Always Optimize your Online PR with SEO Techniques

Writing by Nick Stamoulis on Thursday, March 19, 2009 Leave a comment

Online publicity is an area of marketing that every customer should be in. When ever doing anything online to further marketing your business or yourself some search engine optimization techniques should be implemented so that website traffic can find what you are doing.

SEO is something that many people still don’t understand but the reality is that it does work. It works great for online press releases also. If you are a business or a business owner who is looking to market themselves online knowing your industry keywords is imperative to the success of your online marketing campaign. using keywords and phrases relevant to what you do or offer will only allow others to find you that much easier. This approach must be done tastefully so that you readers recognize you as a legitimate business and not someone just trying to scam the system to be visible. You press release should always be newsworthy with elements of SEO applied for increased visibility.

SEO is not amyth or an urban legend. it is a technique that has been proven to clean up search results and user experience when done right and not abused. SEO techniques also apply to launch PR and any writing including articles also. The important thing to always remember when launching your online publicity is to not abuse

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5 Tips to Writing an Effective Press Release

Writing by Maciej Fita on Monday, August 4, 2008 Leave a comment

It is easy to sit down and whip up a 350-500 word press release and submit it. But how easy is it to actually write one that has some compelling copy and will grasp an audience? Do you really want to write a press release just to see it get lost in cyber world? I am going to give you 5 important tips to always follow when constructing a press release for yourself or your company.

Tip #1 – Create an Outline
There is nothing worse than starting to write and an immediately hitting a roadblock after one sentence. Put together an outline of your thoughts and how you want them to flow throughout the press release. This will allow you to keep things on the straight and narrow and not let your thoughts go off on tangents. It will allow you to properly organize your thoughts before you get them onto the screen and submit them. This will also allow you to increase your efficiency and speed if you have a position where you need to submit many press releases.

Tip #2 – Make it News Worthy
Make sure whatever you are writing you would want to read yourself. If whatever you are writing sounds dull and boring and is not compelling to you than think about what your readers are going to feel when they lay their eyeballs on your press release. If it is not news worthy make it newsworthy. Tweak the writing so that it so exciting the reader can’t wait to read the following line. Let your imagination flow and take your reader on a trip. Everything in life tells a story and the stories are what make things move and prosper.

Tip #3 – Don’t Beat a Dead Horse
Don’t announce something has already been over announced. Nobody wants to read about the wheel anymore. Nobody wants to read about the new wheel either. I know sometimes there is only so much new information you can write about for overused and sold products but all you have to do is take a different approach. Writing is art so make it controversial. Controversy is what grasps peoples attention so go start writing and create a stink for people complain about.

Tip #4 – Don’t Cram Info
Keep your press release focused and in check. Don’t try to cover too many bases. If you try to announce too much into one release you are going to lose your reader entirely and jeopardize your release not getting picked up by anyone. Keep it to one topic and subject and focus on it. Press releases should be around 500 words and that is not enough room to write about too many different event or things going on in your company.

Tip #5 – Don’t Forget your Hyper Links
If you are distributing your press release and you have not hyperlinked your anchor text you better before you submit your press release. This is valuable link building that cannot go unnoticed. Hyperlink with your link 2-3 anchors texts and make sure your links work. Double and triple check to make sure they are pointing to the right pages that you want before you submit.

If you follow these simple tips you should be on the right track to have a solid online press release campaign.

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Press Release Writing: Don’t Forget Revisions

Writing by Nick Stamoulis on Thursday, July 17, 2008 Leave a comment

Back when we were all younger and learning about things like writing papers in school, teachers always made an effort to say that you should always try to capture your thoughts in a draft and to put the pieces together, and then go back through and clean things up a bit. When it comes to press release writing, you’ll find that this is a remarkably good idea.

Revisions in press release writing are about a number of things. There’s the need to ensure that you properly formatted the press release that you wrote. There’s the need to make sure that spelling and grammar are correct within your press release. There’s also a need to make sure that you’ve not only managed to get your news out there a bit, but also you’ve made sure that your press release was newsworthy and would help to get the attention of the reader.

You may find that when you go back through your press release you can say something more effectively by writing it a different way. You might find that you typed in a comma where you meant to put a period – even little revisions like this are important to press release writing. Simply by taking the time to go through your press release writing and to create a second draft, you’ll find that you can have a dramatic impact on the work that you’ve done.

