Many believe that SEO is finished when it comes to press releases since Google changed its algorithms. However, a good PR is still an effective way to get journalists’ attention.
That means if your brand has done something newsworthy, a PR is one way to generate interest. If you reach your target audience, the PR may lead to:
- Interviews
- Stories
- Viral attention
- Linkbacks
5 SEO Tactics to Maximize the Reach of Your Press Release (PR)
Even with the latest Google algorithm changes, you can still optimize your PR SEO. Use the following five SEO tactics to improve the reach of your press release:
1. Choose the Right SEO Keywords for Your PR Content
Selecting the right SEO keyword is one great method to boost the optimization of your press release. When thinking of writing your next press release, think of the word or phrase that a user may type to search for your content. These are the keywords you should use.
Using the proper keyword ensures that your content appears on search engine result pages (SERP). If you find it difficult to arrive with the right keyword to use, there are a number of keyword research tools that you can start with.
Google Adwords Keyword Planner gives you a clue about the number of monthly searches for a certain keyword is and how popular it is. Google Analytics is another tool that you can use to find the words that people use to land on your website.
For your business press release, think of the word that people may use to find your site. If your business announcement is about your native bags in New York City, you may use the keyword, “Native leather NYC,” “handmade bags NYC,” or “Handmade leather bags NYC.”
2. Write a Newsworthy and Relevant Content
An optimized piece has better visibility on the search engines. However, before anything else, you should know that engaging your readers is the foremost reason for writing compelling content.
No readers are going to read and be interested in a boring story. It is then advisable to create a press release with the readers in mind.
Prior to writing your release, make an outline:
- What questions customers may have that you want to answer?
- Which part of your content that is appealing to the readers?
- How will the readers benefit from your products?
Google and other search engines have a way to rank valuable content that serves the needs of the users. Aside from that, releases that have a higher engagement as shown in the records of shares, likes, clickthrough, tweets and reposts, have a higher search engine ranking.
3. Craft Short Headlines
Headlines are an important element of any content… not only for SEO purposes. It is the first thing that readers see and may probably read. Your headline must compel them to click it to read it.
When writing the headline of your press release, make sure to make it short and sweet. Avoid jargons and keep it informative. Keep in mind that the headline should be short, since only 50 to 60 characters are seen on the search engines.
For a headline to be tweeted, it should be within 140 characters. However, Track Social believes that a length of 70 to 110 characters is ideal to give the readers a chance to add commentary and retweet it.
4. Include Multimedia in Your Press Releases
Another way to boost the SEO value of your release is the use of multimedia, such as images and videos. Multimedia visuals are indexed by media search services like Google Images. So, content with an image or video appears more visible on search engines.
Content with multimedia are more likely to be shared on social media channels. People love to share images and videos. Adding this element makes your content more visible on the SERP.
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5. Write a Clear CTA with Links
One common error among PR professionals is not giving the readers a way to engage with them after reading a content. While they are still engrossed with your press release, include a clear call-to-action (CTA) to invite them to learn more about your brand and products, or encourage them to engage with your brand.
You can do this by placing a hyperlink on a good anchor text or a relevant keyword. It gives search engines an idea what your link is all about.
Place the CTA strategically in the first or last paragraph. Placing the links at the right places can lead to a more successful content marketing strategy.
Do not include too many links if you don’t want to be penalized by Google. A recommended link should be limited to one to four links only. Using more than four links can harm your SEO efforts because it is considered as a Black Hat SEO tactic.
Organically Market Your Press Release
It’s important to market your content, including press releases. One way to organically market a PR to create relevant content that links back to it.
Content Marketing Geek will create a personalized package to help you get more traffic to your content. Click the link below for more details.