Paso Robles Wine PR

As the name implies, Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is the process of marketing your website to “search engines,” or online website directories (such as Google, Yahoo and Bing); however, as search engines are used by people, and people are the end consumers of your business, people are the true primary targets of Search Engine Marketing.

As such, the highly technical world, ostensibly governed by algorithms, robots and spiders, must inevitably answer to the demands of the humans using it. Search Engine Marketing has therefore evolved from a technical process into an appropriately user-targeted process, each element of which considers the human as much as, if not more than, the robot element of the internet.

Like marketing in the real world, SEM is a broad and multi-faceted process comprised by such factors as search engine optimization (SEO), advertising, and link-back strategies. Each of these factors can play a significant role in an overall campaign, and each must first cater to the human end-user.

Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Optimization sounds incredibly technical. And, indeed, it is a process that entails playing into the hands of such ambiguous powers as algorithms and spiders. However, SEO is largely an intuitive and human-oriented process. It really just means making websites that are Searcher-Friendly, User-Friendly, and User-Approved:

1. Searcher-Friendly – Strategically abundant in relevant search terms, or “keywords,” that humans would use in search engine queries
2. User-Friendly – Easily navigable by both people and web crawlers
3. User-Approved – Widely acknowledged and validated by other reliable and relevant websites and social media sources, which link back to show support

Search Engine Optimization is best implemented from the very beginning, as it involves everything from the way a site is laid out to the words used. However, any website can be optimized at any time by rewriting copy with more keywords, improving the website’s navigation, or replacing non-crawlable elements. While SEO can take time to generate results in search engine directories, it is crucial to the success of your website in turning up in relevant search engine queries … That is, unless you’ve paid to turn up in those queries …

Advertising
Advertising online, through pay-per-click ads such as Google AdWords, offers businesses two benefits: guaranteed placement in search engine directories, and prompt placement in search engine directories. But, as in the real world, you can’t buy love – that is, you can’t just pay a fee to gain online popularity. As with traditional advertisement, the visibility purchased is not as valuable or effective as user-generated and “word-of-mouth” promotion (which, on the internet, manifest in high-ranking organic search engine results; link-backs on websites, blogs and social media; or high traffic). Furthermore, as with traditional advertisement, you pay to gain instantly the kind of visibility that could be gained the hard way, with time and proper Search Engine Optimization. Advertising can, however, go hand-in-hand with an SEO effort, since the same words determined as keywords for the optimized website would be best used in the ads as well.

Linking Strategies
Linking strategies present a happy medium between SEO and ads, in a way. Both paid-for advertisement and Search Engine Optimization can contribute to a widely-linked site since any method of increasing traffic to your site improves the likelihood of users linking back.

Other methods of generating links to your site consist of paying to be included in online directories and relevant industry directories, as well as free, grass-roots methods of generating links such as a social media marketing effort (broadcasting links on Facebook and Twitter), creating a blog that links back to your website, and reaching out to groups, supporters and non-competitors to link to your site.

Finally, a highly-linked website is the result of a high-quality website: people will want to share a link to your site with friends, customers and associates if they find the content to be useful, entertaining, aesthetically-appealing, and/or interesting. Unique Youtube videos, valuable tips, calendars, constant updates and other items that make people want to visit your site repeatedly are worth their weight in links, so to speak. (For instance, we are linking back to www.seo-news.com and www.searchenginesbook.com because we found their sites to be informative, reliable and relevant resources for this blog post, and recommend them to readers looking to learn more on search engine marketing—thus, we are increasing their sites’ search engine optimization).

So, the moral of the story is that Search Engine Marketing is just like any consumer marketing: it appeals to humans. If your marketing strategies could use a human touch, call (805) 239-4443 to speak to a real, live SEM expert, who is also well-versed in the language of spiders, crawlers and robots.

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What the new “Like” Button Means for Social Media Marketing

Due to the recent introduction of a web-wide “Like” button, wineries have five more reasons to love Facebook.