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Press Release Writing: Looking to the Future

Writing by Nick Stamoulis on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 Leave a comment

When you are writing press releases to market your business and you recognize that there are going to be circumstances in which you are writing about anticipated results, one of the things that you’re going to find is that it’s important to add “Safe Harbor” statements. When you make statements about what you expect will happen within your press release writing, it’s important to let readers – whether or not they are members of the media – know that there is the potential that it won’t work out quite that way:

(source) the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “may,” “intend,” “expect” and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations of the Company and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties.

By acknowledging that there are uncertainties and focusing on the goals that you’ve set, you’re likely to find that you are in a position in which if economic situations change or a competitor makes advances more rapidly than you thought that they would, you won’t find yourself having as much to explain. Press release writing that takes into consideration the possibility that things might not work out helps to protect your business from criticism and potential bad press.

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The Changing Face of Press Release Writing

Writing by Nick Stamoulis on Monday, July 14, 2008 Leave a comment

Ask most public relations professionals and they’ll tell you that press release writing just doesn’t look the same as it used to. No longer exclusively about getting the word out to newspapers, magazines and TV and radio stations, these days press release writing is about something far more: attracting the attention of the social media.

This isn’t something that you’ll only read here when you’re looking for more information about press release writing; it’s something that you’re going to come across in a number of different places. It’s something that you’ll even here executives talking about; press release writing is about more than just spreading the word and getting people to talk about it:

(source)“The biggest challenge is moving away from thinking about it as marketing and PR,” said Peter Kim, a Forrester Research analyst. “It’s about product development, it’s about IT. It’s got to cut across all functions of the company.”

Simply put, when it comes to press release writing, one of the things that you’re going to discover is that you are in a position to grow your business – not just to talk about a product, service, event or change that you’re excited about. With press releases, you’re going to find that you’re able to do far more – especially when your press release writing shows that you understand everything that’s involved and affected.

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Press Release Writing: Reworking Your News Articles

Writing by Nick Stamoulis on Sunday, July 13, 2008 Leave a comment

Many businesses that are looking for the chance to take advantage of press release writing are also taking advantage of other ways to market their businesses – and often these include using articles both on their own web sites as well as in article directories and ezines. One thing that you are going to want to be sure of, if you plan on using the same subjects for the articles that you write and for your press releases, is that you are reworking the article into an appropriate format.

Press release writing is all about making sure that you are using the format that is right – headlines, contact information, details and key points. Press release writing is all about finding a way to spread your news in such a way as to create a springboard for a story that editors, journalists, bloggers and other media personnel can run with.

In other words, one of the things that you’re going to want to focus on with press release writing is that you are using the right format; another element is that you’re providing the who, what, where, when, why and how in a way that creates something of an outline or framework for another article.

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Press Release Writing: Focusing on What Matters

Writing by Nick Stamoulis on Saturday, July 12, 2008 Leave a comment

When you’re looking into press release writing for your business, one of the things that you are going to want to be sure that you are doing is focusing on the key elements of your news release. That does not just mean that you’re going to focus on the format of press release writing – which is important – nor does it mean that you are just going to want to focus on the who, what, where, when, why and how of your press release – which is also important.

Ultimately, what you are going to want to be sure that you are doing is focusing on what really matters in your press release; however, that means understanding that when you are writing a press release, you are going to want to be sure that you are able to focus on what is important to the editors, journalists, bloggers and prospective customers who are reading your press release.

In other words, you are going to want to be sure that you are focusing on the “what’s in it for me” element when you are writing your press releases. You’re going to want to be sure that when you are writing a press release you will be able to let editors see the benefits of publishing the story and that they will see the benefits of advertising coming in if they run your story. You’ll find that you’re writing about things that bloggers’ audiences are going to want to read and you’re going to want to be sure that you are able to show prospective customers why they should take notice.

Simply put, you’ll find that you’re able to market your business more effectively if you are able to tell your readers what matters to them.

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Press Release Writing: Do You Include a Photo?

Writing by Nick Stamoulis on Friday, July 11, 2008 Leave a comment

Capture media attention
PRWeb - Press Releases That Work

When you write a press release to market your business, a product or service that you offer, one of the things that you are trying to do is to draw the attention of the media and of current and potential customers. However, according to some source, you might not be taking full advantage of press release writing unless you are including a photo with the release that you write:

(source)The majority of press releases that are distributed online do not include photos. When a photo or an illustration is included with a press release it enhances the visibility of the release increasing the number of viewers as well as making it easier for people to find a release in search engines such as Google™ News and Google Images.

