Understand how search engine optimization works & take advantage of Press Release Optimization by structuring your press release correctly
Search engine optimization practices have evolved alongside the improvements and refinements search engines have made to their algorithms. In order to take full advantage of the Press Release Optimization PR Newswire builds into the distribution of each press release, it’s important that you understand SEO practices and factors - and stay up to speed with shifting trends and tactics.
General best practices:
Release Length
The length of the press release is a make or break factor in the overall strength of its optimization. You can craft the perfect headline and use the best keywords, but if your message is too long it can become diluted, which means that search engines can’t index it as specifically. The result? The release drops out of the top search results and is less likely to be found by internet searchers.
The optimum length is generally 400 to 600 words – between about a page and a half and two pages. This length is easy for readers to digest and comprehend, but it’s long enough to include the rich detail readers appreciate – which is also informative to search engines. And it’s not so long that key contextual points are drowned in a sea of less relevant detail.
Anchor Text
The links you see on web sites connecting a word or phrase to a related page are called “anchor text,” and these are a boon to press release writers. In addition to providing a great way to channel readers to additional information (eliminating the need to write an excessively long press release), anchor text – when used properly – can also deliver significant SEO benefit back to the web site you’re promoting. Best practices for using anchor text in your press release include:
Context & Focus
A clear, concise message resonates with readers and is appreciated by journalists. It’s also a key component of a well optimized press release. Too many keywords and concepts can dilute your message, causing it to drop in the rankings for the keywords you consider most important. A tightly focused message that is truly relevant for your target keywords is more likely to be ranked, read and written about than a press release that tries to be all things to all people.
Language
Journalists have long complained about jargon and hyperbolic language in press releases. In addition to doing yourself no favors in the newsroom, jargon-laden headlines and press releases don’t resonate with searchers, either. Use the plain, accurate and descriptive language people use when discussing the product/service/initiative you’re promoting. You’ll be more likely to connect with your audiences – via search engines, and on-page.
How Press Release Optimization Works:
How your press release is structured directly affects its optimization. With today’s emphasis on the actual on-page content, the decisions you make about what language to use, placement of keywords and use of anchor text will affect the overall quality of the optimization of the press release, and its overall effectiveness. In this section, you’ll learn how the different parts of your press release are utilized in the overall optimization process.
The Headline & Subhead
The headline of a press release has always been important, but is doubly so for press releases that are optimized for search. PR Newswire’s Press Release Optimization system utilizes your headline to populate several extremely important HTML fields that are part of the underlying optimization of your press release, including:
Tips:
The Subhead
The subhead has traditionally added extra descriptive information to the top of a page, fleshing out the headline and telling a reader a bit more about a story. In terms of press release optimization, the subhead plays a similar role. The subhead is utilized in the optimization of a press release in a variety of ways:
Meta keywords tag
Five years ago, Google didn’t read your press release; it read the underlying HTML code. Today, Google – and other engines - can effectively read your press release. The Meta keywords tag is largely ignored. As a result, SEO best practices today are focused more on the on-page content, and less on the keywords placed in the Meta keywords field in the release HTML. For that reason, PR Newswire’s system makes minimal use of this field, populating it with informative but limited information drawn automatically from the press release. The information that does go into this field includes the name of the issuing organization, geographic information, and industry and subject details.
We still field questions from PR pros wondering whether it’s possible to optimize a press release for a list of keywords they supply (i.e. keyword stuffing). Because this practice offers little benefit at the most and, at the worst, can be detrimental, it’s not supported by our system. Keywords are important, and they belong in the text of the press release. Use them there!
Paying attention to how you write your press releases, what language you use, and how you structure the release itself can pay big dividends. By staying current on SEO tactics and adhering to the best practices enumerated above, you’ll soon see new and gratifying results for your press release campaigns.
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Reader's Comments
hari babu
very well said, keeping these important points i feel we can do best in seo
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Posted at 07:04 ET on Oct 8, 2009 by hari babu
arindam mitra
very well written, concise and to the point. Special thanks to Sarah Skerik for sharing with us.
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Posted at 11:19 ET on Nov 24, 2009 by arindam mitra
Charles Clayton
Exactly correct. I wish PR companies would read this and understand it. Pushing old style print message through new online media does not work. We read 25% more slowly with our heads up anyway. Even the education authorities thought marking exam papers online would be quicker! Oops! Big mistake!
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Posted at 11:45 ET on Nov 27, 2009 by Charles Clayton
Johnny Stevens
Wow, is is amazing how easy it is to digest a document like this when it is well written. The tips and methodologies are well laid out and I get it! Sarah's tips are right smack on target with what we have learned about new SEO strategies and practices in our efforts to launch our new site - www.SitesCameraAction.com
It's all about GOOD CONTENT!
Thank you Sarah!
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Posted at 15:59 ET on Dec 4, 2009 by Johnny Stevens
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i went to check your website, it gave me so many ideas! it was a good idea to leave your link in that post !
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Posted at 13:52 ET on Dec 12, 2009 by bruno spina
Greg Jarboe
Great tips, Sarah. Very useful. Google News also says to make sure that your headlines aren't too long or too short. Currently, the title of an article or press release is required to be between 2 and 22 words.
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Posted at 12:43 ET on Dec 15, 2009 by Greg Jarboe
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Great article - I wish companies would read this and understand it.
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Carol
It would be very helpful if you could give a good example of a well written, effective press release.
