Press releases can be important to any SEO strategy. I would suggest putting together a press release strategy for any business, in which you write and submit a press release at least once per month. Press releases help control what kind of valuable links come in to your site. Each backlink (a link to your website from another website) that you receive acts as an ‘endorsement’ of sorts in the eyes of the search engines. The more quality backlinks you receive the better the chances of being ranked for those words!
Anchor Text
It’s not the quantity of backlinks that matter necessarily, but the quality. Making sure the sites that link to you are relevant to your business is important. Google reads the anchor text (or the hyperlinked text from another web page that links to yours) in determining the value of the link. Controlling what other web owners use as anchor text to link to you is difficult. That’s why a press release strategy is so valuable for any business. Since you are writing the press release, you can determine which anchor text you will use to link back to your web site. The more press releases you send out, the more you can control the anchor text linking to your web pages.
We recommend 24/7 Press Release’s PR Network Plus Package (24-7Pressrelease – Effective press release distribution with results) where each press release costs $89. I do so for one simple reason, they allow you to also add your Google Authorship profile. You can hire someone to write each of your press releases or do it yourself for free. We would recommend doing this a few times a year, that’s how important and valuable we believe this strategy is! It will also provide you details of each campaign.
What makes a good Press Release?
A solid, optimized Press Release contains timely, valuable news. An effective Press Release not only highlights your agency but also provides helpful information that your clients and prospects not only want to read, but content they also want to share. It is concise – typically the length of one full page – and focuses on one major keyword. When formatting your Press Release there are four important aspects that you do not want to forget:
1. Logo
2. Location
3. Contact Information
4. Boiler Plate
Your logo, location and contact information are naturally important because they allow your readers or various media outlets to not only recognize you, but also have a way in which they can contact your for further information.
A boiler plate is also an essential aspect to your agency’s Press Release. It is also known as the “About Us” section, is the one unit of writing that can be used over and over. It typically takes the form of a 2-4 sentence paragraph which gives a brief history or overview of your organization.
Major Keyword Used in
Closing Paragraph
See section below for
integrating keywords
Secondary Keywords
How do I work my keyword(s) naturally into a Press Release?
Like any good piece of content, you should first just try writing. You will be surprised how often your selected keyword will appear naturally within your text.
With an optimized Press Release there are four key places where you should attempt to integrate your keyword:
1. Headline
2. Summary
3. Lead Sentence
4. Closing Sentence
It’s important that you focus on a keyword that actually correlates with the story you are pitching meaning that you don’t want to just focus on the keyword “Home Theater Systems” if you are writing a Press Release about a marketing event that you are sponsoring. That does not mean you can’t use it anywhere in the PR, just don’t change the focus to an unrelated product or service.
Keep in mind that these are best practices and guidelines – if your chosen keyword fits in 3 out of the 4 suggested areas of content naturally, that is better than forcing your keyword into a sentence that does not flow or logically make sense.
Below is an example of the first half of a Press Release. It gives you a better idea of how you can work your keyword in to your Headline and Lead Sentence:
*It’s important to note that not ever keyword or company reference needs to be linked. As you can see above, the major keyword is only linked once. When optimizing keywords throughout your text, it’s important that you pay attention to the length of your content. A common best practice is to link a keyword every 100-150 words—linking more often that can cause your content to look very spammy,and your Press Release will either be denied publication or be offered little distribution.
Are there any other formatting tips?
Yes! There are always ways you can strengthen your Press Releases. From overall structure to your tone; here are some additional handy tricks:
3rd Person Tone
Always try to write as if you are looking from the outside in; meaning don’t write from your business’s perspective. Avoid using “I”, “We” and “Us” whenever possible.
Inverted Pyramid
Always include the most important information first. Your first paragraph should answer the
questions: Who, What, Where, Why and How?
Length
It’s key to stick to one full page – that includes your boiler plate! Keep paragraphs between 3-5 sentences; your release as a whole should run 300-800 words in total.
Quotes
Quotations are a great addition to any Press Release. Whenever possible, include a valuable quote after your first or second paragraph.
I’m ready for the next level. What else can I do to embellish my press release?
Add a video
Why not send readers to your You Tube Channel to watch your videos? Web users love video and you can optimize these videos with your keywords. If you have a press release about a partner’s event or gathering, show a clip of the night!
Add a podcast or video podcast
Is your press release a top 10 or how to? If so, include a podcast going over the ideas in more detail. It will keep your readers engaged and help you make your point.
Increase the amount of press releases you send out[@FreeSEOReport-Insert@]
If you have already sent out a few press releases and feel really comfortable doing the, then it may be time to increase your frequency. The most I would recommend is once a month, any more than that and you risk not having much to announce or talk about. Keep your releases fresh and exciting!