Essentially, the social site has offered a button which wineries can add to their websites allowing those visitors with Facebook accounts to select “Like.” In doing so, all of the people in that visitor’s Facebook circle will receive notifications of their Friend’s new-found preference. Furthermore, when a Facebook user visits a webpage one of their own “Friends” has “Liked,” they will see that person’s thumb’s up on the screen.

For Example: Let’s say Joe and Jane are “Friends” on Facebook. Your winery or vineyard installs a “Like” button on its homepage, and Joe visits and says he “Likes” the page. Jane will see this in her newsfeed on Facebook, or, if she misses it there, she will see Joe’s Facebook profile picture next to a thumb’s up when she visits the page herself.

Think of these “Likes” as those cute little sticky notes with arrows on them that point out what you should pay attention to amid the abyss of unimportant fine print you can ignore. If your business gets tagged, it becomes more relevant and valuable to the tagger’s Friends than a competitor winery’s site, or any other site for that matter.

What does this mean for your winery?

1. Greater Visibility for Your Company
Even if none of Joe’s friends visit your website as a result of his “Like,” they will SEE your winery name and logo. Repeat this a few times and you have the makings of brand recognition without having done any real promotion! This increases the chances of your bottle standing out to consumers in the grocery aisle.

2. Greater Traffic to Your Website
Another part of the new Facebook developments adds web links to the user’s profile anytime they “Like” a website. So, in the place of text lists of preferences like favorite wineries, will be the winery’s web link. With your winery’s name and link popping up in newsfeeds and profiles, you are bound to see more traffic to your site.

3. Greater Connection with Your Viewers
Before the “Like” button, you could only track the number of visitors to your site and the length of their visit, etc. Your only personal connection occurred if they emailed, left a comment, or signed up for a newsletter. NOW, you can actually identify them. And better yet, you can stay in touch with them. For example, if a Facebook user clicks “Like” on your “Red Wines” page, you can then send them a message when you release a new vintage or have a special pouring event featuring your red wines.

4. Greater Targeted Marketing
Of course the natural progression of being more directly connected with your viewers is that you can react and respond to their preferences to your winery’s advantage. If 30 people “Like” your Pinot Noir page, while none “Like” your Merlot page, you can begin planning winemaking, grape-selling, and even planting accordingly.

5. Greater Use of Social Influence
Other features of Facebook’s latest plug-ins allow websites to show a newsfeed log of the viewers’ Friends’ activity on the site, or recommendations based on the preferences of Friends (for instance, if Joe also “Likes” your Zinfandel page, when Jane gets to your site, she’ll be notified that based on her friend Joe’s preferences, she will like your winery’s Zinfandel). Essentially, this means you can easily recruit your website viewers as positive peer reviewers to sway more Friends to join in the love.

So what do you think, do you “Like” this blog post? Tell us what you think…and then tell your friends.

Information in this blog post was gathered primarily from The Wall Street Journal’s coverage of the Facebook release (wsj.com).  More information on the “Like” button and additional features can be found at developers.facebook.com/plugins, or feel free to contact the social media marketing experts at AR and Co. to learn more about using the “Like” to your advantage.

Permission to Reprint: You may reprint any items from “5 More Reasons for your Winery to Like Facebook” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include the following paragraph:

Reprinted from “Paso Robles Wine PR,” a blog featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity written by AR and Co PR and Marketing. Subscribe at http://www.pasoroblespublicrelations.com/ and receive Blog updates by email.

If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues.

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Understanding the Mystery, Mystique, and Marketing Magic of Twitter
If you’ve ever heard the old phrase, “A little bird told me …” followed by a piece of valuable information, you understand the sense of power and intrigue that all Twitter users, or Tweeps, experience each day as they find insider information from this quick, up-to-the-minute social media source.

Due in part to its ability to capitalize on our society’s love of secrets, Twitter has become a valuable tool in the public relations and marketing realm. And on that note, here’s another juicy one for you: Twitter may be the easiest and cheapest marketing secret for your Paso Robles winery.

Twitter offers instantaneous access to and dispersal of “secrets”— including personal or proprietary insights, news, rumors, winery events, special case sales or wine promotions. With billons of people using Twitter at all hours, everywhere they go, to find out what they didn’t even know that they absolutely needed to know, Twitter is a real-life Grapevine reaching out to hook your consumers. It is easy to use; an abbreviated form of blogging; and, of course, it can be almost entirely free.

