Joe first talked about the "old fashioned press release," which was crafted in hopes of being published in some form. Words and images/charts were all you had to use to convey the message. If the media didn't pick up your press release, you were SOL. Compare this to online press releases, which can be rich with multimedia. They're great for getting the media's attention, and they're even better for directly reaching your best prospects.
A few different types of PR distribution are the following:
- Push distribution. Potentially reach an audience in the 10s of thousands via channels like email (where you benefit from an entirely opt-in audience interested in information you have to offer) and RSS (where feed content is directly delivered to audiences who subscribe to receive your website content).
- Pull distribution. Potentially reach an audience in the 10s of millions using SEO. Optimize your press releases by using appropriate keywords and get your PRs to rank for those keywords/phrases when they're searched for in the major search engines.
- Social media distribution. Create press releases interesting and compelling enough to get people to use social media and social networking websites and share your content with their peers.
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Thankfully, I have long arms, so I stood up and shot the photo over the woman's pimp hat:
How does one write a press release? Joe recommends:
- Spend a lot of time on the headline. It may be your only chance to sell the news to your audience. The subhead/summary should enhance the headline.
- The body should answer who/what/where/when/why.
- Include 2-3 quotations from principals. The media and bloggers are attracted to these.
- Use a journalistic voice (just the facts, ma'am).
- Don't sell—this isn't an advertisement.
Well, now that I think about it, I suppose the first thing you should do is figure out what the hell you want your press release to do for you. If you want your press releases to sell products and increase conversion rates, then yeah, make sure they focus on your products, services, etc. If you want your press releases to be shared among your audience or linked to, craft more content-rich press releases that can attract links and eyeballs. I personally think of press releases as being more of the latter (more on the interesting, link-worthy side), but that's just me.
Some tips on how to optimize your press releases:
- Know which keywords and phrases you want the press release to rank for, and only focus on 2 or 3 keywords/phrases per release.
- Use the keywords in the headline, subheader, and early in the body of the release.
- Link back to the relevant pages in your site using the keywords as anchor text.
For example, I regularly get Hitwise's press releases, and sometimes they're really interesting--they'll have studies or search engine market share or other nifty stats and charts. I've linked to a few in some previous Roundup Thursday posts. What really irks me, however, is that I receive the press releases via email, and they don't include a link to the information on Hitwise's site. How am I supposed to link to the press release? I end up having to poke around Hitwise's site until I find the PR I'm looking for, and at that point I've wasted a few minutes finding the information that should have been linked to from the initial email.
Maybe it's just because I'm more blog-savvy than PR-savvy, but when I think of press releases I picture blocks and blocks of text written in a monotonous, voiceless fashion, and my eyes instantly glaze over. That's not to say that I ignore all press releases; as I already stated, some have successfully grabbed my attention, but usually the ones that do are more quantitative in nature (survey results, data findings, study conclusions, etc). Numbers and graphs often speak louder than words, and they definitely grab my attention better than a word-heavy press release.
Joe had gone over some newsworthy press release content. They are:
- New products/services. I wouldn't read this press release. It seems too salesy, and I'd prefer to see this sort of content in a marketing email or newsletter.
- List of five top items for blah blah blah. A top five list? This reeks of blog post. Lists and other baity stuff should really be released on your site in the form of a blog post or article.
- Customer survey results. Okay, now I'm getting a press release vibe. I'd potentially be interested in this sort of information.
- New hire. Ugh, "Who cares?" comes to mind, though I edit Search Engine Land's articles and I can't tell you how many "So and So Has Left [insert search engine company here] and Now Works for Facebook" posts I've read, so obviously these types of press releases are successful for certain audiences. Just not me. :)
- Site upgrades. Meh. Anyone who already visits your site would notice any major upgrades, and subtle upgrades could be highlighted via an email to your members. The only way I'd see this be successful is analogous to what Reddit did--recently they shared some future site upgrades with some prominent bloggers, and those people blogged about the upcoming features. These posts spread across the internet and had a "Leaked Upcoming Reddit Features!" angle.
