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Title: What Makes Web Press Releases Different from Traditional Ones? Post by: anand369 on August 25, 2008, 03:19:43 PM If you're newly initiated into the Web marketing world, you may wonder about internet PR. Why do you need it? How are Web press releases different than the traditional ones you learned to write in Journalism class?
First, the basic purpose in writing a press release is still the same: announce a newsworthy story that puts your business in a positive light. In your press release, cover the 5W's and H: the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How of your news story. Include a quote or two from a relevant source (qualified expert, product user or other) that "gives the story legs," so to speak. Resist the temptation to use your press release as a selling tool. This is not advertising; this is reputation enhancement based on human interest news. Now for the differences: here are some extras that come with submitting press on the web! 1. Web PR is as much a search engine tool as it is a form of journalism. Major news sites around the globe are hooked up to the Web PR pipeline, running news across RSS channels that anyone in the world can pick up and share on their own Web site. Thus, even if you run four press releases over the next four months and not one media contact responds, you're still getting the good effects of link-spreading. The idea is to get your business name out there and keep it circulating. 2. Web press releases bring you targeted traffic. Just like the world of article marketing, online PR is organized categorically. The PR submission and distribution process is naturally designed to channel in fresh, niche-specific leads who are already interested in your products and services. Tip: to leverage the most traffic potential of a single press release, submit to sites that allow live links and be sure to HTML-code your release before clicking SUBMIT. (That means, use < a href > statements or an HTML editor to make sure your Web site links will be clickable to anyone who comes across your published press release.) 3. Web press release headlines allow for more flexibility. If journalism writing was never your bag, have no fear. The internet is a much more competitive environment than the world of print media and therefore some creative rule-bending may actually get you noticed. Your primary goals: get your PR out there, and make sure people read it. Web content is arranged in such a way that you are placed alongside of rival companies 90% of the time. This is your motivation to write as captivating a headline as you possibly can. Other Key Points, Tips and Suggestions: Submit Web press releases on a consistent basis. Web press release backlinks reach out twice as far, yet "expire" much sooner than those generated by article marketing. This is because Web PR moves much more quickly, with new stories cropping up every second of every day which replace old ones on the RSS media circuit. Use Google's search engine to monitor your PR, see who's picked up your stories and how many links are now pointing back to your site. You will need to submit press releases regularly (once a month is recommended) to maintain visibility and leverage the power of PR linking. Write in the third person. A press release is a news story about your company, told by an outside party. Unlike Web copy where you're addressing and pitching to the customer directly, the news release is a report of your latest accomplishments and developments. Remember: articles offer advice. Ad copy persuades. Press releases tell a story. Look for the human interest story in everything you do. What advancements has your company made recently? Have you offered up any charitable contributions? Partnered with a fellow service provider? Received any recent accolades or credentials? How does your organization fit into the larger scope of your industry; what trends are you helping to usher in? Are you testing out a new technology or pioneering a new mode of thought? Who will your actions benefit; how, and why? Publish your press releases on your own Web site. Add an "In the Press" section to your Web site, where interested parties can go to get a clear picture of your brand image and a better understanding of your social and professional involvements. Readers place a high value in information that has been released in news format, so don't overlook this huge credibility builder that does double duty as a page rank helper (search engines love Web sites that continuously add content). Want to build brand awareness for your company via Web press releases? Have a gander at our Press Release Service details, located on the URL at the bottom of this page. Copyright 2006 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved. Sign up for the Copywriting and Marketing Ezine from Dina at http://wordfeeder.com and learn to write search engine-friendly Web copy and market your Web based business for free. Don't miss Web Content Awareness Day 2007 - a month-long "information celebration" from Wordfeeder.com. Visit http://WebContentAwarenessDay.com to learn more and sign up now. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dina_Giolitto |