CJC Strategists' Blog

22 Tips For Writing a SEO Press Release – for Real People and Robots

2011-07-21T09:58:00.000-07:00

The Press Release as part of the communication marketing mix is a powerful tool that carries your branding messages across multi-media channels. It provides useful information for the media to create stories and disseminate in-depth information about your business, product or service.

Today's technology driven, fast passed news media requires implementation of vertical marketing that utilizes the new media tactics within press releases, which include key words, tagging, hyperlinks, SEO, EON, etc. This effectively bridges the traditional i.e., print with new media/ online, web and interactive 2.0 technology. These new communications tactics, when applied correctly extend the reach of the initial message and marketing communication content beyond the original life cycle and promotes a digital foot-print in the Internet viral biosphere– with Business Wire’s inclusion in Google News Archives–press releases live forever.

When it comes to getting your press release seen online, the rules for writing may be different from what you've been taught (The Inverted Pyramid*). These tips will help you write a release that people will read and create more Search Engine Result Pages (SERPS) will find.

"Read More" for 22 Tips on How To Write An SEO Results-Driven Press Release -

Ideally create a 400-word press release. Choose and use keywords–identify 5 keys words or a keyword phrases that you wish to emphasize – SEO or "optimize for" in the press release;
Think like your reader: What words are most likely to be searched for by people looking for what you want them to find in your release? Choose/use those words multiple times. Pretend you're creating a Yellow Pages listing;
Write a headline that is keyword rich and clearly states the theme of your press release. Use keyword research tools. Free options include Kwmap and Word Tracker;
Keep your headlines short. Google recommends headlines between 2 and 22 words for optimum visibility and search results. And Google, and other portal results display only the first 63 characters of each headline–the first 7 words of the headline are seen by ROBOTS & SPIDERS– they are critical to your message;
Keep the headline under 140 characters so it appears in re-tweets (RT) and makes sense;
The headline becomes the press release's page title in the HTML source code. This is one of the pieces of content that search engines use to index your press release. (In emails it’s the subject line that is as important;)
ALWAYS have the company name as the first words of every headline;
Add a sub-headline. If you're looking to amplify your headline, the sub is the perfect place. Write a succinct headline and add additional details in the sub-headline field, but remember — these generally serve social media sites and search engines may not index them;
Create a first paragraph that is keyword-rich and accurately reflects the content of your press release. The first 100 words will frequently show up on sites as teaser to ‘read more;’
Use keywords and keyword phrases multiple times throughout the release- check with the web team for the company’s website Google analytics entry and exit terms;
Your first paragraph should state the primary message of the press release. What are you trying to communicate? Be clear;
Use bold & italics for emphasis only, use underlined text for hyperlinks or URL’s. To make key phrases and keywords more visible to search engines and people, use the formatting features provided in your word processing program to emphasize the most important language in your press release;
Keep it readable. While your goal is to appear high in Search Engine Result Pages (SERPS), don't miss the mark by writing copy that's overly repetitive, keyword or link stuffed or unreadable. You want search engines to find your press release and for readers to click through to it. Strike a balance;
Be careful with puns, innuendo and double meanings. Search engines and robots have no sense of humor! Keep this in mind when trying to attract their attention;
Write timely content that also provides useful company branding information to readers. Provide tips, advice, or objective analysis in your press release that is relevant to your industry or your customers' interests. Search engines reward press releases that provide useful, relevant content;
Utilize hyperlinks and anchor text, but don't overdo it. Too many links can flag your release as spam and get you blocked by search engines. One link per 100 words is recommended. Choose relevant links that direct traffic to the specific pages you are promoting rather than generic links. And avoid links, ®, ™, © symbols in your headline — they won't display correctly on many sites or major search engines;
Hyperlink directly from your keywords and keyword phrases. Use URL’s of the most important hyperlinks, some sites don’t pick-up hyperlinks;
Be consistent. Some words have multiple spellings — such as t-shirt and tee-shirt, or email and e-mail. Stick with one spelling to avoid appearing unorganized, preferably choosing the more frequently searched spelling;
Keep it fresh. As press releases age, they tend to drift lower in the search engine results pages. A campaign of several press releases is more likely to drive results than a single press release;
Include a quote, preferably two quotes, in your release. Quotation marks trigger Search engines that there are Quotables within the release and will rotate them in Enhanced Online News (EON) with wire services like Business Wire;
Link to your website (URL), to social media-specific sites (Facebook, Twitter, Flicker, or YouTube account, for example), or to other relevant web pages;
Publish on the company’s website. Be sure to make your press releases available on (if you have one) your blog, repurpose the press release content as a blog post or an email blast and link it to your social media tweets and posts on Facebook.

