Improve Your Search Engine Ranking through News Releases
For many years news releases have had a primary purpose: to inform the media and other readers directly through your Website and other online portals.
Increasingly news releases have a related function: to improve your rankings in the search engines and increase traffic to your site.
So, when writing your release, write for the online world as well as for traditional media. That means paying close attention to your URL and keywords (the words people use when searching for your type of product or service).
Specifically:
- Use your primary keyword in your headline.
- Use keywords in your subhead (or summary) or your lead.
- Use them three to four times throughout the release. One easy way is by substituting keywords for "it" and "its."
- Do not overdo it. Use the keywords no more than five to seven times total (depending on the length of the release).
- Include your URL in the first and last paragraphs, and possibly one other place in the release. Fully format all links with the "http://www."
Having written your release this way, send it over a wire service. The primary ones are Business Wire, marketwire, PRNewswire and PRWeb. (See the list of wire services at the end of this article.)
Most of the major wire services include Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services, which let you highlight keywords, include a summary of the announcement, embed audio or video or the like. Although the SEO enhancements cost more, such services may be worth it to you, especially for important announcements.
Slightly edit your release for your own Website. Simply changing the order of a few words or sentences can make the release look different to the search engines. Post the release on your Website on announcement day.
By following these simple directives, I have managed to get my clients' releases in the top position in both Google and Yahoo News, and seen them jump dramatically in search engine rankings overall. And the announcements stayed in the top five news listings for many days.
Which brings me to my final point. Monitor the results carefully. Search engine results are fluid, and you need to check your results (particularly in Google, Yahoo and MSN News) several times after an announcement.
Wire Services
Here is information on some wire services. Virtually all these services distribute releases via e-mail or fax. This list does not include all wire services nor all the services offered by these companies. Inclusion in this list is not meant as an endorsement.
Business Wire http://www.businesswire.com One of the largest services.
CNW (Canadian News Wire) Group http://www.newswire.ca
ICM Global News http://www.icmglobalnews.com For B2B publicity in Asia, Europe and Latin America
ExpertClick http://www.expertclick.com Includes an online media directory, a pay-for-entry listing of potential interview sources for the press. Formerly Yearbook of Experts.
marketwire http://www.marketwire.com One of the largest services. Formerly called InternetWire and Market Wire.
PR Newswire http://www.prnewswire.com One of the largest services.
PRWeb http://www.prweb.com One of the largest services.
URLwire http://www.urlwire.com Announces only "link-worthy" items.
©2008, Communications Plus. All rights reserved. I grant you permission to reprint this article in whole or in part, as long as the following credit appears with live links to my Web site and email address: “Reprinted with permission from Kay Paumier of Communications Plus, www.communicationsplus.net, info@communicationsplus.net.” Please let me know where the material will appear.
—Kay Paumier, Communications Plus
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