How to Optimize Your Press Release
You want people to find your press release. With press release distribution, social media press releases, and a few fundamental tactics, getting your press release into many hands and getting a good return on your investment is possible. You can help your press release get those results through a few key optimization tactics.
Keywords in the Headline – You’re going to generate better search results for both traditional search and social media if you have keywords in your headline. That’s what media representatives and potential readers are going to see first, and when they see words that represent what they’re searching for, you’re going to get their attention. And don’t hesitate to tweet your press release headline. Include hashtags and get the right attention for your press release.
Have a Linking Strategy – You’re probably going to want links in your press release. You’ll have a link in your call to action, at the very minimum. You can get penalized by Google if you have too many links, so be strategic. Don’t pack your press release with them. And when you do use a link, consider making them “no follow” links. This means that search engines won’t pay attention to them when establishing your ranking. You can also disavow links in old press releases that you’ve archived on your blog or website.
Vary Anchor Text – While you do need anchor text, the text that appears highlighted in a hypertext link and that can be clicked to open the target web page shouldn’t contain keywords. That can penalize you with Google and other search engines. Instead, use traditional text like “visit us” or “read more.”
Leverage Subheadings – In addition to a headline in your press release, you also have a subheadline. Leverage this opportunity to use another relevant keyword or keyword phrase. Again, this is the time when you can capture a reader’s attention and keywords help get the job done.
Use Images – Images, video, and other visual content can be tagged, and these things can appear on search independently from your press release. Include a description, tags, and other information that can help the content show up on search. It will boost traffic to your site, increase awareness for your company and for your press release as well.
While traditional SEO tactics aren’t effective for boosting page rankings with press releases, there are key ways to get the most from them. Optimize them for social media with images, tags, and social-friendly features. Optimize them for readers with keywords and easy to read formatting, and take the necessary steps to ensure they don’t hurt your rankings with Google.
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