When those outside the realm of public relations hear the term Search Engine Optimized (SEO) press release, more than head scratching ensues. Clients have often been heard murmuring, “What would I do with a SEO press release and who would I submit it to?” It’s time to demystify how the SEO press release differs from the more traditional approach and the purpose this online marketing tool serves.
The Purpose
The primary difference and main purpose of a SEO press release is to drive traffic to a business website. The SEO press release is another online tool to help you gain position in the search engine rankings. When you gain rankings in the search engines, it increases targeted traffic to your site. An increase of targeted traffic to your site provides you with the opportunity to gather more targeted leads, to communicate with these leads and try to convert them into paying customers.
This is the direct opposite of the purpose of a press release used to create a pitch to the media. The traditional press release has the main purpose of garnering the attention of a journalist or writer from a media outlet that can tell the newsworthy story related to your business. The press release is the hook that pulls the media outlet representative in and makes them pick up the phone or shoot you (or your PR director) an email and say, “I want to book an interview.”
Characteristics
Beyond the purpose of each type of release, there are some character traits that make these two types of press releases different as well. Because a SEO press release is for online use, the format is slightly different. Format can even vary from online press release submission website to website, so it’s important to follow the format each site provides as a guide.
Word phrases and choices for online releases are more geared toward hot keywords or phrases related to your business. Sprinkling the words your audience uses to find what your business offers throughout the press release is the key to creating a successful online press release. You can use keyword tools such as Google and keyword density measuring tools to ensure you’ve accomplished this goal.
Potential Bonus
As an added bonus, online press releases may lead to a blogger, journalist or writer picking up on your story also. SEO press releases have less of a chance of landing you a spread in a local newspaper or national magazine than if you have a professional pitching your stories to targeted media outlets, but it’s not unheard of for an online release to turn into something bigger.
The short of it is that a SEO press release should be used online as one of the marketing tools used to drive traffic to your website. This occurs by using keywords in your press release that help you gain search engine rankings. While these types of press releases may land you coverage, it’s not the intended purpose. SEO press releases are simply another quiver in your marketing cap to incorporate in your online marketing strategies to drive traffic to your site. Pitching and landing news coverage is the role of the traditional press release and public relations professionals that can get this information in front of the right publications at the right time. No more head scratching required.
This article, written by Kristie Lorette, originally appeared in PR Fuel (https://www.ereleases.com/prfuel), a free weekly newsletter from eReleases (https://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. To subscribe to PR Fuel, visit: https://www.ereleases.com/prfuel/subscribe/.