Turn Articles Into Press Releases in the Age of SEO
The press release is a format which is most strongly associated with traditional media formats such as newspapers, radio and television. However, press releases have found new life and new purpose on the World Wide Web. If you’re in the internet marketing business (or really, any business, since the emergence of the web as a marketplace has made almost every business owner an internet marketer by necessity), writing press releases for the web can build backlinks to your site, generate traffic and of course, lead to coverage in traditional media and by websites which cover your industry.
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.
Press releases, even the ones you submit to the free press release sites, will give you increased visibility and rank high in the search engines for your keywords.
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.
When your press released is syndicated in this way, your news story can be instantly seen by tens of thousands of people who are searching for your topic. Even though they have never heard of you before, they will now have your name, website address, and phone number. Many of these people can easily be turned into prospects and clients.
Now as for making your PR SEO friendly, you’ll want to make the headline a link to your site; you can also include a link at the bottom of the release, following the body and one link within the body of the release as well. Don’t overdo it with the links though, as this will be distracting to readers.
The end of the press release is the important information. Provide current contact information for the person who can answer any question about the material in the press release.
If the purpose of the press is to make people want more information, then the contact person must be able to answer all of the forthcoming questions. Otherwise, the press release, the company behind the announcement and the writer (you) all lose credibility. And, in the business world, that’s usually your most important asset.
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