Sincerely, your press release

A press release is a strictly news-structured article detailing a new development or enterprise within a company. It has excellent SEO benefits owing to its high link potential, and of course, it’s great PR. The problem comes in when SEO firms try to punt press releases through news sites, even when their clients don’t have news worthy of telling. This disobeys the first rule of good reputation management: don’t let news sites get hold of your negative press. And if you`re submitting poor, fluffy press releases to popular news sites, it’s definitely negative press.

Sending a decent number of press releases out over time can reinforce a brand’s presence in the public consciousness. Spamming hollow press releases will have the same effect, but the brand will be seriously compromised. Moreover, when your client actually has something remarkable to say, you’ll have already burned your networks and no one will believe you. Remember that with every client you`re targeting pretty much the same market with each press release. The commercial side of the internet is a dog eat dog world, and none is going to read your press release if it’s facile.

So, how do you submit regular press releases, enjoy their link potential, and keep up the news standard? Liase with your client’s PR team, and use their work as a basis for news. If they hold a monthly contest in which one lucky winner gets a free spa treatment, capitalise on that. If the company is constantly researching, holding surveys, or enlightening their own clients on, say, the current property market, use this news gold in your press releases. Make sure they let you know about their product launches. And if they give support to charities or hold fund raising events, cover them.

Ensure that each press release follows a news pyramid structure and that your language is strictly formal and spoken in the third person. In this way, even if your news isn’t great shakes, you’ll still hold its dignity with your register. The purpose behind press releases is to place your client firmly in the news, while establishing some juicy link bait for its effect on traffic. In essence you’re placing your client on a podium from which he will gain attention through your introduction. Your efforts will backfire if you get up there and say nothing.