About Cathy Larkin

What is Web Savvy PR? I’m Cathy Larkin, and I’m adding new social media tools to the traditional Public Relations (PR) toolkit to help non-profits and museums; small businesses and entrepreneurs; bloggers and podcasters, even authors and speakers build their businesses, and expand the reach of their brand.

I’ve taken the last year or more and have steeped myself in social networking, social media, web 2.0, organic search optimization, blog design, social bookmarking, and I am exploring podcasting, and video blogging . With 18 years of Public Relations (PR) experience behind me, an avid curiosity about technology, and love of connecting people to cool things, I’m having a blast being a Social Media Guide.

I’ve been helping clients to build their businesses; attract people to their destination/attraction /museum; set up and grow their blog; and enhance an individual or organization’s online branding, presence and visibility. How? By adapting my traditional PR toolkit to take advantage of social media, social networking and “new” media tools, in a way that is upfront and respectful of both bloggers and journalists. If I’m mentioning a client on Twitter or Digg, I say so. My client’s are usually interesting enough to write about – that’s one reason why I enjoy what I do.

I also love words – so I help some of my clients write or tweak/update initial blog landing page content so their potential clients, customers, audience can find them (and so that search engines can find them more easily as well). I do keyword research to help build organic search optimization into their posts and post titles (using the actual words your customers would type into a search engine to find your site in the text of your site/posts).

I also speak English, as well as “Technoease,” so if needed, I can explain geeky things in a non-geeky, easy-to-understand way. For example, one definition of a blog is that it is an on-line “magazine,” and an RSS Feed (that funky symbol – a dot in the lower left, and curved lines above and to the right of the dot – often in orange and white – stands for “Really Simple Syndication”), but really is just a way to subscribe to that “magazine” using free online software.

I’ve also been creating blog strategies for clients – crafting a plan to ensure that they are not just setting up a blog and hoping “if I build it, they will come,” but I sift through the many tools and sites out there and select the things that will work best for their needs. I discuss and suggest what will best help them connect to their audience, their potential customers and clients, and show them how to use those tools.

I also handle those regular PR tasks of writing press releases, researching the right media contacts, creating a “hooks” or story pitches, and following up in ways that will entice an editor, journalist or writer to say, “yes, I think I’ll run that story.” The biggest mistake many publicity folks make is in not doing their research – and in not following up (politely/properly) after sending a release. This skill translates for working with bloggers and podcasters too. Before I pitch something to a blogger I check it out and read the blog, I make sure it’s the story I’m pitching is the right fit, and I let them know that I’m pitching a client’s story.

This should give you a clue about who Cathy Larkin is and what I do at www.WebSavvyPR.com. Feel free to contact me at Cathy dot Larkin at WebSavvyPR dot com. (sorry for not making it a link – this helps protect against SPAM) or 484dash802dash7576.

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