The press release is as old as newspapers themselves. Now the Internet has put a new spin on this trusted marketing tool – and you can put it to use to boost your Web site’s rankings.
Why? Because press releases offer terrific opportunities to generate all-important backlinks to your Web site. And typically the more backlinks you have, the higher your Web site’s rankings in the search results.
But to take advantage of press releases in this way, you need to keep a few key points in mind. Here they are:
- Insert important keywords into your press release. If you’re going to take the time to write a press release, make sure you add keywords that you think your prospective customers will search on to find your Web site. If you sell replacement windows, add terms like “replacement windows” into both the title of your press release and the body text. You don’t need to overdo it, but keywords are important.
- Link to your Web site in digital versions of your press releases. Linking to your own Web site is important, because the online publications that pick up your press release will post your press release – with your links intact. So by including links to your home page or to your Web site’s interior pages, you can generate quick and easy backlinks to your Web site – valuable currency in today’s Internet economy.
- Distribute your press releases through online PR channels. You’re naturally going to send your press release to dozens of local media channels in your area. But the online world also offers literally thousands of destinations for your release. I won’t get into every opportunity here, but some of the most-popular press release distribution services are PRWeb , 24-7 Press Release and PRLeap.
- Recognize that online press releases are no substitute for local press. While online press release distribution helps generate backlinks to your Web site, this does not replace local, face-to-face work of good PR. Online PR is just a nice addition to your PR mix, so don’t abandon your current efforts.
Next time around, I’ll go through an actual press release and show you how to format it and link to your Web site for the best possible results!
