Press Releases In The Age Of SEO

August 24, 2009 | Filed Under Internet Marketing

by Joseph Summers

Article writing and marketing is one way to gain visibility and increase your credibility on the internet. But your articles can also serve a much greater purpose if you turn them into press releases. Sending press releases on a regular basis can catapult your business to the top within a very short period of time.

It is a common misconception that press releases are just another form of advertisement. On the contrary, they are simply an announcement–often more like an invitation than an ad. When used properly, press releases are meant to draw attention to a specific item, be it a news story, new product, service, etc. In short, it’s supposed to make the reader want to know more information about the item described.

First, there’s the formatting. The service that you use to circulate your press release may have their own guidelines. Follow them. If not, here’s some things to remember.

Think of a strong, eye-catching headline. It is the first thing that people will see and will decide whether they read on or throw your press release into the trash pile.

Next, put as much information as possible into the first paragraph. Busy clients or potential customers may not have time to peruse your masterpiece. So, make your first paragraph an intriguing summary, one that makes your reader want to read on (or skip to the bottom and call your contact person). Begin this paragraph with the date and location of the subject of your press release.

The way to make subjective statements in a PR is with attributions. These are quotes from a company spokesperson which can convey a more personal point of view again though, it’s a mistake to make this an outright sales pitch. However, attributions are a valuable way of putting a more personal spin on your release, something which does have an effect on readers and with a online PR, your readers include potential customers as well as members of the media.

This is how expert publicists get away with hype–they stick it in the mouths of the experts. Well, not really, the creators and executives in charge don’t need any help building up their product, service, news story, etc. All you have to do is ask those in charge, “what should the public know about…” Then, grab a pen or tape recorder. Tack these quotes in amongst the facts and there you have it.

In addition, if you are aware of the exact phrases (keywords) you use in your releases, the releases can dramatically increase your chances of showing up when potential customers type those phrases into search engines.

Incorporating press release into your online business plan will make a huge difference in your business, and it will all begin with writing an article.

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