Now that you’ve written your press release, added keywords to the content, included some links to landing pages, and optimized your press release for search engines … now it’s time to publish your press release. So, how do you do that?
Well, there are a number of options available. Here is a list of a few distribution services for your consideration:
Your press release will be sent to numerous online news services such as Yahoo! or Google. Most services will also reach industry Web sites. Each of these services offers different pricing for different levels of service, geographic area, industries, etc. So, check with the distribution service of your choice to find out what each of them offers.
Be aware that with online press releases, the rule of thumb is that there is a 28-day news cycle. In other words, once a story is past 28 days old, your press release most likely will not be found in the results pages of the search engines. However, that doesn’t mean that no one is viewing your press release. I’ve used PR Web for several press releases and even a year later I’ve still gotten additional views since the press release remained on the PR Web website. I also use the PR Web RSS URL that was given to me for my account and list it on my emails and other literature that I use to promote my company, So, check with your distribution service to understand their specific limitations.
Most of the online press release distribution services allow you to add images, videos, and links to other sites. So, rather than just a static text press release that was the norm years ago, you can actually engage your audience with your press release. This makes the content more interesting to your audience and you can track who clicks on to those links or who views your video.
Besides using an outside distribution service, make sure you post your press releases to your website. You may want to create a press room or news release section so you can keep your PR lie as long as you feel it is appropriate. Search engines will crawl your website and find the content. So, make sure your press releases include keyword-rich content so that you will receive higher rankings on the search engines.
So, try using an online press distribution service this year. You’ll be surprised at the great results you’ll get.
About the Author
Sheila T. Brann is an entrepreneur, author, speaker, business owner, and marketing coach. She specialized in Marketing and Strategic Planning and has over 20 years of business-to-business marketing experience. She is the Founder and President of KIWI Communications, Inc., a full service marketing, advertising, public relations, and social media consulting firm that specialized in the biotech, life sciences, medical device, and high-tech industries.
