Press Release and Its Effect on SEO: The Ultimate Guide

Press Release and Its Effect on SEO: The Ultimate Guide
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The Internet is not the only medium for promotion. The press and, especially, television do not give up the fight. You should not forget these channels of information and advertising. On the contrary, you should have channels of connection with these popular media that are created, customized, and updated, and you will be pleasantly surprised by the positive effects.

In this text, we demystify and point out the unjustly neglected, but potentially very interesting segment – the press release and its effect on SEO.

Press Releases and SEO

Google has announced that links placed in press releases are ignored and have no effect on SEO. Of course, Google or its spokespersons needs to be trusted. However, it is not all exactly as it is said. Here is why.

Press releases INDIRECTLY affect SEO, i.e. affect Internet marketing and site promotion and branding. How? Easily. For example, they appear in Google News, some other sites quote them and thus, increase traffic to the site. Remember that this is also one of the important tasks. 

And yes, this certainly contributes to the popularity of your site and ultimately to a better ranking. Isn’t it one of the key goals of every owner to attract as many targeted visitors as possible and make their own site more valuable and visited on the Internet?

Let’s go in order. How to prepare for the print media and the audience outside the Internet?

What Are Press Releases?

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Press releases (news, statements, announcements) are contents that are designed to inform and acquaint journalists in the media with news or events that are organized by a company or a business entity. In other words, press releases are notices through which companies inform the public about their work.

Why are press releases needed in 2020? That is, the question arises – why bother writing press releases at all? We will answer it immediately. Because, there are benefits to it, both for your business and for the website.

Here are some benefits that can be gained from writing and distributing press releases:

  • Coverage on media portals and blogs
  • Increase of traffic to your site
  • Google News feeds
  • Improving your ranking in Google Search and getting positive reviews and ratings
  • Gaining trust and creating and increasing customer loyalty for credibility.

Of course, a press release will not in itself put your company at the top of popularity, but it can be a very important and powerful tool for spreading news and information about your work, i.e. for creating a network of loyal visitors.

How to Write Press Releases Properly?

The first and certainly the most important step is to have something that bloggers and journalists WANT to convey and write about. It may seem difficult to you and many give up at the beginning, but creating ‘something valuable’ does not have to be an impossible mission at all.

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For example, you can write about an event in the company, or when you redesign your site, publish a new blog post, hire new people, introduce new technologies, open new plants or stores, and the like. The only thing that matters is that this is new and exciting content and that the old news is not ‘worn out’.

We bring you 4 topics that are very popular in the media world:

1. New Industry Study or Survey

Research and studies are now very popular in the media. Journalists like to quote the results of some research.

Studies bring novelty, credibility, and something interesting. More and more companies are doing (or commissioning) research on their services and products and then distributing the results to the public through press releases. It is recommended that the announcement contains a link to the company’s website or page.

2. Introducing a New Product/Service

If you are launching a new product, a press release can help you a lot in spreading the word about it. The more interesting the product, the faster the news about it will continue to arrive.

3. New Event

If you organize an event such as a presentation, concert, charity event, etc. then a press release can help inform people about it.

4. Redesign and Rebranding of the Site

Web designers and SEO experts are well aware that websites that are once built need to be redesigned from time to time and something new added. Even to be designed from scratch. It is a good opportunity to remind the public and potential visitors that you still exist, that is, that you have something that could interest them.

Basic Tips for Writing Press Releases

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It is not enough to just write an announcement and wait for the results. The text should be written in a clear and popular way, and attract the attention of journalists and then the general public.

Here are some tips:

  • You should not use too professional terms, readers do not want to bother too much and google what it is about.
  • Write about new, unconventional, and local things happening in the immediate neighborhood. Local topics are welcome for small local blogs and media. For example, if you have a plumbing service then write about topics related to plumbing and sewerage in the area where you work.
  • Write in the third person, in a journalistic way (do not use “we”, “I”, etc.).
  • Use short sentences and small paragraphs. Nobody likes to read long texts.
  • Use bullets (lists).
  • Use quotes but keep them short – 1 to 2 sentences.

Writing a Good Headline

What is a good headline, i.e. how to create headlines that will attract attention? If we try stereotypical stuff such as the headlines are very important and we should pay special attention to them, we will not say much interesting. These are places in general that make visitors and readers ‘fall asleep’.

But, if we say that a good headline sells a story, text, article, information, then it can very well intrigue us to dedicate ourselves to this, we can freely say, a modern phenomenon with incomparably more energy. Most journalists, but also readers, decide whether or not to read an announcement based on the headline alone. If you do not have enough space in the headline, add a subtitle.

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Writing Content

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1. Writing the First Few Sentences (First Paragraph)

The first 2-3 sentences are just as important as the headline. You drew attention with the headline, now you need to keep it.

In the first few sentences, we recommend that you provide the following:

  • Statistics
  • Graphic or image
  • Dates
  • New products/services
  • New events

The first few sentences must be the most interesting part of the announcement. It is here that it is advisable to place a link to your site.

2. Add Multimedia Content

In the announcements, put as much as possible of the following:

  • Screenshots
  • Pictures
  • Logo
  • Simple infographics
  • Videos

3. Add Contact Information

Every press release must contain your contact information (phone numbers, email …) so that journalists and bloggers can follow you, quote you, and get more information. Add a few words about your company and what it does.

Distribution of Press Releases

You can also publish the content of the press release on your site or your, e.g. Instagram account with a lot of followers, but a far greater effect is obtained if you distribute it through the media and their channels. The most important thing is to contact the relevant journalists. Or, it is more correct to say, to have access to those who can influence the possibility of seeing yourself in important e.g. print media.

Lesson and advice: You need to find journalists and bloggers who will really publish your press release and write something about you and your story. You need to find journalists who write about the field in which your company works, who are trusted, and who have a built reputation. It is a big mistake to send announcements by e-mail to a very wide circle of journalists, thus losing relevance, and e-mails will most likely end up as spam.

To What Extent Do Press Releases and the Public Affect SEO?

Answer: To an extent of just how long you have successful, creative, and well-designed performances for print and other media that are not online media. After each press release, track your site visits through SEO tools for tracking site statistics such as Google Analytics and you will know whether you have had a successful press presentation or not.