The downside is you have to invest time in becoming a part of that chain of whispers by reading, following, tweeting, retweeting and otherwise engaging with a world-wide web of “little birds.” It is also important to note that Twitter may not be the right social media avenue to reach your winery’s target demographic; latest trends show that Twitter skews younger than Facebook with the fastest growing segment of users in the 18-24 bracket (http://www.marketingcharts.com/). So, while it may be a prime avenue for reaching your Millennial generation, it is perhaps not the strongest method for reaching your 50+ wine lovers.

Still, with 20 million visitors to the website in 2009 (up 900% from just 2 million visitors in 2008) it may be worth your while to learn about the benefits that reservoir of consumer “tweeps” holds, and how to harness its powers for the benefit of your Paso Robles winery.

The Power of Omniscience:Like the infamous little bird, Twitter has eyes and ears everywhere. You can use this all-knowing social medium that never sleeps to track tremors in the wine industry, find out what your consumers are saying about you and your wine, read what they are saying about your competitors’ wine, and more. And, as they say, information is power.

The Power of Omnipresence:
Twitter offers winery owners and winemakers the often wished-for ability to be in many places at once. This highly grass-roots social media resource allows high profile personalities to walk out among their people, so to speak. You may not have time to answer the phones or respond to every email or letter from your wine club members, but with Twitter, you can quickly and easily relate to them on both a customer service level and a personal level. This gives your consumers insider-status to your winery—key to fueling their loyalty and enthusiasm about your wine.

The Power of Free, Instant PR
The beauty of using Twitter for winery marketing and promotion is that it’s instantaneous and free. Twitter can help your winery stay on top of customer service issues, brand management concerns, and market trends as they develop, so that you can nip problems in the bud, or capitalize on opportunities. For instance, you can share up-to-the-minute news about a sale coming up, recent press or awards your winery received, or news articles and reports that indirectly support the wine industry in general or the varietals you produce in particular—without waiting or paying for posters and other promotional materials.

This information not only has the potential of reaching all of your followers right away, but is searchable in Google searches, can be retweeted to others who have not followed you yet, and otherwise multiplies. Information from tweets is regularly cited in news articles and broadcasts as well, meaning that your little 140-character message really could be heard by the whole world. That’s one powerful little bird.

If you still have questions, it couldn’t hurt to schedule a social media consultation with the A-Team, your Paso Robles marketing power-house. Since AR & Co. specializes in social media as well as traditional media, internet marketing, and website development, you may just hit two little birds with one stone.

Permission to Reprint:You may reprint any items from “Shhh, Don’t Tweet!—Twitter May Be the Secret to Marketing Paso Robles Wineries” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include the following paragraph:

Reprinted from “Paso Robles Wine PR,” a blog featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity written by AR & Co PR & Marketing. Subscribe at http://www.pasoroblespublicrelations.com/ and receive Blog updates by email.

If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues.

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From Social Networking to Social Commerce (Part I)
Wine has withstood the recession to remain a hot commodity in 2010, and if we take the way the Paso Robles wine industry is growing as any indication, wine is only working its way up in the world. But as more people are making more wine buying decisions amid greater numbers of wine choices, the big question also remains: How do you distinguish your winery from the masses?

The answer that has defined itself gradually and quietly over the past few years has made itself loud and clear in 2010. While some of us old-schoolers of the Baby-Boomer generation may not be ready to say goodbye to old-school journalism and the golden age when wine reviews came with points and were given by people of the highest industry stature—the Era of the Internet has taken over, and the era’s most important opinion-maker is… YOU.

…Or at least your children. And your children’s friends. And colleagues. And acquaintances. And neighbors. Social media is the preferred mode of communication for the wine industry’s burgeoning consumer bracket: the Millennials, wine enthusiasts between the ages of 21 and 30. And judging by Paso Robles’ endorsement with their own Millennial event (CRAVE) and the national statistics that estimate Millennials drinking up 19 percent of the market, this bracket’s preferences are not to be ignored. Like a fine wine, the Millennials are rapidly maturing into the most important target for the wine industry. And the best way to reach them is their way: Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, and various other wine blogs and social sites.

