How to optimise press release body content to increase online visibility and conversion

Writing content

Choosing the right keywords for increased visibility

Taking the time to optimise a press release with the right combination of keywords not only increases the effectiveness of the release itself, but also helps capture new visitors that may otherwise have missed out. Naturally, the more visitors who read and interact with your news release, the better your conversions and popularity.

It is also important to note that your press release cannot just be geared towards search engines. The press release must appeal to the human mind, flow naturally, and make logical sense. Over optimising a press release by repeating the same keywords throughout the content will only create negative consequence in the SERPS, and on your readers.

Long tail keywords are a useful way to capture a target niche, and are generally more effective than using generic single keywords. For example, avoid using words like "hotel", "travel", or "holiday" as they are generic. You must focus on detailed keywords or phrases, as these will attract customers who are at the end of the buying cycle. Essentially, these customers are most likely to part with their money.

A long tail keyword is, put simply, a collection of phrases, or multiple words, an average user might use when searching for a product or service via a search engine. For example, "five star hotels in London" is a viable search string an average person may type. Using long tail keywords is an easy way to target customers who are searching for specific products or services, rather than generic information.

If you are struggling to find keywords, a good method for generating ideas is to use an online thesaurus, or the Google Keyword Tool. Another useful tool is a synonym generator, which will allow you to find alternative words that can then be used throughout your content.

Helpful Tools we Like

Google Keyword Tool
Rhymezone Tools

Optimising News Content With Images

Embedding images within your press release is a great way to add value to a story, plus it provides a visual representation of what you are attempting to portray. It is another useful way to connect with the reader. You can appreciate that "a picture paints a thousand words". Reading line after line of text can become repetitive and mundane. In turn, this can put people off reading the whole article, even if it is interesting. Break up your content by providing supporting images. Images are beneficial for search engine optimisation. Remember to always enter a description for each of your images.

Pressat also distributes your images across a number of social networks, including Flickr, to fully help promote your story.

We provide packages where videos may also be uploaded. Adding a video within your news release can have a huge impact. It displays an interactive visual representation of your release. In addition, it is far easier for a user to digest, and requires less work. If a video is present, the aspect of convenience makes it more likely that users will take the time to read your press release.

Another advantage with videos is that Pressat distributes these across multiple social networks. This greatly increases the chances of your videos being picked up by the social community, which may help it go viral and be potentially viewed by millions of people.

Relevant Back Links in Press Release Content

As with the long tail keywords for your content, hyperlinks must be treated in the same manner.

One piece of advice we can offer is to steer clear from generic anchor text keywords, be creative, and use descriptive alternatives. The following anchor text "hotel", is not descriptive and does not help the user. A better alternative to use would be "budget hotels in Reading".

Including hyperlinks within the press release content body not only increases its search engine visibility, but will also increase your own website traffic when visitors click through.

Optimise News Content With Quotes can Increase Customer Conversion

Try to include a quote from an official company spokesperson, which is an effective way to improve readability, whilst adding a personal touch to engage with the readers. It also helps to generate an element of authenticity.

Proofing the Press Release is a Must

It is essential to check your document for grammatical errors and general mistakes, which will protect the official image of your company. The odd mistake is somewhat acceptable, however a press release riddled with errors can make it difficult to read, and may impact negatively on your image and overall vision.

A final read of your press release, prior to publishing, will increase its readability and professionalism.

Writing the press release through word processing packages like Microsoft Word, or Open Office, is a great way to automatically sift through general spelling errors whilst typing. Almost all the common word processing packages have an inbuilt spell checker, so there is no excuse.

Another useful way to further proof your content is to check it the following day with a fresh pair of eyes. It is amazing how many errors you will spot when you give it a second glance.

Another way to ensure your press release is readable, especially if you are working to a tight deadline, is to ask a friend or colleague to give the release a quick glance over.

Not everyone is fluent in creative writing, so if you feel you are struggling you could either write the draft yourself, and have it copy edited by a copywriter, or have the article professionally written by a copywriter.

Optimise Your Release With Social Aspects

With the current technological advances available to us today, everyone has access to minute-to-minute news, whether it is viewed via a smart phone, through Twitter, or a touch screen tablet. Social media is a vital part of any business marketing strategy and should not be neglected.

Implementing social aspects or updates into your press releases is a good way to attract and target a new user base. For example, ask your readers to follow you on Twitter, or like your page on Facebook. Methods such as these are a great way to build a strong following for your brand. In addition, it helps to get your news out to your readers more efficiently in the future (as they subscribe to your social channels).

Keep the Release Short and Sweet

A press release is a statement distributed to the media and press, rather than a short story. One of the golden rules is to keep your press release short and simple. Nobody wants to sift through huge amounts of writing, when it can be avoided.

As mentioned above, embrace social media, and attach images and video to keep readers engaged. If media can be used to describe an aspect of the release, do this rather than write additional content.

As a final note, ensure that your press release is unique. Nobody wants to read duplicate content, and search engines do not favour content that has been previously published, as it is of no benefit to the user. Duplicate content may even devalue your news.