Example of an SEO press release

http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20090225005110/en/photo/color/colormunki

*“Birth of the Inverted Pyramid: A Child of Technology, Commerce and History” – Excerpted from “Reporting and Writing: Basics” for the 21st Century (Oxford University Press). By Chip Scanlan: http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=52&aid=38696

To read more on SEO and ‘A New Approach to PR’ go to: http://www.cjcstrategists.com/philosophy.shtml.

Is the News/Press Release "A Necessary EVIL"? Absolutely Not!

2011-02-05T10:49:00.000-08:00

The News/Press release more important today than ever before in our rapidly moving viral 21^st century communications age. However……

Last week, I was once again inspired to defend the honor and value of the News Release after reading the article, ‘Why The News Release Is Worthless In Today’s Social Media Age’, where Aaron Perlut from Forbes MarketShare BLOG writes: “news releases in most cases, are a worthless bother. Yes, there are times when they are a necessary evil.” And he’s off and running declaring that the news release is dead yet again. Although he makes some important points he confuses public relations with advertising and totally leaves out of the conversation the optimizing process that is integral to the newly vibrant VIRAL News Release. To read Perlut’s entire article click here

Wanted to share my response to Perlut’s Forbes MarketShare Blog Article:
The News/Press Release “A Necessary EVIL” Absolutely Not! News/Press releases are more important today than ever before in our rapidly moving viral 21^st century communications age. However, the release needs to be written, conceptualized and formatted in a totally new way that captures the viral world and that means SEO. To read more on SEO and ‘A New Approach to PR’ go to: http://www.cjcstrategists.com/philosophy.shtml.

This new approach to press relations requires a whole new skill set, which means Optimizing your news release. YES, my fellow PR & Communication colleagues have been loath to adapt these new skill sets either out of ignorance, laziness–or just not wanting to educate their clients’ CEOs 1950’s marketing speak. An optimized release, expanded with URL’s, hyperlinks, key and (SEO) optimized words that give the interested reader concise info in the head line (first 67/160 characters), sub-header and 1^st paragraph has the ability to supply additional information and expanded point priorities that reader wants, while maintaining interest with the broader market.

CJC Strategists (www.cjcstrategists.com) has been applying these optimizing tactics to releases for our clients for over 10 years. Our clients get a higher than usually pick-up and click-through rate (CTR) because they are optimized. These tactics strategically boost the long-tail online visibility of your press release so that it can be found, seen and shared by readers weeks and months, not just hours and days, after distribution.

PitchEngine’s ability may allow Brands to promote themselves but this is just another form of advertising not public relations. PR allows professional journalists/media to give a third-party impartial view of a product and or service.

Organizations like Business Wire www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/seo/ have been instrumental in helping the industry stay on top of the latest SEO tactics with expanded services like EON http://eon.businesswire.com/portal/site/eon/how-to-use-eon/ that take an optimized release to the Wire with viral and social media reach, archive the information, product or company on the Internet for future searches and give it an on going life. The News/Press Release “a necessary EVIL,” absolutely not!

An optimized release is one of the most important and effective tools in today’s Viral Communications and Social Media Age!

# # #

Is one version of your Press Release enough?

2010-06-12T11:38:00.000-07:00

Short Answer: No.

Is it necessary to write several versions of one news release for the wire and another for direct delivery to targeted media?

Yes, consideration of the delivery / distribution for a press release at the initial stages of writing alters the style and the voice used within the text-copy. As does the subject matter of a release i.e., launch of a product, news item, corporate, consumer or trade announcement.

Posting on the Business Wire network for example, reaches a broad audience, consequently the release needs to appeal and engage a broader audience. Since this type of release is distributed widely on the Internet through Business Wire’s elaborate Enhance Online News (EON) distribution systems, so it’s critical to leverage the limited space and attention of the reader. Consideration of the most important ‘how, what and where’ can be expanded by inserting URL’s, hyperlinks, key and (SEO) optimized words to give the interested reader additional information and expanded point priorities that reader wants, yet maintaining interest with the broader market. Optimization also makes your Wire release more relevant to the viral and social media worlds, archives the information, product or company on the Internet for future searches.

Market specific and niche releases have the luxury of more space were you can elaborate since the market target is more specific. Niche market-specific, i.e. business to business/ trade audiences already have an interest in your topic, allowing you to be more upfront and center with detailed information. This doesn’t preclude the use of (SEO) optimization and key words/ phrases. And, you don’t have to consider the cost of paying for each word as you would with a wire release.
(For more about press release optimization go to: http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/seo/.)