“One of the biggest mistakes made by press release publishers is neglecting to include a pertinent image with their press release.” said Phillip Davies President of BigNews.biz “People are much more likely to find and respond to a press release with an interesting photo, than to a press release that does not include one. Our latest report shows publishers how to prepare an image for publication with a press release and how to optimize it for better search engine placement.”

In other words, if you’re looking to take your press release writing to the next level, you may want to take a page from press release writing guides of the past (when press release writing and distribution was more geared toward traditional media outlets, photos and graphics were often included). By including an image, you are likely to discover that the press releases you write are noticed, that they attract attention and that the value of your SEO efforts also increases.

If you’re looking to get more out of press releases writing, you may want to think about adding an image; if the sources are right – it’s something that will benefit you and your business.

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Press Release Writing: Using Links Well

Writing by Nick Stamoulis on Thursday, July 10, 2008 Leave a comment

Capture media attention
PRWeb - Press Releases That Work

When it comes to press release writing that is mostly for internet distribution, you’re going to find that it’s a good idea to pay careful attention to the links that point the reader back to your site. Simply put, choosing the links that you include when writing a press release is just like choosing links for a Pay Per Click marketing campaign or for a mailing that you send out: you’re going to want to be sure that you are choosing and directing traffic to the right landing page.

If you’re writing a press release about a limited time offer that your company is running, for example, take the time to make sure that you’re linking to a page about that offer rather than just the homepage of your web site. If you are going to be announcing a new staff member within a press release you are writing for your industry or community, you may want to be sure that you’re able to link to a page that includes his or her photo and bio.

Simply put, when you look at press release writing as a way to drive traffic to your web site, you’re going to need to be sure that you are focusing on getting people right to the information that they are looking for rather than making them dig around your site to find what they need. The more that you know that you are using the right links (and that you are using them appropriately), the more that you will discover the benefits of press release writing for marketing your company web site.

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Looking for Press Release Writing Advice?

Writing by Nick Stamoulis on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 Leave a comment

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PRWeb - Press Releases That Work

When businesses take advantage of press release writing, some turn to the PR department, others turn to ghostwriters and still others make the choice to look for press release writing advice.

Like all advice, really, when it comes to press release writing advice, there are going to be pieces of information that aren’t all that valuable, some that are wrong and others that are dead on. One of the most accurate bits of advice for writing press releases that you can come across is going to look like this:

If you are writing a press release, you must make sure that what you are saying is not only 100 per cent accurate but also backed up by someone actually saying it. To do otherwise renders your copy useless.

When it comes to writing your press releases, you’ll find that having supportive quotes within the release will add a great deal of value to what you have to say. Whether your company is increasing the number of positions available and you reference the local SBA or another organization that talks about the benefits of bringing more jobs to the area or you have received a great endorsement, being able to site someone else’s opinion on the matter in addition to your release will give you more credibility and attract more editors and writers to your release.

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Press Release Writing: Do You Have Journalism Contacts?

Writing by Nick Stamoulis on Saturday, July 5, 2008 Leave a comment

Capture media attention
PRWeb - Press Releases That Work

When you’re looking at press release writing as an option for promoting your business, one of the things that you are going to want to be sure of is that you know what bloggers, editors and journalists are going to be looking for when they read a press release.

Simply put, if you are looking for the opportunity to market your business with press release writing, you will find that you are in a position to get more out of press release writing when you have journalism contacts. Whether you know bloggers who review products or services or you know someone who works as an editor or a newspaper article writer, you will find that you are in a better position to ask questions – and, when you get answers to those questions, you will find that you are in a better position to know what to include when you write a press release.

Press release writing, after all, isn’t so much about marketing your business as it is about spreading the word. When you know what you target audience is looking for, you will be in a better position to give them that information. When you are able to give them information that will help them to get the big story, that’s when you press release writing is really going to help to move your business forward.

Press release writing is a great asset; having the right contacts will ensure that you are able to know what to include in each press release that you write and distribute.

