How to Write Press Releases: Best Practices for Content That Can Be Found (& Shared!) Online

Public Relations & SEO: Better Together

Press release optimization tactics you can use right now

Sarah Skerik VP Content Marketing, PR Newswire

Public Relations & SEO: Better Together

Press release optimization tactics you can use right now

Sarah Skerik VP Content Marketing, PR Newswire

Search engines are continually changing how they rank web sites. (These are headlines from last month.)

SEO Experts are Focusing on PR

Why?

Because earned media counts.

Search engines evaluate content

in terms of how much people like

it, as indicated by things like:

• The amount of time readers spend on the page

• User behavior – do they click on a related link on the page, or back away and go elsewhere?

• Whether or not they share the content

It’s always high quality & credible.

Earned media mentions

are extraordinarily

valuable: – They trigger highly

relevant social mentions– Which in turn deliver

interested readers – Who in turn read, act

upon and share the content with peers

– … powering search rank Does anything look familiar here?

Earned media generates desirable user behaviors.

The factors search engines value have changed too.

SEO = Good content that people like, read, share, tweet and +1.

That’s it. Really.

(Don’t believe me?)

Let‘s go straight to the authority.

Guidelines from Google for webmasters:

How do press releases fit in?

Earned Media(Journalists,Bloggers, Social Mentions)

Owned Media (Your web site, blog, & other channels)

Press Release

Press release tactics that matter now.

• Focus. One key theme per message, please. • Writing for the audience. It’s about what they want to

hear, not what the brand wants to say. • Encouraging quality interaction.

– Getting reader attention– Getting them to read– Encouraging them to share – Smart linking

• Drive discovery. Make getting your message into the hands (or consciousnesses or news feeds) of connected & relevant enthusiasts & professionals a priority.

What? No optimize-y, tech-y stuff?

X

FOCUSClear & focused messages are more effective.

Focus. Press releases should focus on a central theme.

Unfocused content leads to:

Keyword confusion

Conflicting calls to action

Long and wandering content

Reader drop-off

Zero social shares

Ineffectiveness.

Wasted resource

Risk of search engine penalty

A dummy version of a real release with too many stories

It starts off talking about an event.

Now we’re on to wooden furniture and renewable materials…. And furnaces, automation, entertainment and storage systems.

This snippet touts the benefits of wooden furniture in terms of flexibility in décor.

Company history and heritage, preservation of resources in manufacturing.

Discussion of environmentally friendly finishes and emissions in the home .

Wrapping up with a paragraph about a home storage product.

WRITING FOR THE AUDIENCE

Frame the brand message within the context of the audience’s needs and interests.

Writing for the audience.

No reads =

No shares

No visibility

No results.

Nada. Zip. Zero.

Make the headline & lead about the story the audience wants to read, not what the brand wants to tell.

Put the audience first. Literally.• Highlight the aspect of the announcement that is important to readers:

– The problem the new product solves– The opportunity the new app lets people capture – The time saved or efficiency gained by the new service

PRODUCTEEV BY JIVE BRINGS SOCIAL  TASK MANAGEMENT TO BUSINESSES & TEAMS OF ALL TYPES & SIZES – FOR FREE

New App Spans Devices To Transform The Way Work Gets Done Across Networks

“Social Task Management” is a search phrase.

“Free” is very compelling!

The whole headline is short (105 characters) & the key phrase is within the first 65

characters

Subhead adds important detail – it works across devices.

Bonus: After the first paragraph, Jive embedded a link offering direct access to

the free download.

Another good headline

Short headline, features a buzzword

& unconventional POV

Reference to data by using digits

instantly communicates

credibility

Common elements of these great headlines

• The headlines appeal directly to the audience

• They are about things the audience cares about, not the issuers’ businesses.

• Both are short, within the 80-110 character ‘sweet spot’

• Both include recognizable terms/buzzwords

• Subheads add detail and perspective, and the focus remains on the audience.

ENCOURAGE INTERACTION

Make it easy for your readers to scan, tweet, share, like, +1 and otherwise share your content with their friends and peers.

Encourage Interaction: Plain Text is Boring!

• Images catch the eye (and the search engine algorithm.)

• Social buttons engage and encourage sharing.

• Bulleted lists, bold subheads hold the attention of people who are scanning the page

• Links provide distinct calls to action • Create a pathway for

different potential audiences. • For media• For prospects • For enthusiasts

LINKS ARE FOR READERS, NOT SEARCH ENGINES

Use embedded links to provide calls to action or easy access to more information for your readers.

Link from relevant natural phrases, not exact keywords.

NO!

Source: http://explicitly.me/long-tail-link-building

Examples of linking from relevant phrases.

Source: http://explicitly.me/long-tail-link-building

Some other linking tips:

• Use links to guide readers to the logical next step, not for SEO purposes

• Use 1 or 2 anchor text links per story.

• Don’t link to a URL more than once. Repetition = spam, not emphasis.

• Don’t link to the home page. Create a deep link to a relevant product page.

• Provide the full URL for one really important page (e.g. the landing page to which you want to direct readers) within the release. Some sites don’t render anchor links, so this will ensure readers still know where to go for more information.

Too many links!

DRIVE MESSAGE DISCOVERYThink in terms of getting your message to more of the right people.

Driving Message Discovery

Distribute your content.

• Syndication increases footprint. More people will see your message.

• Social reaches relevant audiences

Result: More high-value

user behavior that search

engines notice & more

valuable earned media.

PRNewswire.com

BlogsPRN Widget

NationalNews Sites

Local News Affiliate

Sites

Portals & Databases

Trade News Sites

Mobile AppPartnerships

MobilizedWebsites

Your Website

MediaRoom

Video Portals

MultimediaRelease

PRN Mobile Site & App

Earned Search Results

PR Newswire for Journalists

Media Outlet News Feeds“The Wire”

TwitterSocialPost

EmailMicrolists /Media Lists

Driving discovery: Employ multimedia

• Visuals have their own distribution networks

• Visuals draw eyeballs• Algorithms value

visuals • Better results accrue

Summary: 4 Keys to Building Online Visibility:

Content quality is the priority. • Focus the message. • Create content for the

audience. • Encourage interaction. • Drive discovery.

Thank you!

Sarah Skerik

Vice president of content marketing,

PR Newswire• @sarahskerik • Linkedin.com/in/sarahskerik

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