The Power of the Press
What works for print and broadcast media, also works on the web.
Successfully market the online portion of your business by employing a time-tested promotional tool: the press release. Follow these simple guidelines and your business will get the attention it deserves.
Optimize your message for the internet by including keywords in your press release. A well placed press release will spread the word about your new website, product or service. Many businesses have used public relations companies or professionals to distribute their message to print and broadcast outlets, but not as many are fully utilizing the power of the press release on the internet.
A well-crafted press release is a highly effective marketing tool. And by well-crafted, I mean it needs to include more than the basics. Write a powerful, web-optimized press release and you can drive a ton of qualified leads to your site.
Don't be the business that cries wolf: a company that abuses this format will wind up ignored when there is genuine news to report. Plan carrefully before you write your release. Know your audience and speak directly to them. Get to the point. And have a specific goal for the release - - what action do you want the audience to take?
PLAN AHEAD: state your goals.
What is the most important reason for issuing the release:
- » Create brand awareness for a site, product or service
- » Bring in subscribers for an email newsletter or ezine
- » Introduce a new employee or additional resources
- » Counter negative press regarding your industry or service
- » Promote a brand new product or service to your customers
Answer this and you're ready to start.
Don't worry about getting it right, just get it on paper. Once the facts are laid out in front of you, you can begin the hard work of telling a story. Every good press release will engage the reader and flow naturally. Could you see your press release in the morning paper?
Format your press release to make it more useful to the reader and also ensure it will be read by those in the media. View this sample press release template to get an idea of what's included.
And now those three little words I know you love to hear: "Content is King" Just as the title attribute of your webpage is the most important part, your headline is the single most important part of the release. An optimized headline for internet release is the one element guaranteed to be indexed by search engines. Put your best foot forward. If you can use key phrases and make it catchy or memorable you're halfway home.
For a better idea of what constitutes a great press release, take a look at some that scored 5 out of 5 by the editors of PRWeb, a professional news release service. (Note: these are saved as Adobe .pdf files)
Sample One | Sample Two | Sample Three
Compare these to the template for a good release. You might also consider professional services online to get the widest possible audience for your message.
PRWeb.com | PressBox.co.uk | WebWire.com | 24-7PressRelease.com
Typically, it takes Google an hour to find and index your release. From there, it can be a few days or up to a week for others to pick up on it. Used properly, the press release is still one of the sharpest knives in drawer when it comes to marketing your online business. You can create a steady flow of targeted visitors to your web site and get links back at the same time. Remember, if you have a good story to tell, others will want to share it.
Agency Quality Creative ... for less.
Get a powerful and persuasive message for your next release: this is where you get agency quality creative for about a quarter of the cost or less. Don't spend too much to get results. Contact me today for imaging + design and a message that gets results.
