NewsCactus Blog

We were recently introduced to a cool tool that helps you optimize and resize photos for the Web.

It’s called Web Photo Resizer.

In the past we have blogged about using Picasa as a free image editing tool. Now there’s another option that we think is even easier, Web Photo Resizer.

There are currently two different image sizes required for NewsCactus sites:

1. A 72 by 72 pixel thumbnail, and
2. A 186 pixel wide image that can be as tall as you’d like.

The two images are used in a few different places.

The 186 pixel wide image is part of the module that you can turn on and off in the lower right corner of the site. We recommend using this part of the page to tell more of the story for that specific page or section.

The 72 pixel square images are used in the news highlights and multimedia sections. They give the site some visual elements and help the site visitor see the type of multimedia image they’ll get if they click on the multimedia link, whether it’s for a logo, image, video, audio or document resource.

Of course, you can always use Photoshop or a similar program to edit images for NewsCactus. But if you’re looking for free alternatives, both Picasa and Web Photo Resizer are viable options.

Others?

If you’ve got a favorite way to edit images for NewsCactus, please leave a comment and let us know.

Care to learn a bit more about the NewsCactus online newsroom solution?

Click here to view an introductory presentation posted on SlideShare.

Another cool feature of the NewsCactus online newsroom solution is the user’s ability to upload a press release now and choose from three distribution options:

1. Publish the press release immediately
2. Schedule the press release for future distribution; just specify the appropriate day and time
3. Save the release as a draft to come back later and polish it up

A value-added service at NewsCactus is the ability to distribute your press release directly to your target media list through eNR Services.

NewsCactus truly puts the power of publishing online in the hands of the professional communicator without relying on IT to get the job done.

Check out all the features and services offered by NewsCactus.

Are you a new NewsCactus client?

Do you have questions about populating your online newsroom with content?

Look no further.

Here’s a one-page, 11-step implementation guide:
NewsCactus Implementation Guidelines (30kb pdf)

Have you read about the NewsCactus online newsroom benefits and features on our website?

Are you interested in having a printed brochure that outlines the product’s features?

Here’s a one-page product description:
NewsCactus Product Description (173kb pdf)

Some of our customers are so eager to set-up their online newsroom that they would rather not wait for their website DNS settings to be updated.

There is a solution. Clients can work around waiting for a CNAME record to be updated for the http://news.yourURL sub-domain by creating the following entry on your computer’s host file.

For PCs, in Windows Explorer, locate the file called ‘hosts.’

You’ll probably find it at: c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc

Edit the file using a text editor like Notepad.

At the bottom of the file, add this entry: 208.109.205.100  news.yourURL

Save the host file.

By updating the host file on your computer, you’ll be able to view the newsroom as it will appear on the World Wide Web once the http://news.yourURL sub-domain is established with your host.

Please note: if not done correctly, changes to your computer’s host file could adversely affect your computer. NewsCactus cannot be held responsible for errors.

Instructions for creating news.URL

In order for the NewsCactus newsroom to function properly, you need to add redirect instructions on your Web host. The instructions, called a CNAME record, seamlessly take the user from your server to the NewsCactus server when they click on the newsroom link.

Blogger Help has directions under the topic “How do I create a CNAME record for my custom domain?” which includes instructions for many different Web hosts. You could visit Blogger Help, select your domain host, and review the step-by-step directions they provide.

In fairly simple terms, with the company hosting your website, you’ll add a CNAME record named: news (or whatever name you select for your online newsroom — such as mediaroom, newsroom, pressroom, info, etc.).

Then you’ll give the CNAME record a value specific to your company’s newsroom on the NewsCactus server. That value will be determined once you sign-up for the NewsCactus online newsroom software and is your company name or initials followed by newscactus.com. For example, if my company were Acme Windows, the CNAME value may be: acme.newscactus.com

CNAME changes are usually located under the host’s DNS control menu.

Please note: If not done correctly, changes to your website DNS settings could adversely affect your website. NewsCactus cannot be held responsible for errors.

Perhaps one of the trickiest parts of populating your NewsCactus online newsroom with content is editing digital images. While it may take some practice, it’s well worth the effort.

There are a couple, free tools that make this process rather simple.

First, we recommend Google Picasa image editing software. You can download and install it in a matter of minutes. A tour of Picasa’s features is available here.

For Mac users, you can use iPhoto which comes preinstalled with your computer.

When working with digital images, keep in mind the following guidelines:

Modules

The image needs to be 186 pixels wide. The height can be whatever you want.

News Highlights

The image needs to be 72 by 72 pixels. You can crop images into a square by holding down the shift key while you crop with your mouse.

Multimedia

Your original file can be whatever size you prefer. You can use your newsroom to post images for use by print publications or on the Web. We recommend you identify the file type and size in the title of the image. Thumbnails images are like News Highlights, limited to 72 by 72 pixels.

Format

Keep in mind that RGB files are for use on the Web and CMYK files are for print. If you’re using Photoshop, be sure to use the File > Save for Web option for your thumbnail images (you wouldn’t use this option for an original file intended for download by print publications).

Of course, there are still other options when it comes to your NewsCactus images:

• You could have a graphic designer prepare the images using the specs outlined above; or
• You could email the image to us to take care of uploading it for you.

It’s the multimedia functionality that makes your online newsroom more than just the standard news release distribution service. You should use images to add depth and additional information to your news. You know what they say, “a picture’s worth a thousand words.”

For some, the creation of an online newsroom can be cumbersome, include dozens of hours in meetings with other team members and take months to complete.

For others—like those who sign-up for the NewsCactus online newsroom service—the process is simple and can be completed in a matter of hours or days, not weeks or months.

When companies subscribe to NewsCactus, they handle three aspects of installation:

1. Create the sub-domain, news.companyURL.com;
2. Add a home page Newsroom link; and
3. Populate the site using the NewsCactus administrative interface (click here for specific implementation guidelines)

We take care of three tasks on our end:

1. Set-up the NewsCactus database;
2. Customize the newsroom to look like the rest of the site; and
3. Provide over-the-telephone training, walking the new user through the online interface to populate the site.

This process can be done in a matter of hours, depending on how Web savvy the user is. Normally the NewsCactus newsroom is up and running within a couple of business days. It’s just that simple.