Press Releases: The Importance of Using Press Releases to Promote Your Website
Karl Kasca
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There's a whole new strategy and reasoning for using Press Releases.  Here's why you should use press releases as well as a great new free service now that PRWeb is no longer free. 

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 - Note: Since there may be more info of interest/use on the page below, you should at least skim it quickly in addition to viewing the Video below.



Press Releases, Social Media Releases, and News Releases - Overview


Press Releases used to be written primarily for the press/journalists, but now everyone can read and tap into them by searching the web or going to press release websites.  So one way of thinking of Press Releases now is as "News Releases", since you're just letting everyone know what's new/exciting about your company, website, or event, not just journalists.

Note: What we're referring to below as "Press Releases" can be thought of as: "News Releases".



Press Releases (Standard/Traditional)


  • "Standard/Traditional" online press releases inform standard news sources and journalists about what you're trumpeting about your company/website in using plain text* (as the old wire services used to do).  These press releases are also archived on the press release service's website.


  • These are your standard/traditional  press releases with City, State, Press Release Service, Data & Lead Paragraph. 


  • Think "Dateline: Los Angeles, CA". 


  • Tips, Guidelines and Templates for Writing an Effective Press Release (PRWeb)


  • Standard/Traditional Press Release Template (PRWeb)


  • * Note: There are now options for Social Media add-ons for additional fees.


  • See Resources below for pricing ranges and options for standard/traditional press releases.


  • Be sure your press release is interesting, written well, and newsworthy.


  • Also be sure to include links to your website (and/or blog or podcast).


IMPORTANT: Although most of the standard/traditional press release services charge fees there is very definitely a feeling that "you get what you pay for" with fee-based services.



Social Media Press Releases


  • Social Media Press Releases allow you to create your press release online (as oppose to offline using Microsoft WORD) and inform email and/or social media contacts of the news you're promoting.


  • You can include: video, audio and images within your press release.


  • This is your chance to shine and stand-out from old boring plain text press releases.


  • Interactivity can be elicited by allowing people to make Comments about your press release, news, or event.


Why Use an SMR?
- Link to graphic showing difference between standard/traditional and social media press releases (also shown in video below).

According to Pitch Engine (which is a new free social media press release service):

Tired of the traditional press release? Sick of Word docs, pdf email attachments and image CDs? PitchEngine makes it easy for you to incorporate PR assets like video, audio and images directly into your press release and share it with your media contacts via email and cut-and-paste links or post it directly to Twitter, FriendFeed, Facebook and more!

Your media contacts will be able to make comments, ask questions and find more resources about your company, client or brand right from within each release. No more attachments, no more unnecessary phone calls and voice mails asking for photos, product samples or interviews- it's all available for easy delivery with the PitchEngine SMR. Streamline the media relations process and make journalists, bloggers and writers see what they've been missing.



Our Recommendation for your Press Release Strategy


  1. Use the free and/or social media press releases to get some "Google juice" (positive effects from Google and the other search engines indexing your website, where you will archive your press releases, and the press release websites where your press releases will be archived as well).


  2. But if it's really important to assure that journalists and news sources know of your news or event, then be sure to do a standard/traditional paid press release as well.




Best Practice Examples of Press Releases


Beverly Macy, my co-instructor of Social Media Marketing at UCLA Extension, writes some of the best Press Releases I've seen for her own companies (e.g., Y&M Partners), ventures, and events (Gravity Summit).

Examples of Beverly Macy's Standard/Traditional Press Releases

- Beverly's Press Releases on PRWeb's website.

Examples of Beverly Macy's Social Media Press Releases 

- Beverly's Press Releases for Gravity Summit on PitchEngine.com.



Quick Strategy for Press Releases


  1. Use electronic/online Press Releases to let the world know that your website or blog is online. 


  2. Issue periodical news/press releases when you have something about your business or site that you want others to know about. 


  3. This makes you appear to be a high visibility expert in your field and may give visitors the urge to visit your site over another, especially if they see your press release in their search results.




Longer Term Strategy for Press Releases


  1. Use the Quick Strategy (above). 


  2. Allow Google and the other search engines to index your press releases and the keywords and links contained within them. 


  3. This increases the valuable content on the web about your websites as well as providing links back to your website (or blog or podcast). 


  4. Now your press releases will be findable in search engine searches. 


  5. Create a "Press Releases" OR "Press Room" area on your website and place the link to it in your navigation links or buttons.


  6. This (#4 & #5) will drive/draw traffic to your website/blog/podcast.


  7. Note: For Social Media Press Releases: Use "new media" media (photos, audio and/or video) or links to new media (e.g., your photos on Flickr or your videos on YouTube), and/or links to your Social Media/Networking sites (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.) in your press release to make it more appealing to press release readers/viewers and give your press release better "Google Juice" (positive effects from: backlinks to your website, Search Engine Optimization from keywords and indexing which should increase the page rank of your site in the search engine results pages, SERPs).




Video - Overview of Importance of Press Releases






Resources


Best Free Press Release Services?
- Forum posts with suggested PR Services.

Press Release Distribution: 4 Areas Where Even PR Pros Get Stuck
  • Under $50: Webwire.com, PitchEngine.com


  • $50-$100: PRleap.com, Webwire.com, 24-7pressrelease.com, send2press.com, PRweb.com


  • $100 - $400: PRweb.com (enhanced with anchor text links), ereleases.com, Marketwire.com


  • Over $400: Businesswire.com, PRnewswire.com


Standard/Traditional Press Release Resources

PRWeb's standard/traditional Press Release Template and Tips, Guidelines and Templates for Writing an Effective Press Release

Microsoft WORD - Press Release Templates



Social Media Press Release Resources


Social Media Release Template, version 1.5
- Blog post re: rationale & enhancements for new version

Link for Download of Social Media Release Template, version 1.5

ARTICLE DATE: 05/11/09
REVISED DATE:






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