By Dave Young
Below are the top 10 rules for a winning press release marketing stragety extracted from the Marketing With Press Release article Young Copy recently published in Ping! Zine magazine.
You can view the full PDF article at Marketing With Press Releases.
1. Make it newsworthy.
Press releases are not sales pitches or advertisements. They should be used to announce important news updates within your organization.
2. Include quotes from management team members.
Press releases should always include at least one or two quotes from top level people in your organization.
3. Get to the point quickly.
Leave the details as content for your website. You obviously want to push readers to your website so educate them with well written content on your website.
4. Optimize your press release.
As you may already know, search engine optimization should be at the top of your list. Optimize your press release with key phrases and links back to your website. Google, Yahoo, and MSN will spider those key phrases and links. If done correctly, your website can reach the top of the search engine lists quickly.
5. Do not be cheap when it comes to distributing your press release.
Find distribution sites that automatically push your release to news feeds and media outlets.
6. Do not attempt to write a press release on your own if you are not an experienced writer.
It will be worth the investment to hire someone who writes press releases daily. Even if you are a marketing director, hire someone who works with media outlets consistently. They can help you get your release published on sites that target your audience.
7. Post your press releases on your website.
You should have a section dedicated to press releases on your website. Make sure you include inbound links on your optimized key phrases. Search engines will spider your content and rank your site higher.
8. Distribute regularly.
You should distribute press releases at least once a month. If your organization has enough newsworthy announcements and a generous budget, distribute a release once a week ongoing. The buzz you create will provide incredible results for your company.
9. Utilize website traffic analysis tools.
Website traffic tools will tell you how well your site performs on the day you distribute your release. In some cases, a distribution can have a lasting effect on your traffic, sometimes spiking visits for several days at a time.
10. Consistent marketing.
Integrate your press release with other marketing efforts. For example, distribute a press release to coincide with a new product announcement or special deal.