Press releases used to be a tool that companies or businesses could use to announce new products, services, or announce other important events. Today, many people overlook press releases for some reason, but they are still a valuable function that can be used by companies. Generating and publishing press releases is a great SEO tactic as well that can significantly improve your visibility both locally and in general searches. Here’s how you can use press releases to boost your Search Engine Optimization efforts.
Publish on a Regular Basis
Although you probably won’t have ground-breaking news every day, you should commit to publishing press releases on a scheduled basis. For example, you’ll probably have milestones such as new products, new awards, certifications, or even new hires. Think about changes that customers will want to know about. Write releases using a standard format or use services like PR Marketer to help you through this process. Commit to a schedule that will help you stay on track with press releases.
Distribute to Appropriate Outlets
Although you want to stay on track with creating press releases, it’s just as important to share them with the appropriate venues. The most common areas are news and media outlets which will do a great deal of the work for you. You may have to pay a small fee for some distribution, but you can often get this publicity for a low cost. Consider submitting the releases to industry newsletters and local journalists.
Create a News Stream
You should also be sure to publish your press releases on your own website to keep your target audience updated. You can house them as a newsroom using a content tool or your own news stream. This will keep people who follow you up to date on what the company is doing and allow people to receive regular updates of major events.
Encourage Sharing
Many people who like your business will want to share the press releases, so make it easy for them to do this. All of the press releases that are online should have a way for the audience to connect and share in social network sites. Use sites like Twitter and Facebook to amplify every press release. If you share the release to these sites, you’ll also be doing some marketing which will help your readership as well.
Analyze the Results
When you start to publish your news releases to online sites, you’ll want to keep track of which options provide you with the best results. Use an analytics tool or another type of tracking tool and monitor your progress over time. This is a good way to learn which social sites are sending you traffic so that you can focus your efforts on the most profitable ones. The results may surprise you so use these tools to stay on track and learn more about your results.
Although using press releases for SEO isn’t going to be an overnight success, you can use these methods to start building greater traffic to your business. Press releases are often overlooked but they’re a simple and effective way to build SEO efforts for a minimal cost of both time and money.