There are many more types of delivery systems for news releases today than ever before in the history of the communications industry. Each delivery system of your release as well as the subject parameter need thoughtfulness to the different “voices” you use before writing a relevant release. So yes, many versions of one release need to be considered in today’s multi-media world.

Getting Great ROI On Tradeshows Virtually

2010-02-04T12:08:00.000-08:00

Getting Great ROI On Tradeshows Virtually
(Or, Gaining Global Coverage By Approaching Journalists In Ways They Actually Welcome)

Virtual media tours are by far the way to go over traditional ones – if properly managed. They are more cost-effective as well as time saving. Most important, they let you introduce an idea or product to an international audience in ways that gain their attention and engage them in your message from the start.

A virtual press campaign – combined with old-fashioned relationship management at a tradeshow or other industry event you may already be attending – allows you to approach global media in ways they want to be approached. Web-enhanced marketing tools have made it possible to orchestrate a virtual encounter with any journalist in the world through podcasts, video casts, film tours, blog tours and trailers. YouTube and other multi-channeled media delivery systems spurred on by the Web2.0 technology allow you to deliver your story online via virtual events that are actually reaching important journalists and media who wouldn’t otherwise be either accessible cause of time, location or budget.

If you are among the many rethinking tradeshows because they’ve offered little or no return on your investment, consider this: We rocked tradeshows for our clients, getting up to 6 months of press coverage around each specific tradeshow or event date. We constantly deliver the kind of positive press coverage that converts to sales leads and increased sales long after an event, maintaining momentum and excitement of product long after the initial launch.

As a result, we’ve filled press pipelines for NDA products with 50 or more full page reviews, and delivered 80 one-on-one press interviews at a single tradeshow.

Consider using virtual tours to prepare the media for the Next Big Thing as well as provide follow-up details to previous high-level announcements – and you could produce phenomenal ROI for each and every tradeshow or industry event on your media calendar.

Maintaining Exclusive e-Dialogues With Key Journalists

2010-01-31T11:57:00.000-08:00

Maintaining Exclusive e-Dialogues With Key Journalists
(Or. Maximizing Your Media Coverage Around the World, 24/7)

Thanks to the latest technology, it is now possible to reach journalists anywhere in the world. But you need to give that media contact whatever information is needed to develop a story or to “sell” coverage of your event to an editorial director. And to do it at their convenience in their own time zone.

This means that whatever you send out needs to be fully linked with all the additional background information that may be necessary for what you are inviting the journalist to do (attend an event, pay attention to an announcement, conduct an interview). He or she should have all the additional information about the subject at a click. In this way, every time you reach out to that contact, you can use that opportunity to reinforce communication about your product or service.

For example, anytime we need to reach the industry’s most influential journalists worldwide, CJC Strategists reaches out directly to our red-hot database of influential press (some 7,000 global media contacts that are constantly monitored and updated) with interactive HTML eBlast that comes fully linked

As a result, our interactive eBlasts yield well over a 25% response rate – quite higher than the average industry response rate of 0.5%.

Managing Your Message Across Multimedia Platforms

2010-01-15T13:23:00.000-08:00

Managing Your Message Across Multimedia Platforms
(Or, Optimizing Your News So You Look Hot & Hip From The Start & Get Great Global Pickup)

Today’s media is at once smaller (as in more accessible worldwide) and more crowded (as in electronic exchanges cluttered with spam).

Sending out a press release or attending a tradeshow is no longer a sufficient publicity tactic “in and of itself.”

To make sure your press releases go out in the most technically savvy way, you need to make sure your messaging and marketing efforts are geared toward Web 2.0 audiences. This means ensuring each release has the proper key & tag word density and key phrases to taking advantage of the today’s metatext and anchor text parameters. Why? Consider the potential results. An average CJC Strategist ‘loaded’ release produces 40 thousand headline impressions (depending on distribution) 3,500 views with a click- through rate (CRT) of 255 and over 150 instantaneous postings to (social) media and blog sites around the globe.

You also need to make sure any news you send out has staying power. This means developing content with the “Long Tail” effect in mind -- that huge percentage of consumers searching for content long after the initial impact of a traditional news release. CJC-crafted releases consistently find their way to top of page for Google and Yahoo searches for the first 3 days in the 2nd and 3rd position and lasted for one in the 4 and 6th position on the search page and pushed traffic to the clients website.

If you do it right, you can manage the current multimedia platforms to your advantage in two ways: your message goes out in the most technologically savvy way – setting the right tone from the start; and also that you get the maximum pickup possible with key media outlets around the globe.