Posted at 23:16 ET on Apr 12, 2010 by Carol
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Great article. This concept is really new to me so I am looking for ways to distribute useful content to our audience.
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Posted at 14:12 ET on Apr 27, 2010 by Brad
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The problem is many of press release sites do not allow anchor text they just allow URL in the contact author area. Some of the press release sites have payment for you to include an anchor text for SEO.
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Posted at 23:05 ET on May 6, 2010 by Jeff SEO
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Holy Smokes!
Sounds like you could be teaching SEO Sarah! Maybe you should ask for a raise.
Thanks, and please keep us up to date with your findings as things change.
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Is it allowed to put links in the body of the press release?
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Hey Sarah,
Amazing article to help the individuals to improve their performance in online media. And I noticed that, you had taken care of all the things which you had mentioned while writing this article :)
Being a SEO & Web Analyst professional, I have seen the guys coming in to request to blst their article on the internet & then complaining about the bounce ratio or visits. I completely agree with you on the last point, that, CONTENT IS THE KING for search engines as well as USERS. If your content is not worthy, no amount of SEO would help you.
Thanks Sarah & keep sharing such great articles.
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Posted at 20:10 ET on Jul 18, 2010 by Colorado Realtor
Ken Fisher
One possible addition to the above story can be the importance of using natural linking tendencies in the copy and the SEO benefits. Rather than focus on keyword anchor text, a simple url link from well established websites does wonders for your overall authority as seen in search engine eyes. Far too many sites focus on the big money keywords. It’s sometimes mentioned repetition of these in heavily SEO’d industries could lead to suspicion of manipulation and likewise lesser value in the link itself.
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Posted at 17:10 ET on Jul 24, 2010 by Ken Fisher
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Very good article, Sarah. Wish I could afford to have you write for me.
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Chris Ben
Would this work even in tight niche industries such as Medical Equipment where I only need very targeted viewers. The general public is not interested in AEDs, Autoclaves, etc. So will this work for a niche like medical equipment where the target is only medical professionals?
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Very useful tips Sarah, it's helped me a lot
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Very useful tips Sarah, it's helped me a lot
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Your comments here - especially regarding the utilizing keywords and anchor text in the headline, subhead are key. Good tips for SEO-newbies.
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Very useful tips Sarah, it's helped me very much
thanks again
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Really i found a great content for my site. it helps me in getting good ranks to my web site. thank q. keep posting
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Interesting, I never thought of press releases as a way for a company or brand to build text links.
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Kev
Thanks Sarah. That's a really useful SEO summary for anyone looking to use press releases to boost rankings.
Incidentally, do you think it is more effective to have just one html link in a release than say two?
I guess what I am trying to ask is whether one link in a release is twice as effective from an SEO point of view as two links??
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Posted at 08:48 ET on Sep 21, 2010 by Kev
sarah skerik
Kev - good question! When it comes to links in releases, I am in the "less is more" crowd. One link - preferably in the lead paragraph, linking the most important keyword to a page with related content - is the best way to go. Most folks want to kill as many birds with one press release as possible. However, readers - and search engines - prefer and reward tightly focused content. One link emphasizes the main theme of the release.
You might find the following interesting, on the subject of links, link generation and press releases: http://promotions.prnewswire.com/rs/prnewswire/images/iCrossing_POV--Increasing_Search_Engine_Rankings_with_Syndicated_Press_Releases.pdf
Posted at 17:16 ET on Sep 23, 2010 by sarah skerik
Scott
This validates the direction I have been going in for my search engine marketing clients. It seems like old fashion directory listings dont do much for SEO anymore and they are very expensive compared to a few press releases.
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We are right in the middle of making some decisions with regards to SEO services. This article has been of great help. Thank you very much.
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Posted at 13:33 ET on Oct 21, 2010 by Isa
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Sarah, Good advice on SEO practices for press releases. It's timely because I used the info to release my first press release.
Keep up the good work.
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Posted at 11:49 ET on Oct 29, 2010 by Rodney Ash
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That was great info, Thanks for it and hope to hear more from you Sarah :)
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Understand how search engine optimization works & take Sarah, Great info on the advantages of press releases and optimizing the structure correctly. Can you provide an example.
Thank you for your great work.
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Posted at 07:17 ET on Nov 4, 2010 by Rodger
Marcos Richardson
Sarah,
Nice beginners guide!
A press release should be treated as if it were its own website, if submitted correctly with PDF, Word links; these will come up as individual landing pages. This is particularly useful when you want to dislodge negative landing pages on Search Engines.
Best
Marcos Richardson | SEO Director
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Posted at 07:17 ET on Nov 19, 2010 by Marcos Richardson
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Helpful. Thanks!
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Just landed on this webpage looking for PR. I found this article useful that every writer should know.Unfortunateley not all of them know these basic steps. The info here is basic, but concise.
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I found everything helpful, but I wish I could have seen awritten PR to get a better idea of format and what to include.
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Posted at 15:50 ET on Feb 21, 2011 by Joe W. Smith
Tim
I think the part Context&Focus is extremely important to understand. I tried to have high keyword density in the past, but now I think, it makes rankings only worse. Thanks for great article.
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Posted at 15:31 ET on Feb 25, 2011 by Tim
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I think the real challenge in Writing Press Releases Effectively for Search Engines is to to this without losing the human audience!
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Why do you say on anchor text that two words is the ideal case ? The anchor text should contain kewords you want to rank in serp. Maybe someone needs a keyword with more than two words, is this a bad thing for search engines, cercei argint?
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