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Press Release Writing Isn’t Something that You Need to Do Yourself

Writing by Nick Stamoulis on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 Leave a comment


While press release writing is something that just about every business can benefit from and while it follows a pretty straightforward format, the reality is that there are some people who just are not interested in writing their own press releases (some of them are writers):

(source)As you writers out there probably know, one way to market a book is to use a PRWeb Press Release (http://www.prweb.com/) . It’s not free, but it’s a good way to get the word out. You may write your own review, but I did not.

Now, in this particular instance, the writer was talking about submitting a press release talking about a book that she had written and was talking about using the press release for marketing.

The reality is that press release writing is all about focusing on marketing: press release writing is about getting the word out. If you don’t feel that press release writing is something that you can do well, by all means look into having press releases written for you. It’s not something that you need to do yourself, however if you want to be sure that you are getting the word out about your business, press release writing is an important thing to do.

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Press Release Writing: Knowing What Is Newsworthy

Writing by Nick Stamoulis on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 Leave a comment


When you’re going to be writing press releases for your business, one of the key things that you need to be on the lookout for is that you are writing for the right reasons. While it’s true that press release writing is something that can help you to get the attention or the media and your customers, while press release writing can help you to get sales, neither is the best reason to write a press release: the reason that you should be writing a press release is to get news out there and circulating – and that means knowing what is newsworthy.

For example, having a weekend sale isn’t necessarily newsworthy; having a grand opening sale or anniversary sale can be. Being considered for an award isn’t necessarily newsworthy – unless you have gone through a number of rounds of competition to get to that point; winning an award – especially in a highly competitive field – is (in this case, consider something like the Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes – everyone could be a winner but very few people are going to have a story about it go to press).

When you’re going to take advantage of press release writing, it’s a good idea to ask yourself whether the issue that you’re going to talk about really is something that would be talked about in the newspaper or trade journal (or blog) that you’re submitting it to. If the release isn’t newsworthy, you’ll run the risk of future releases – even those that are newsworthy – going overlooked, and that would defeat the purpose.

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Press Release Writing: Getting Right to the Point

Writing by Nick Stamoulis on Sunday, June 29, 2008 Leave a comment


Press release writing is a great way to market your business – provided of course that you are able to stick to the basics, understand the format and recognize that a press release isn’t a sales pitch. Ultimately, when it comes to press release writing, getting right to the point is going to ensure that you are able to get the results that you are looking for:

(source)For a press release to be effective, it needs to be clear, factual and to the point. If an reporter wants to write a more in-depth article on your product or service, they’ll call you for more information. State the facts (in the best possible light, of course) clearly and consisely, providing greater detail in the lower paragraphs of the release. A press release typically includes a quote from a senior executive, in which you can toot your horn a little, but make sure it actually says something meaningful. Cut the fluff, and stick with the facts.

When you’re writing press releases, it’s not a bad idea to think about the articles that you’ve read in the business section of the newspaper – especially those that are written almost in the margins. You’re going to want to start with the facts, you’re going to want to make sure that you are telling a clear story and that you are providing information that others are going to benefit from.

Really, that’s the key to press release writing: get right to the point, focus on what your current and prospective customers are going to want to know and make sure that it’s easy for writers and editors to just run with your release as the story if it comes to that. By getting right to the point with press release writing, you’ll find that it’s easier to get noticed and to spread the word.

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Press Release Writing Gets Attention for Your Web Site

Writing by Nick Stamoulis on Saturday, June 28, 2008 Leave a comment


Press release writing was once just a tool that helped businesses to get attention for the products, services, events and changes that their company was sponsoring. These days, however, press release writing is all about attracting attention to the web site that you’ve developed for your web site:

(source)And what’s really terrific about the Internet – you can write a press release, submit it to online release distribution service such as PRWeb, PRNewswire and others and then watch the inquiries to your website roll in – even if you never receive one phone call from a reporter.

I kid you not. Once your optimized press release hits the World Wide Web, it will show up in search engines such as Google and Yahoo. It will. Particularly if you have had it search engine optimized for the keywords people use when searching for the things your company sells or the services you offer.

Whether the primary goal that you have for press release writing is indexing your site with the major search engines or you are simply hoping to get the word out about your products, services and events and, if your web site becomes more popular in the process so be it, you will find that press release writing is an effective tool for getting the word out and for getting attention for your web site.

By writing a great press release, by focusing on the opportunities that press release writing creates, you will find that you are able to get the media talking and to increase the links to your web site. When you do, you can be sure that an increasingly large number of people are able to learn about what you have to offer and that they will begin to associate your business with the products and services that they are looking for.

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