Summary: A press release is a powerful tool for sharing information about your business. Learn how and why you should be writing press releases that help your business get great search results ranking, even if you don’t land in the newspaper.
Before You Start: You understand traditional press releases.
Learning Level: 1 | Social Media Basics
Article Last Updated: Monday, 2 August 2010
The Social Media Press Release
A social media press release does more than just alert the media to your company events.
In the past, a company wrote a press release and faxed it to the local newspapers, radio stations, and television stations hoping to get some publicity. In the social media world, a company writes a press release and posts it on the company blog and website. Search engines like Google find the press release and suddenly the company’s search engine results improve dramatically for strategic keyword searches.
In the past, a company wrote a press release when it had newsworthy information. In the social media world, a company writes a press release each time it has a major accomplishment. Launch a new service? Write a press release. Did the owner get invited to speak at the local Rotary club? Write a press release. Hire a new accounting firm? Write a press release. Sign a contract with a new client? Write a press release. Are you starting to get the idea?
The rules for press releases have changed. Are you tuned into the social media press release?
Press Release Writing
In 2006, David Meerman Scott wrote “The New Rules of PR: How to create a press release strategy for reaching buyers directly” that explained how a press release could have a positive impact on the search engine results for a company. Social media has changed the way companies can generate publicity, and the press release is a key component of the new marketing strategy.
Here are some of the most useful press release writing tips and tricks you can use to promote your business through writing press releases.
- Fill your press release with the target keywords for your business and activity. Google indexes every word of your press release. As you write your press release, you want to focus on key search terms. This type of copywriting helps you press release appear high in the most desirable search results.
- Include hyperlinks to destinations inside and outside of your company website. Not only do you gain search engine results benefits, but you provide a practical service for the people who read your press release.
- Attach the hyperlinks to words and phrases that reinforce the link destination. Google pays attention to the words you use to anchor the links. Your word choice for the links influences your search results ranking.
- Create a PDF of your press release for distribution. The PDF format allows reader to use hyperlinks and retains your formatting. Write a blog post about your press release and link to it. Also create a press page on your website and link to your press release.
- Provide a list of links at the end of your press release. Some media outlets still require you to fax press releases, which means that they can’t use the embedded hyperlinks you have placed in the PDF version. Don’t include the links within the press release text because it reduces readability.
- Don’t link to a web address that redirects. Instead, always link to a direct web address.
- Provide online and offline contact information. This includes your web address, email, phone, and your social media passport. For example, list your company Facebook page and Twitter accounts.
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Your turn: Does your company have a press release strategy? Have you created a press release section of your website? Share your experiences with the community.
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Hi Charlene:
I love your tips! Is there a reason you didn’t suggest using a tool like pitchengine? So many reporters/bloggers like being pitched over twitter now, that using pitchengine makes that process easy. I think pdfs are great, but I think there are regional differences to this approach. In Denver, our local papers have dwindling resources, so we send releases in the body of an email, or word doc as sometimes copy is literally “cut and paste”.
Those are just some thoughts and questions.
@DebInDenver
Deb Robison´s last blog ..Fan Page Analytics Part II
Thanks for the feedback and questions, Deb. I don’t know pitchengine, so I’ll have to learn about that. I think your point about regional differences is a great one. I send out press releases to my local media, and this is based on my experience. None of them take content pasted into emails, but I don’t know why! It seems like a much easier process. I’ll publish more press release articles as I get more education.
Sure thing Charlene! We had a PR firm from New York here pitching a local event and they complained that they couldn’t get into the local press- turned out they were sending out press releases in pdf’s. We had to politely explain why that was. I think cutting and pasting copy is, um, “unoriginal”, but apparently when resources are down and you want to get the word out, it’s something smaller publications may rely on.
One thing I found with pitchengine is that it seemed like as soon as I posted a release, it went to the top of the google rankings within an hour. Which was awesome!
One other thing I would add is that a social media release does not replace relationships with bloggers & journalists- it just helps you get the word to them more efficiently, or in their preferred medium. You still have to get to know them, follow their work and make your content relevant to their publication
Deb Robison´s last blog ..Fan Page Analytics Part II