But before you groan and turn away, think about it: Wine is a social beverage, central to our meals, our daily lives, and our most important celebrations. Why, therefore, should some Robert Parker character’s opinion matter more than your friends’…or, friend’s friend’s, or your friend’s friend’s coworker’s brother’s? Social media is simply the natural extension of the Tasting Room in the Era of the Internet. And if you have a good product and a good social media platform, this could be the best news of the year for your winery.

The trend toward social reviews over journalism was never more apparent to us until just a few weeks ago when renowned Wall Street Journal wine columnists John Brecher and Dorothy Gaiter announced the termination of their column. Why? Because, what these writers did for the WSJ—make wine accessible to readers—is what hundreds are doing over the internet each day, each hour, for free. Whether we “old-school” wine industry people like it or not, the future of your wine is no longer relegated to sommeliers, renowned critics, and published wine journalists; like the bottle, your brand is in the hands of the consumer.

So, tonight, I propose two things to Paso Robles wineries: 1. I propose that you jump on the Bandwagon this year (but, please, do so with a social media plan and a budget in place—see our next blog post); and 2. I propose a toast to old-school wine journalism—to the Robert Parkers and the John-and-Dorothys of the world without whom we never would have thought that what we had to say about wine would matter.

And, what wine will I toast with? Well, I don’t know, but my friend’s brother’s girlfriend was raving about a certain Paso Zin she said was unforgettable…Maybe I’ll Facebook her…

Permission to Reprint:You may reprint any items from “The Future of Wine Marketing? Ask Your Neighbor.” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include the following paragraph:

Reprinted from “Paso Robles Wine PR,” a blog featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity written by AR & Co PR & Marketing. Subscribe at http://www.pasoroblespublicrelations.com and receive Blog updates by email.

If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues.

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We like to look at Facebook as the natural evolution of the tasting room onto the internet. Inasmuch as it is another venue for you to share your passion about your wine, increase awareness and brand loyalty for your wine, and even boost sales and wine club memberships, you might feel encouraged to jump on Facebook and get as many friends as you can right away. What winery would turn down the opportunity for a free tasting room?

But, go back to the actual analogy: Facebook is a tasting room. So, before you create an account or invest further in an existing account, be ready to take care of it like you would a physical venue, and be able to answer parallel questions: How will you get people to come taste (friend or fan you)? What will you offer guests? Who will be in charge of it? How much will you invest in it? Will it be worth it? How will you gauge its worth? How will you implement initiatives to make it more valuable?

These are all important questions to be answered before you take the plunge as an online tasting room. Once you’re on board, just like with a real room, these important factors also translate to your virtual venue:

Keep it within the Brand
Instead of debating over mahogany or slate counters, stemless or Riedel glassware, Facebook tasting rooms should be more concerned about the online image builders and environmental cues that will affect the way your virtual tasters perceive your winery. Put some thought into your profile and profile picture—goofy, casual, or professional? Think carefully about what kind of information you will share and what it will reveal about your brand. And think twice before you associate yourself with others. This is not a personal profile; it is your business image to an increasing share of your market.

Keep it Clean
Wiping glasses may not apply, but be sure to manage your account for foul comments, images, or associations that reflect poorly on your business. People are free to share their opinions about your wine here, but there is no need to let negativity run rampant either.

Keep the Bar Stocked
At a real tasting room it might be crackers or the occasional winemaker dinner. Online you might consider online specials, contests or insider tip-offs on new wine releases, etc. Don’t be a stingy pourer, but think of offering incentives in ways that will also fulfill objectives of increasing foot traffic or traffic to your site.

Keep the Conversation Going
Any good tasting bar attendant can tell you that the most important skills to bring to the tasting room are sociability, easy going approachability, and a bit of accessible knowledgeability.  These talents promise tasters a positive, enriching and memorable experience in which they learn about and enjoy your wine and themselves. On Facebook, find ways to keep the conversations going by inciting discussion, asking opinions, responding to comments, and engaging your friends. Whatever you do, keep the fresh content coming. An outdated account is worse than awkward silence.