- Thought leadership. Okay, I don't even know what this means. "Thought leadership" is one of those weenie euphemisms. Couldn't an expert statement or stance about a particular topic be formed as a blog post?
What are your thoughts? Have any of you had resounding success with press releases? If so, what sort of content do you typically send out? Do any of you split your marketing efforts between blogging, email marketing, newsletters, and press releases? Is that too much work, or do the different channels bring better success rates compared to using only one channel?
Rebecca - you should have yelled:
"Yo Dumbeldore - down in the front"
Oh press releases..yes. I think their level of usefulness is in direct proportion to the following:
Size & Authority of company
Importance of content
As for mom and pops lookin' for somme xtra buzz - not so much.
Great post as usual...
Awww, your un-edited version was better Sean! :P
Edited cuz I can't spell.
Aw, no fair. What was the original comment?
Something along the lines of :
"Yo MackMammy! Air Dat Cap Out Beotch!"
Blatant Thumb-bait Sean.
Thumbed.
Edit : thumb re-dacted after the edit. (jk)
I just clicked the egg link, the first comment says it all :
"Jacob 30 April, 08 @ 7:46 am I would f**k those eggs"
Dude, I've tried the method shown in the video and Gaddamn those are some amazing eggs!
Yeah, I laughed at that. They do look damn tasty, though!
@Rebecca,
Ya know - in retrospect, now that I think about it, it's probably better you didn't say anything to her.
I was in that same session just a couple of rows behind you and I said something to the guy that was blocking my view. He wasn't too happy.
There was something about that crowd. Maybe it was the original presentation title in the conference marketing collateral: "Pimp My Press Release". Who knows...
Hahaha, your photoshopped pictures kill me.
In general I think news releases are a good tool in the content development arsenal. My clients are all B2B and/or industrial types and getting content from them is like pulling teeth! - That is, getting something for me to write about FOR them is like amature dentistry.
A single newsworthy item can usually be spun into a handful of content varieties though. We'll usually start with a news release and try to work it into a blog post and a direct marketing email piece at minimum. It has to be re-written for each vehicle.
While the direct SEO effects can be minimal, I'm still a firm believer that it all starts and ends with content. For most of our clients, the subject matter can be dull, dry, technical and very detail oriented. In other words, it's not sexy. So, news always seems like the best way to get the "content ball" rolling. From there, the PR-sense and search marketing-saavy has to leverage that one piece of content to the max.
Get the news in the right places and you'll see both SEO and branding advantages from developing and distributing news. When a user searches for an "XYZ Widget" and my client has his site and a "picked up" news release in the SERPs, the advantage of the news release becomes apparent.
[I'm a long-time lurker and my post cherry is now popped - sweet]
We've gotten some good results with online press releases, but again, as you've said, context and purpose is everything.
They can actually be pretty effective for product or site launches, contests and sweepstakes announcements, or other timely, newsy-ish content. Like Rishil said, you can get a nice boost when used judiciously.
I think they are still useful and should not be an advertisement. It all depends on the industry of your clients. Mine is mostly automotive. We use press releases as new content. Its difficult for me to get my clients to put words on their sites and press releases help them do that.
These guys have come up with quite an interesting iteration of the release. A 2.0 version if you must.
Nice post by the way - I tend to think that releases can still serve a purpose, depending on what they're meant to do, and how you use them. So not much help there then!
I have had moderate success with press releases to harvest links from PR 1 and 2 sites... although the SERP rankings push is only a temporary effect.
So quite useful if you are in a seasonal field...
I think you make some real good points in your piece and following blog responses Rebecca. One thing I would add is that to avoid boring, dry releases that dominate the press release landscape, companies should hire specialists in the press release industry. Incorporate major newswires, target specific geographic and industry relevant media outlets, and hire good writers. That's all my company does - www.pressreleasesolutions.com - and after decades of experience in the business we think we can avoid those boring, dry releases that you mention. Thanks for the story!
