| releases have become a marketing tool for | | | | web page should be applied while creating a press |
| communicating directly with consumers, as news | | | | release. |
| websites, among which Google news and Yahoo | | | | 3. A news release should be mixed up and full |
| news are quite prominent, have caused the syndication | | | | advantage should be taken if there are multiple angles |
| of news to become much simpler and more prevalent. | | | | to it. This can be particularly useful for avoiding the |
| These sites carry huge amounts of content in terms | | | | story being filtered out by news search engines, when |
| of press releases, many of which have been | | | | submitted through many wire services, and hence |
| syndicated through RSS. This is a definite departure | | | | being treated as duplicate submissions. It is always |
| from the times when press releases were meant for | | | | better to use a wire service such as PR Newswire, |
| communication between the media and public relations | | | | PR Web and Business Wire, to distribute the release. |
| firms or the company’s own public relations | | | | 4. Consultations, white paper downloads, email |
| staff. | | | | newsletters, free trials, reports, special offers, webinars, |
| In today’s times, when some of the press | | | | podcasts and other such action opportunities should be |
| releases distributed online gain as many as five | | | | offered, especially when releases are meant directly |
| hundred links from unique domain names, it is important | | | | for consumers. Something more than a mere news |
| to have the releases optimized for the various search | | | | announcement is required, for a reason to click through |
| engines. The syndication of the press releases allows | | | | to be provided to the readers. |
| these to attract more of incoming links. These can | | | | 5. For visitors to the press release to be converted to |
| then help distribute content to consumers and the | | | | prospects, a landing page has to be created. In |
| media in an effective and efficient way. | | | | accordance with the desired outcome, in terms of the |
| The news search engines can access the news | | | | visitor’s progress along the various stages of |
| content more easily by making use of wire services | | | | the sales-cycle, the destination of the link on the press |
| such as Market Wire, Business Wire, PR Web and PR | | | | release can be designed. This has to be provided |
| Newswire. These services are quite progressive. | | | | along with links, in the press release, to other useful |
| It has been reported that nearly 50% of all the people | | | | resources. |
| who use the Internet tend to access a news website, | | | | 6. A summary that is fairly concise should be emailed |
| per month. Even as Yahoo News is reportedly the | | | | to media contacts, along with the release itself, after |
| leading news website, other such sites that are quite | | | | compiling a list of all such suitable contacts. Indicating |
| popular include CNN, the New York Times and | | | | familiarity with the work of a writer, and sending ideas |
| MSNBC, etc. | | | | and suggestions, in the form of relevant releases, for |
| Marketers in many companies have still not realized | | | | news-stories, can be a plus, definitely. This is especially |
| the kind of opportunity offered by press releases in | | | | so, if an exclusive is offered. |
| terms of being a tool for marketing and, therefore, the | | | | 7. Bloggers, who generally write about the topic in |
| importance of ensuring that these get as much | | | | question, are likely to include a summary of the release |
| exposure as possible. Some pointers towards making | | | | in their blog posts, along with some of their own |
| this happen are as follows: | | | | comments, if it is pre-written and provided to them. |
| 1. Since substantial results are unlikely to be attained | | | | Some of them might actually copy and paste it as it is. |
| through news that is boring, even if it is optimized quite | | | | Therefore, it is important to carry out some research |
| well, it is important to announce something that is | | | | and compile a list of such bloggers in advance. |
| newsworthy. Also, the message might get diluted if the | | | | 8. The company’s media room should be |
| keywords being focused upon are too many and the | | | | blog-enabled and a copy of the release should be |
| information being provided is too much. So, the topic | | | | posted there. All releases should be searchable there |
| should be as specific as possible. | | | | and archived chronologically, as well. An RSS feed |
| 2. The phrases containing the most significant | | | | should also be available for those who might be |
| keywords should occur first and near the upper end of | | | | interested. |
| the document. Similarly, all principles for optimizing a | | | | |