Press Releases Can Increase Search Engine Positioning
by Karon Thackston © 2004
http://www.copywritingcourse.com
When you write a press release, what is your ultimate goal? No
doubt, getting the information to as many publications and on as
many Web sites as possible. The focus lies in moving outward.
taking the press release to as many *other* sources as possible.
We buy lists of journalists, pay public relations companies to
distribute the release to thousands of targeted leads, use online
press release distribution services, and create our own in-house
list of reporters to touch base with. This is the "standard" route
that press release distribution takes.
However, we generally don't think about how these releases can
work for us in other ways. For instance, have you considered
the fact that adding your press releases to your own site can increase
your visibility and boost your lead generation efforts?
How? Because press releases can open new avenues for search
engine spiders and site visitors to find you.
Writing A Search-Engine-Friendly Release
Press releases have some unique characteristics that can contribute
to an increase in search engine positioning for your site. They
are similar in many ways to pages that use search engine copywriting
techniques. For instance, they:
- Have a narrow focus.
- Include copy that deals with one specific topic.
- Incorporate the use of keyphrases.
- Use keyword-rich headlines.
Press releases, by nature, incorporate each of the elements used
with good search engine copywriting. That makes them the
perfect addition to your site.
With very little effort, each of your press releases can be turned
into optimized pages that draw in additional, qualified traffic. When
you write your next press release, consider adding these two simple
steps:
- Choose keywords that can be easily included in your release.
- Incorporate keywords into your headline where possible.
Incorporating Press Releases Into Your Site
Next, you'll want to develop a page structure that caters to
the search engine spiders. Because spiders follow links,
you'll have to open a door from your home page to the section of
your site that houses the releases.
First, add a link to your navigation bar that points to a "press
release directory." On the directory page, list each individual
release with a one- or two-sentence summary and a link to the entire
content of the release.
Then create a separate page for each release you write. Using
the keywords you've researched for the content, write a title and
description tag for each page. Then upload everything to
your host's server. Once the pages are spidered, you'll find
numerous new roads leading from the engines to your site.
With just a little more effort than you would normally give,
your press releases can pull "double duty." Through a push-pull
effect, your releases can be pushed toward media outlets for additional
exposure, and they can also pull visitors back to your site through
the use of search engines. The result? Even after the
initial media explosion over your releases takes place, they'll
be working to drive traffic to your site and increase your search
engine positioning.
Copy not getting results? Learn to write SEO copy that
impresses both the engines and your visitors at http://www.copywritingcourse.com .
Be sure to check out Karon's latest e-report "How To Increase Keyword
Saturation (Without Destroying the Flow of Your Copy)" at http://www.copywritingcourse.com/keyword . |