I think press releases are definitely aimed at a different audience. I have a client who has good results from online press releases, but those releases tend to be read by other companies in their industry (potential partners) or organizations (potential customers). Individuals aren't picking up those feeds, but if your target market is institutions (government, educational, etc.) or you're looking to build awareness, there's definitely value, and there's still a credibility aspect to it.
Ironically, at least for this particular client, their press releases have driven opportunities to guest blog and get noticed in other ways, which have subsequently driven sales. At this point, I think online PR still has solid potential in a well-rounded marketing campaign.
I like David Meerman Scott's approach to calling them News Releases; target people with news vs. targeting the press.
This blog, wiredPRworks, is a nice resource. (Link directs to a post in which she answers a question I asked her about the different services. Comments include a response from Joe (above) from PRWeb.)
PRNewswire has an online resource, PRToolKit. If you're a member of the AMA, you can get a year membership free and/or a sizable discount.
Rebecca brings up some good points re. all the social media opportunities. We're leaning toward primary focus on blogging, email, linking and 1 news release (putting that low-man/woman on the totem pole). Agree Rishil about "moderate" SERP effect.
There is also reader perception and a trust factor to consider when someone sees info from a PR site vs. a blog.
Thanks for blogging my presentation. It's much appreciated. There was a question at the end about why someone could not do the same thing with a blog or article post (you might have left by then since the Q&A did take us overtime). A valid question that you seem to share.
The answer lies in the amount of traffic the location will receive and the authority/relevance its content has with search engines. Additionally, a bona fide distribution service (i.e. not simply a hosting service) will be able to see that your news release gets positioned in locations online far beyond simply the one hosted version and directly to media whether they be mainstream or bloggers.
By the way, I had the wonderful good fortune to have dinner with the lady in the hat. She seemed to know everyone in New Orleans being that she's a bit of a local fixture herself (lived there most of her 80-some years I'd assume). She took a significant hit to her vintage clothing collection (read lost it all) when Katrina rolled through. Had you had the same good fortune to chat with her, my guess is you would have come away with an entirely different perspective. I found her to be an elegant lady in all respects.
Thanks again for blogging.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your insights about the benefits of press releases over blog/article posts. I really appreciate it!
Regarding the woman, no, I did not meet her and I'm sure she's lovely--I just couldn't resist teasing about the hat. Pretty immature, I know.
Online press releases are great and they can serve different purposes. Even if its purely link value you want, they still work well. (incidentally, they haven't been no-followed, I don't know where you saw that)
Oh please!!! Everyone loves a good pimp hat joke. It's not like you were raggin' on the lady herself. Besides - she clearly didn't lose "All" her vintage clothing line!
Rebecca:
I like your headline!
This morning I talked to an organization with no website or blog, yet they need to be found online. An online press release gives them a way to do that at a reasonable investment level. For us, online PR is an integral component in the integrated marketing mix.
Thanks for your coverage and to PixelBella for mentioning my blog, wiredPRworks - questions and comments welcome.
Barbara @wiredprworks on twitter
To answer your original question in your post Rebecca...
Yes, yes & yes. Although press releases have been nofollowed and have no direct SEO value. The byproducts of press releases definitely still have value for a business both from an SEO & non-SEO point of view.
As far as link-building, although the original press releases have diminished value in terms of the links they are embedded with, other sites who blog about your press release still hold the potential of linking directly to you based on what they read from the release. I've done a gimmicky one in the past that involved the mention of Britney Spears...and all the Britney blogs ate it up!
A well written press release that has a good potential for a story also catches the attention of legitimate freelance writers and editors of well established news websites. I've had success with a news site that did a write-up for an ecommerce store I was working with that had its good share of juicy links.
