCactus newsrooms are powerful tools, they are simple to use. NewsCactus was developed by an Accredited Public Relations practitioner so that communicators with little to no Web design experience can update and maintain their own newsroom without IT support.

Online newsrooms are important tools that can increase online visibility and Web site traffic while facilitating better media relations. Newsrooms provide journalists an easy-to-use source of information that is always available. When polled, journalists agree that they always look for an online newsroom when doing research for a story.

“Our clients needed an easy way to self-publish online. We created NewsCactus, which we consider to be the market’s most cost-effective, easy to administer online newsroom solution,” said Pete Codella, APR, developer of NewsCactus.

“Giving professional communicators complete control of how and when they update their newsrooms allows them to keep their companies agile enough to respond to situations as they occur,” he continued. “Communicators are in charge of crafting and distributing messages and information, it only makes sense to put them in control of the tactics that let them do just that.”

NewsCactus to add white papers to Web site

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0600

The NewsCactus team serves as a knowledgeable force in online media relations.��In addition to providing a cost-effective and superior online newsroom service, NewsCactus will include a dedicated section for white papers authored by its staff.�

The staff at NewsCactus has extensive experience in public relations and Internet marketing.� The white papers will be available on the Web site and are intended to educate visitors about the about importance of online newsrooms, emerging Web trends and technologies, and how the application of these factors is important to establishing a brand online.�

The white papers will be written on a variety of topics.� The first white papers will cover subjects such as self-publishing, RSS and the varied advantages of online newsrooms.�

NewsCactus was developed by Codella Marketing LLC, a strategic marketing communications firm, and Image Domain Inc, an online advertising and Web development agency.