Keep the Customer Happy
There is a form of customer service on Facebook, and there is certainly Facebook etiquette to keep in mind. It involves responding quickly, updating often, posting valuable content, friending and commenting on others’ accounts, and most of all posting friendly, just-for-fun content. Do not use this as a soap box for selling. People will drop you like a sudsy wine glass.

Keep The Bottom Line in Mind
Having given the soap box warning, you must also remember that you probably are hoping to see some kind of results from your online tasting room. It is wise to clarify your objectives first. Whether you want to drive people to your website with it, see a certain increase in wine club membership, increase attendance at periodic events, or sell out your latest vintage release, keeping your goal in mind and setting and meeting steps toward that goal will help you go about Facebooking with more vision and purpose.

But remember: don’t be all business—that’s no way to make friends. And numbers aside, you should not be looking in to Facebook unless you are also interested in the non-quantitative benefit of making and maintaining better friendships with your winery’s fans.

Permission to Reprint:You may reprint any items from “Facebook: The Other Tasting Room” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include the following paragraph:

Reprinted from “Paso Robles Wine PR,” a blog featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity written by AR & Co PR & Marketing. Subscribe at http://www.pasoroblespublicrelations.com and receive Blog updates by email.

If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues.

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Publicize Your Winery’s Chosen Nonprofit—and You Profit Too!
This giving season, don’t miss the chance to get the most BANG for your charitable BUCKS! Use publicity to multiply your donations…And you’ll also give your winery a much-deserved PR bonus!

REMEMBER: The only thing nonprofits need as much as actual donations is public awareness. Any press you can give them is money in the coffers—so, this is no time to be selfishly modest!! For the sake of the community, please, toot your winery’s horn a little!! Double up your winery’s donation by giving your nonprofit some play on your website, in your tasting room, and in winery press and newsletters!!

Here’s HOW to Transform Philanthropy into Publicity for your Nonprofit (and Your Winery):

Weave Webs of Generosity
Add the nonprofit organization’s logo to your winery website to make generosity go viral! Cross-linking with the nonprofit’s website will help increase their search engine results (and it won’t hurt yours either!). For help on cross-linking, adding logos, and writing and loading new material to your website, contact AR & Co. web development specialists.

Open the Door to MORE Giving
Place a sign in a visible place on your tasting room door or window declaring your proud support for the nonprofit. Your customers will feel better about supporting your business—and they may just follow the sign as well! Want a custom door sign, poster, patch or sticker? Give our promo team a call: (805) 239-4443!

Bottle Your Compassion
Put that leftover wine or grapes to good use by producing a small, limited vintage in the name of your nonprofit! Proceeds go to the charitable organization, and kudos go to you! Contact the experienced wine label designers and wine marketers at AR & Co. to put a customized label on your loving libations!!

Pour for a Cause
Organize a sort of wine-soup kitchen to raise funds for your nonprofit! That is, publicize a special wine tasting event with proceeds from tasting fees matched and donated to the nonprofit you support. Your winery will enjoy increased foot traffic, bottle sale and public image, while your charity will drink up the much-needed money! AR & Co. public relations experts can help you plan and publicize the charitable event to maximize attendance, coverage, and results!

Spread the Good News!
Write and distribute a press release to the local media, or write a paragraph in your winery newsletter about what organization you’ve decided to support and why. Readers may be inspired to write a check too!! Contact the AR & Co. team of writers and media relations specialists for help generating some quick, effective press for your nonprofit—and you! Having a publicity firm on your side can help you get the most from your seasonal giving, with taste and tact.

Planning your 2010 marketing budget?? Contact AR & Co. to set up a consultation!

Permission to Reprint:You may reprint any items from “Toot Your Winery’s Horn to Help Others!” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include the following paragraph:

Reprinted from “Paso Robles Wine PR,” a blog featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity written by AR & Co PR & Marketing. Subscribe at http://www.pasoroblespublicrelations.com and receive Blog updates by email.

If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues.