Rebecca,
I agree. That hat was totally pimp!
The next day she wore a similarly ridiculous hat--I saw her at lunch!
You should have found another excuse to take her picture: "Ma'am could you stand in front of this chart for a moment?"
She is going to slap you by surprise at the next meeting you attend. lol *can't believe you called it a pimp hat ha ha... people at her office are probably howling*
You should write a set of "SEO Conference Rules" Don't wear ugly hats.
Once it's in my way, all bets are off!
I recently read Gerry McGovern's article on press releases, and I have to agree with his overall view that the purpose of a press release is to distribute information to the press to generate media coverage and perhaps have an article written about you. Press releases were never meant to be viewed by the end consumer.
I don't think that press releases should be optimized for search engines or a site's users (unless you have a press release site) - write a press release for the press, and if you want to include the same story on your website, write a blog post about it using your keywords and language your users can identify with.
Isn't that what link bait does, albeit in a different form? It's not necessarily for your users but is meant to be shared/distributed among people likely to write about your content and link to it.
That's a good point; I didnt think of it from that perspective. When trying to get bloggers or other writers, etc. to write about you then I agree that it should be optimized to catch their attention.
I just often see websites using press releases as blog posts or news items for their users, which I think is a mistake. As a user, I don't want to read a dry, boring press release - I want to read something that excites me and makes me want to purchase/click/subscribe/etc.
Very well put. I agree wholeheartedly.
That's probably why you see a lot of press stories in places like popurls.com
I like how serious these comment conversations can be, and also how funny they can be! That's what I like about this community: serious funniness. If that isn't an oxymoron, I don't know what is!
That being said, I definitely think there's still a need for press releases out there. The only things is that we've got to learn how to tweak them a bit to be more advantageous to the SEO, which is entirely possible.
I was reading on a YOUmoz post whether it was easier to go from SEO to Public Relations or the other way around. I think they go hand-in-hand so much, but I definitely think it's easier to go from Public Relations to SEO because there are so many intricacies that you need to learn (or at least know about) before delving into the SEO world.
I dont know what that person was talking about....I appreciated the hat comment.
It was probably her programming hat. I used to have one which looked eerily similar that gave me + 10 programming ability (thought with a slight hit to my mana pool). As for the PRs, I still think they are valid. I have used them in the local media a few times and I couldn't tell you how many people told me they had read about me in the paper. Some would even shoot me an e-mail or give me a phone call the day it was printed. I think most thought it was written by someone at the paper, which gave me even more credibility.
It sounds like you had a great time at the eCommerce Summit...
@saffyre9 & calamier -
Geez - you guys are fast. nice work.
Calamier - "Something along the lines of...?" I think you pretty much nailed it. ;)
For some reason, Dumbeldore struck me as funnier. Although Mackmammy is my old pimpess' name, so I'm partial to it.
I couldn't remember if it was "Air Da..." or "Air Dat..."
Photographic Memory FTW :)
Like it, hits the nail right on the head.
I'm just glad I read it before starting an online PR campaign.
Many thanks,
Karl
I read Matt Cutts, who said: ...a legit press release can get you written up by reporters, or editors/sites may subsequently choose to link to your site. But the actual content of the press release itself doesn’t directly affect a site... https://www.mattcutts.com/blog/seo-article-in-newsweek/ He was speaking directly about PRWEB. However, I did not see any nofollow tags of PRWEBS outgoing links, so I am assuming that Google simply dis-allows (is that a word?!) any link juice across the board.
This was a good article. I agree about that part about why they don't send links to where press releases can be found online, in the email.
However, I do feel the article would have been better without the gratuitous insults about someone's choice of apparel. That tends to undermine your credibiility.
Really? I'm not a credible writer or SEO because I poke fun at someone's hat? That's a first...
In your defense, that was some serious bad hat.
Just a little fun. Cheer up bro
But look how much black there is on the hat...