Difference between revisions of "Learn/Build-Links-and-Visibility-with-Press-Releases"
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Before you start optimizing your press release, you’ll want to make sure your website itself makes good use of keywords, or your efforts won’t yield much benefit. Check the [[Online Visibility Audit]] on your site’s AboutUs page to see which keywords search engines are finding on your site. You can also use the audit to see which words search engines are finding on your ''competitors''’ sites. | Before you start optimizing your press release, you’ll want to make sure your website itself makes good use of keywords, or your efforts won’t yield much benefit. Check the [[Online Visibility Audit]] on your site’s AboutUs page to see which keywords search engines are finding on your site. You can also use the audit to see which words search engines are finding on your ''competitors''’ sites. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==First, Find Your Keywords== | ||
| + | Optimizing a press release is simple, but it does take manual work. The first step is the same as in any link building campaign: Understand which keywords will bring people to your website. | ||
| + | |||
| + | If you haven’t done it already, now is the time for [[Keyword Research Is Key to Online Success| keyword research]], so you know exactly which words and phrases you’re going to target with your press release. Once you have your keyword list, you’ll want to check your press release to ensure: | ||
| + | |||
| + | # Your targeted keywords (and variations, if they fit naturally) are used in the text. | ||
| + | # The links pointing back to your site from the press release include relevant targeted keywords in the anchor text. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Insider’s tip:''' When you mention your brand name or company name, locate your main keyword or keyword phrase nearby. That will encourage anyone reading your press release to associate the keyword or phrase with your business. This can help you get the valuable keyword-based links you want from a news site. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Let’s say you work for Apple, and you’re planning to send a press release about the latest iPod to news sites that write about new consumer technology. If you want a link in a news story to be built on the keyword phrase “music player,” you’re more likely to get that if you write, “'''the new Apple iPod music player was announced today''',” than if you write, “'''the new Apple iPod was announced today'''.” | ||
| + | |||
| + | The appearance of '''music player''' right beside the focus of the news – the new iPod – increases the likelihood that the person writing the news story will link to your website using “music player” for the anchor text. That can help you capture the attention of people who search for the more general term, “music player,” rather than for your brand. And you do want the attention of people who aren’t yet iPod fans, right? | ||
| + | It’s also a good idea to build your links on important keywords, because many sites simply publish press releases without rewriting them at all. | ||
Revision as of 18:15, 2 November 2010
By Nick Herinckx on November 2, 2010
Nick Herinckx is currently an account executive at Anvil Media, an internet marketing agency in Portland, Oregon. Nick manages international online marketing programs for large companies like Borders and Trend Micro, and writes for industry publications such as Search Marketing Insider and Reputation Watch.
Most businesses publish press releases to trumpet company news, while (hopefully!) persuading journalists to tell the company’s story.
Your press releases can bring you much greater benefit if you learn to optimize them for search engines – benefits like more people coming to your website, and your site appearing higher in search engine results.
You need to include two main components in your press releases to optimize them:
- Keywords that are relevant to your company and commonly used by people searching for what you sell.
- Links to pages on your website that are relevant to the story you’re telling. Build these links on keyword-rich linking text – also called “anchor text” – for best results.
Before you start optimizing your press release, you’ll want to make sure your website itself makes good use of keywords, or your efforts won’t yield much benefit. Check the Online Visibility Audit on your site’s AboutUs page to see which keywords search engines are finding on your site. You can also use the audit to see which words search engines are finding on your competitors’ sites.
First, Find Your Keywords
Optimizing a press release is simple, but it does take manual work. The first step is the same as in any link building campaign: Understand which keywords will bring people to your website.
If you haven’t done it already, now is the time for keyword research, so you know exactly which words and phrases you’re going to target with your press release. Once you have your keyword list, you’ll want to check your press release to ensure:
- Your targeted keywords (and variations, if they fit naturally) are used in the text.
- The links pointing back to your site from the press release include relevant targeted keywords in the anchor text.
Insider’s tip: When you mention your brand name or company name, locate your main keyword or keyword phrase nearby. That will encourage anyone reading your press release to associate the keyword or phrase with your business. This can help you get the valuable keyword-based links you want from a news site.
Let’s say you work for Apple, and you’re planning to send a press release about the latest iPod to news sites that write about new consumer technology. If you want a link in a news story to be built on the keyword phrase “music player,” you’re more likely to get that if you write, “the new Apple iPod music player was announced today,” than if you write, “the new Apple iPod was announced today.”
The appearance of music player right beside the focus of the news – the new iPod – increases the likelihood that the person writing the news story will link to your website using “music player” for the anchor text. That can help you capture the attention of people who search for the more general term, “music player,” rather than for your brand. And you do want the attention of people who aren’t yet iPod fans, right? It’s also a good idea to build your links on important keywords, because many sites simply publish press releases without rewriting them at all.