You may have recently heard the term Public Relations 2.0. If you haven’t, you’re probably shaking your head right now. In a nutshell, PR 2.0 is the process of using Web 2.0 methods like search engine optimization (SEO) as part of your company’s PR push. The connection is intuitive. PR pros want their product, company or cause to appear in as many places as possible. SEO experts want optimum placement on page one of search engine websites like Google, Yahoo! and Bing. Both want this placement to attract attention. So how do PR pros apply the principles of SEO to online press releases?
SEO is based on keywords. To explain it in the most basic way, a site is successful at SEO if it focuses on keywords relevant to the search engine searches that people commonly make. But if you own, for example, a baseball collectibles website, it isn’t enough to simply throw up a website and use the keywords “baseball collectibles” over and over again on your website’s copy. Search engines are too savvy for that. The site’s owner must also actually provide relevant, original content about baseball collectibles. To be truly successful, it will also garner links from other sites on the internet that mention, and thus validate, its emphasis on baseball collectibles.
Sold? Then, let’s get started. The best way to begin integrating SEO into your PR campaigns is to keyword-optimize your press releases and then post them online. To keyword optimize your press releases, first brainstorm words or phrases that people might use when searching for your news in a search engine. Once you have those phrases in mind, use a tool like Google Adwords Keyword Tool to discover the most popular versions of your keywords.
For example, when you type the keyword phrase “baseball collectibles” into the tool, you will find that many more people look up the keyword phrases “baseball memorabilia” or “baseball cards.” From this research, you might consider incorporating those more popular keywords into your press release so that it gets picked up more readily on search engines. Also, a final word of warning about writing a keyword optimized press release: don’t sacrifice readability to keyword optimization. Keywords are merely a tool to get your press release in front of more people. If that press release is not interesting, informative and newsworthy, it still is not doing its job and generating media coverage or interest from the public.
Once you’ve written a keyword optimized press release, it’s time to distribute that release on the internet. Use a public relations distribution service like eReleases or SEO Press Releases, or you can distribute it to a media list you have already prepared.
In the end, a press release that is properly search engine optimized will catch the attention of a news site, blog or other online source. If a news site reports on one of your press releases, that site will likely link back to your company’s website, thus increasing the search engine optimization for your site. With keyword optimization, research, and a savvy distribution plan, public relations 2.0 can be a win for any PR pro.
As a writer I’m constantly trying to learn from my own mistakes and the mistakes of other writers. That’s why I like to occasionally visit some of those free press release distribution websites. It’s unfortunate, but the vast majority of press releases on those sites flat out suck. Why? Because they usually make one or more of these common mistakes.
1. It’s exploding with keywords - First, let me say that I’m a huge proponent of SEO. Optimizing your online press release is an excellent way to increase your search engine presence and to gain a few keyword-rich back links to your website. But optimizing your press release doesn’t mean cramming so many keywords in the thing that it becomes unreadable. Seriously, if your headline reads, “Houston Bicycle Company Launches New Website About Houston Bicycle Repair and Houston Bicycle Maintenance,” do us all a favor and never write another press release again.
2. Did Billy Mays write this thing? - Although he’s no longer with us, we all remember Billy Mays, the greatest (and loudest) pitchman of our generation. As soon as Mays popped up on the TV screen, you knew he was trying to sell you something. After all, that’s what commercials do. However, press releases are not commercials, so they shouldn’t read like one. Ditch the sales speak, and get rid of the hyperbole. It’s a news release: stick to the facts and avoid bias.
3. You focused on quantity instead of quality - Thanks to free press release distribution websites, the press release has slowly gone the way of the eZine article. As everyone begins to learn of the internet marketing benefits of press release distribution, they start to pump out as many press releases as they can. The result: Their internet presence consists of hundreds of poorly-written, keyword-stuffed, and non-newsworthy press releases.
4. Get to the point already! - Here’s a little tip: Someone should be able to know what your story is about by reading only the first paragraph of your press release. Press releases are written in what’s called the “inverted pyramid” format. This means the most important information (who, what, when, where, and how) is placed at the top of the press release, followed by all of the minor details. So, get to the point quickly, and don’t drag your press release out for 3 pages.
5. A translator is required to interpret the jargon - Have you ever seen the Web Economy BS Generator? It’s a funny little tool that allows you to instantly create meaningless jargon and corporate-speak, like “generate ubiquitous mindshare” and “monetize frictionless technologies.” Unfortunately, some companies must be using this tool to write their press releases because I can’t understand what the heck they’re talking about sometimes. Save the jargon for your shareholders meetings; it has no place in your press release.
6. The headline is boring - I hate to break it to you, but no one cares if you updated your website or started a new blog. Sure, you can create news from doing this, but you have to find a different angle than “XYZ Company Updates Website.” Find a solid news angle that focuses on some unique function of the new website that provides a tangible benefit people might be interested in. Then, craft your headline around that news angle. Just be careful not to make your headline too salesy or cutesy, as it will come off like a cheap advertisement rather than a newsworthy press release.
7. You forgot to proofread it - Honestly, I hate proofreading. It gives me a headache, but it’s a necessary evil. Without proofreading, you risk sending out a press release that’s riddled with typos and grammatical errors. Needless to say, that doesn’t exactly command respect from editors and online readers. I find it helpful to set aside the press release for a day or two before trying to proofread it. This allows you to view it with a fresh set of eyes, helping you identify overlooked mistakes.
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