How do you try and get at least some value from a press release? Check out our list of press release websites, and follow these rules when submitting your news.
Press Release Topic Inspiration
- Company announcements
- Company appointing new management/staff
- Unveiling of a new product, service or location
- Attendance of a conference/convention/workshop
- Continued education
- Presenting a new feature of your company
- Launching something new
- Promotional events
- Engagements that you’re hosting
- Upgrades to company facilities
- Expansions
- Introductions or debuts of new company elements
- Improvements of your company
- Awards or accolades that you received
- Financial reports
- Growth data (best quarter, X% gains, etc.)
- Joins with another company or person for something
- Unveiling of new company items
- Names of new staff or divisions
- Preventions (illness, disaster) that your company fulfills
- Media coverage your company was featured within
- Reports your company was highlighted in
- Visits from distinguished individual or companies to your company
How to Format Your Press Release
First Paragraph: Use the first paragraph of your press release to summarize the “news” that you are sharing in the press release. Start with an introduction of who you or your company is, why you are an authority on the topic and maybe include a statistic, if available, about the topic.
Second Paragraph: The second paragraph is a good opportunity to validate the topic and you being an authority of the topic by providing a quote, or a testimonial.
Third Paragraph: The third paragraph is where you can dive into details about the topic at hand. You can also add data, facts, references, credibility, etc. to support your statements about the topic. Social signals are good for reinforcement (talk about how many people are involved, benefit from the topic, major companies that use your product/service, you in the news, etc.)
Fourth Paragraph: Quotes and testimonials add a lot of power to a press release. Add another quote or testimonial here.
Final Paragraph: Summarize everything that has been discussed in the previous paragraphs and wrap up with some information about you or your company again. Include a call-to-action, or a way for readers to contact you for more information about you, your company or the press release’s topic.
Press Release Rules to Follow
- Never submit to a free press release website (probably ever). Free press release websites get hammered with submissions of news of Viagra, Nike shoes, sunglasses, and just about anything else that is spammed in other ways. Because they’re free, they’re abused. Because they’re abused, they’re worthless for any SEO benefits. If you submit to free press release websites you will likely be guilty by association to the other shady announcements and could suffer negative SEO results instead of positive.
- Don’t stuff hyperlinks. Whether your links are nofollow or not, don’t stuff hyperlinks. Don’t over-optimize links by only linking to money keywords, either. Link context naturally and minimally. For each additional link you add you dilute any others on the page. Maximize your links by only using one or two. Additionally, instead of hyperlinking the phrase “best widgets,” be more fluent and link the text, “Click to see more of Company ABC’s widgets.” If you link keywords excessively you can over optimize your announcement and discredit its value.
- Don’t stuff keywords. Press releases should be written naturally. After all, you do want it to read well to get maximum exposure, don’t you? By stuffing keywords your submission will likely get declined or will fail to receive as broad of distribution as you could have otherwise.
- Talk in third person. Your press release is an announcement, not a sales pitch. Don’t talk about “I,” “we,” or “us.” Reference your company in third person to make the announcement more presentable and credible.
