Press Releases

Traffic from Optimized Press Releases

Introduction to Press Releases
The use of press releases has opened up not too long ago with Google and Yahoo News. You only need to take a quick look at them to realise just how much potential there is in creating traffic using these sources. Recent estimations say that nearly half of all internet users use an online news portal in a given month. Any way you look at it, there's no denying that that’s an awesome number of people and you can tap into that super potential if you choose to.

To begin, you must first plan your press release on something specific and interesting. Don't try to "catch-them-all". By being too general and broad, you will not catch the attention of your real targeted audience's eyes. You should attempt to bring across the most important points of your press release right from the start.

The best news items aren't normally just facts. And even if they are, they are carried about in an interesting light creating a buzz. In creating your press releases, you should give and provide your reader a call to action. It can also work a treat if you offer some free report and membership within your press release. I've also seen press releases that send their viewers to a sales or landing page. Perhaps you might like to try that? Just bear in mind that your landing page is supposed to lead visitors to a path that eventually gets them to take some serious action (make a purchase for example).

Good press releases are often easy to read (again, it's K.I.S.S) and they provide a summary that's fascinating enough to encourage people to find out more for themselves. The moment you are satisfied that your press release is complete, amply easy to understand and comprehend and has some attention grabber, then go right ahead and publish it.

Writing press releases has proven to be a very effective promotional medium. There are rules and guidelines (like anything else) regarding writing of press releases though. In most cases, press release editors are pretty strict and choosy. So take note on that.

Tips and Tricks For Press Release Writing:

1. Be focused on just one subject when writing your press release. 1000 targeted visitors is more valuable than 10,000 untargeted ones.

2. Be objective in presenting your news item. Excessive use of unnecessary adjectives and hype words is frowned upon. Be direct and to the point.

3. Be ready to back up whatever you have written in your press release. You aren't writing the gossip column but a news story. Only present the necessary facts and sieve out the opinion bits.

4. Create an interesting angle for your subject. Effective press releases tend to be those that have a very interesting and unique angle.

5. Make sure that the press release you're submitting is in fact newsworthy. Editors are humans after all and they know (much better than you or me) what the public is looking for. Also make sure that your press releases are very much up to date. No one needs news that are too old.

6. Keep your first lead paragraph short and succint. Test and get opinions from others. Be sure that it captures the essence of your entire press release. Readers usually skimp and scan and if you can catch their attention, you've written an effective press release. Good job!

7. Ensure that your contact details are included with the press release. That way, anyone who's keen to communicate with you can get in touch.

8. Press releases aren't direct methods since when someone comes across your press release and clicks on it. He is taken not to your web site but to the press release site where the release is listed. However, with your links and web addresses on it, they can still find and visit your website which is the whole objective of these press releases.

9. Include your target keywords within the title or header of your press release. This makes for better search engine optimization. Some press release sites allow subheaders. Use those to include variants of your keywords.

10. As mentioned before, make sure to include contact details (these come under the "For More Info" block). These include your name, address, phone, web address, e-mail address, et cetera of the person that you want your readers to contact in case they would like to learn more about you, your company, or your message.

11. Begin your PR (press release) with a date line, which includes the city from which the release is issued and also the date.

12. After your date line follows the main body of your PR. The lead paragraph (especially the first sentence) needs to have your keywords to show up on search engines. I cannot emphasize this enough.

13. As a general guideline, keep your press release up to 3 or 4 paragraphs. They aren't here to read a novel. Long winded PRs don't get read. Period.

14. The most popular places to submit your press releases to are PRWeb, PRFree and PRNewsWire. I also recommend using the product called Press Equalizer to effectively submit your press releases to multiple sites.

15. Finally, also try submitting your press releases to StumbleUpon and Digg and other social bookmarking sites. More leverage to the good!