Believe it or not, there is still value in press release marketing. You’ve probably seen or heard of press releases being used as part of an SEO strategy, but what you may not realize is that a strong press release marketing strategy can actually gain your business quite a bit of local media coverage if you handle it properly.
Press Release Marketing Actually Works
If you’re anything like me, you’re not willing to sit and wait for a reporter to contact you for an article he’s writing, you want to force the reporters to pay attention and encourage them to reach out to you. Using these tips, I have been able to get the financial advisor I work for several TV interviews and news article interviews, with little to no real effort involved. In some disappointing but useful instances, I’ve actually had newspaper editor’s use the entire press release as an actual article for their publication (I know, lazy right?).
If you’ve been interested in using press release marketing to promote your brand, consider the following 5 tips to help you improve your press releases.
Submit Your Press Releases to The Right Places
I find that a lot of people will recommend that you don’t bother submitting your press release manually, by emailing them directly to reporters and I have to disagree. I have seen success by submitting them directly to editors and reporters; however, I would recommend before you do this you reach out and make a personal connection with the person you’re submitting your press releases to. Unless the content in your press release is downright incredible, you’re going to need that personal connection to ensure they take time to read it.
Whether or not you’re comfortable submitting press releases by hand, it is 100% necessary that you submit them to the major PR websites. For press release marketing on a budget, I recommend that you utilize PRLog.com, which allows you to submit press release for free with limited exposure. The other big name press release marketing websites will require that you pay to play, but the potential you can from these payments is well worth it, just make sure what you’re submitting is newsworthy so you’re not wasting your money:
I have had great success using a combination of PRLog and PR Web’s press release distribution services along with manually submitting press releases to reporters that I’ve worked with in the past to gain great exposure and increase the chance of getting the advisor I work into the public eye.
Your Headline is Everything
This one applies in full force if you’re manually submitting press releases to new outlets, but rings true regardless. If you spend time blogging, you know full and well that the right headline can make or break your article. If your headline doesn’t get the reader interested you’re press release is most likely going to be looked over.
Keep SEO practices in mind when writing your press release headline so that it will show up in search engines and get your point across easily and of course make sure that you’ve included your target keyword.
Include Keywords in Your Press Release
If this thought hasn’t crossed your mind, you may want to seriously reconsider press release marketing until you have your goals in focus. Press release marketing can be an effective tool if used properly and a major factor to successful press release distribution online is the use of keywords.
Of course, don’t overload your press releases with keywords, nobody benefits from keyword stuff. Do include relevant keywords where they’re needed so that your press release can be found by the people you need to see it. The most important factor in press release keywords, and blogging in general, is to write for readers not for search engines. Your goal is to get your press release in front of people’s eyes, search engine rankings should be a secondary benefit.
Check out PR Web’s article on using keywords effectively in press releases here.
Include Real Quotes in Your Press Release Marketing
As I mentioned above, I have had editors use my press release as submitted as actual articles in their publications, with no modifications whatsoever. While this may not ever happen to you, it makes it that much more important that you include direct quotes in the press releases you distribute.
Not only does a direct quote make your press release more engaging, but it allows you to further express your expertise in your field. When writing your press release, use a quote that reinforces the point of your article and strengthens your image as an expert. Don’t use a quotation as an opportunity to make a sales pitch or promote your business, keep it strictly informational so it adds value to the release.
Never, ever forget links and contact info!
The point of press release marketing is to gain exposure for your brand. While including your business name is great, providing information on how to contact you is even better. When submitting your press releases online, it’s extremely important to include links back to your website. You paid for the distribution, take advantage of the benefits. Use as many internal links as the website you’re using will allow, and link to various places on your website.
When your press release mentions a particular person, link their name to their bio page on your website. If you’re discussing a new service you’re offering, link the description of that service to its respective page on your website. Last, but most important, including a link to your homepage. The SEO benefits of this are real, and can help you out greatly if you include them in your press release.
Have you used Press Release Marketing to improve your brand’s marketing strategy? Share your tips and experiences by leaving a comment below!
5 Tips to Improve Your Press Release Marketing
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