In addition to letting you know when and where your press releases, feature stories, fillers, broadcast publicity, and Internet publicity have been used, clipping services can help you keep track of what's going on in your field or industry. You can even use them to find out what kinds of coverage your competition is getting. And, they can help you monitor proposed regulations and legislation that will affect your business or organization.

In addition to letting you know when and where your press releases, feature stories, fillers, broadcast publicity, and Internet publicity have been used, clipping services can help you keep track of what's going on in your field or industry. You can even use them to find out what kinds of coverage your competition is getting. And, they can help you monitor proposed regulations and legislation that will affect your business or organization.

Because clipping services, like human beings, are not perfect, some publicists use two or three services to make sure they get most of the articles they’re interested in. You may want to experiment to find the best way to meet your needs.

Many clipping services still actually read thousands of publications, and send you paper clippings. However Web-based services scan electronic versions of newspapers and magazines, dispatches from the wire services, news Web sites, mailing lists, Usenet discussion groups, and Internet radio, and automatically “clip” any item that mentions the key words you specify. You get your “clippings” in electronic form.

Each clipping service includes different publications, wire services, Web sites, discussion groups, and broadcasts. You’ll have to find out if they cover your key media outlets, and if that coverage is full-text or just the highlights.

When you choose an offline clipping service, find out whether they offer limited service for just your city or state, if that’s what you want. Some services operate on a regional or national basis and charge you accordingly, even if that coverage is too broad for you. Also check with your State Press Association, since a number of them offer inexpensive local clipping services. If you don’t know where to find your state’s association, call the managing editor of the largest daily in your area. He’s sure to know.

Some of the larger clipping bureaus also offer services which analyze your clippings for editorial slant, product or key word mentions, number of readers reached, and photos used.

From Chapter 13, The Publicity Handbook

The Publicity Handbook Table of Contents
Electronic Photos: When and How to Use Them
Phone Contacts With Journalists: Strategies That Work
Webcast Planning Made Easy

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