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Create a Superior Winery Identity with the Three “I”s of Branding
In the country’s fastest growing wine country, it’s essential that your wine branding stands out. The market for Paso Robles wines is growing, evolving, and—for the large part—blindly wandering into the world of wine. So, build your identity to catch their attention and lead them in your direction—with these simple “I”s of Winery Identity.

Identify your niche
Obviously the first step to creating any identity is to know yourself; know your winery, your unique winemaking philosophy. Ask yourself, “What distinguishes my wine from close competitors?” Perhaps it’s your old-world or sustainable methods, or your focus on uncommon varietals. Whatever your wine specialty, mark that territory and then own your space. Don’t try to be all wines to all people.

Indicate your existence
Once you know clearly and definitively who you are and what your winery’s competitive edge is, find a way to communicate that message to the world in a clear, consistent and unique way. Develop your winery identity indicator by combining visuals (like a logo, font, colors, wine labels, and other graphic symbols) with written and verbal statements (taglines, commercial voices, and other cues).

Infiltrate the public realm
You know who you are, and how to package and express your winery’s identity; now, go tell it on the mountain by posting consistent, persistent indicators of your winery identity at every possible outpost. This means that everything from your email signature and business card to your website, your stemware and merchandise, and your tasting room signage and interior decorating should be emblazoned with your branding; all winery materials should look, sound, and feel like uniformed foot soldiers in one, unified branding campaign.

But Remember…
There is no I in Team. Great, innovative, and comprehensive winery branding takes many different kinds of thinking. A joining of the minds always provides greater results. If you need a team to back you up, get the A-Team: AR & Co. PR & Marketing experts make up a dynamic branding solution squad, working together to fully conceptualize and implement a diverse and exhaustive branding strategy for you.

Call us today at (805) 239.4443 or go to our website to meet the A Team and learn more about our strategic winery branding solutions.

Permission to Reprint:You may reprint any items from “Paso Robles Wineries: Build Your Brand with the Three “I”s of Identity” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include the following paragraph:

Reprinted from “Paso Robles Wine PR,” a blog featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity written by AR & Co PR & Marketing. Subscribe at http://www.pasoroblespublicrelations.com and receive Blog updates by email.

If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues.

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Get a Website Engineered to Bring Your Winery Speedy Results
Navigating business on the information superhighway can feel like driving in uncharted territory. But, in fact, the internet is a rational place, and there are very specific paths that lead to success. The most important is Search Engine Optimization, a method of strategically putting your website on the “map” so that your winery’s target audience finds your website every time, instead of getting lost in cyberspace.

AR & Co. PR & Marketing based in Paso Robles, CA is fluent in the rules of the e-commerce road and can easily give your winery’s website a tune-up or write a new website engineered to execute. Our Search Engine Optimization services include a team of marketing, graphic design, web, and writing professionals working together to create a website that performs like a well-oiled, finely-tuned machine, gaining higher results for your winery on organic searches and pointing e-consumers in the direction of your wine.

There are many ways to describe your unique winery, tasting room, and vintages—but there is only one way to make certain your consumers will read about them on the internet. Let us translate your winery into the language of World-Wide Web so that you can complete your search for internet success.

Click here to learn more about AR & Company’s Search Engine Optimization services on our website, www.arandcompany.com, or give them a test drive yourself by entering “PR & Marketing, Paso Robles” or “website writing, Paso Robles” into your search engine’s search bar.

Does a search for your winery’s unique offerings get comparable results?  Go ahead; search for your “great Paso Robles Cab” or “free wine tasting in Paso Robles”—or a similarly relevant search.  Does your name come up on the first page? The second? The third? If not, you need the A Team!  Don’t Be a Tumbleweed! Google us Today!

Permission to Reprint:You may reprint any items from “Rev-up Your Winery’s Search Engine Results” in your print or electronic newsletter. But please include the following paragraph:

Reprinted from “Paso Robles Wine PR,” a blog featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity written by AR & Co PR & Marketing. Subscribe at http://www.pasoroblespublicrelations.com and receive Blog updates by email.

If you like these tips, please pass them on to your friends, clients and colleagues.

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