Jeffrey Taylor

(888) 494-2468

Press Release Secrets

Keywords:

Press Release, Free Press Release, Press Release Secrets

Grab the press's attention--and keep it--with concise and compelling releases.

Shorter Is Better

Many companies think that they should recount all conceivable facts about their organization in a press release. Wrong. A press release is the equivalent of stopping someone in an elevator, handing him a copy of your novel, and demanding he read the whole thing in front of you. Instead, treat a press release as a teaser or elevator pitch--something you could comfortably say to someone in about 30 seconds to one minute. Keep it short, accurate and intriguing. Respect the journalist's time.

Keep It Easy

Follow proper press release guidelines--this means not claiming your company or product is "the best" or "world famous" or anything amateur like that. If your product truly is world famous, you should not have to state that. And if it isn't, don't pretend it is--this will just annoy journalists. Provide clear contact information in your release: an e-mail and phone number work best.

Optimize the Press Release for Search Engines

Many people post press releases to boost traffic. A press release can be a great way to increase the organic traffic you get from Google and other search engines. Most press release services spend a lot of time on search engine optimization and rank well in search results.

According to VisiblePR.com, a free search engine optimization tool for press releases, your press release body should contain 3 percent to 5 percent keywords. So if your release is about gun control and the body copy is 100 words long, the phrase "gun control" should be in there at least three times, but no more than five times. Your press release headline, on the other hand, can have up to 15 percent to 20 percent keyword density.

Aside from organic traffic, search engine optimization should result in radio and TV bookings months after your release has been sent. A rushed morning TV show booker may search on Google or Bing only to find your well-written, opinionated and informative release appearing on the first page. You would be the perfect person for her to contact, so be prepared at all times for that phone call.

Persistence Is Key

It takes many attempts to fine-tune your message to make it interesting. If you truly believe in a press release, don't be afraid to stick by it for a while. Persistence is crucial.