The SEO Blog - Traffic Generation Techniques

One of the most powerful ways to bring traffic into a website and build links is to use press releases.

And when you’re using a paid online service for your press releases, you’ll find that they bring in traffic and links every single time you use them.

Even if you don’t have reporters calling or Oprah knocking down your door, press releases will still help you.
A great press release can completely change your business and bring in a flood of traffic, links, and even get you on CNBC or Larry King.

Even when given all the benefits of press releases, however, the press release remains one of the most underused tools when promoting a website despite its tremendous potential and low cost.

So why don’t more people use them, well, people have they’re excuses - I don’t have anything newsworthy; My business is different; I don’t know how to write a press release; and this one really befuddles me because someone might call me and want to interview me I’d have to *gasp* actually talk about my business to someone.

Of course, they’re just that - excuses. Coming up with something newsworthy is relatively easy. Any business can benefit from the use of press releases, they’re even relatively easy to write. And for those who are afraid you might actually have to talk to someone, though, I’m not sure what to tell you a lot of times, no reporters will call, but they might.

But if you’re convinced that you should start using press releases to promote your website, then here are a few tips for successful press releases.

1) Headlines Are Vital

Just like a great headline can make or break a salesletter, the headline of your press release can is the most important line of text you’ll right. When people are looking for stories, they’re skimming headlines, and if your headline doesn’t grab someone’s attention, then it doesn’t matter how great the rest of your press release is because nobody’s going to read it. Fortunately, you’ve got volumes of great headlines at your disposal if you subscribe to a local newspaper, or any magazine. Look at what they’re writing so you can see what works.

2) Not An Advertisement

Remember that your press release is not an advertisement. While you can and should certainly use them to promote a new product or service in your business, the actual press release should read like it’s being written by a neutral third party. Think of yourself as the reporter writing the story about the product, why it was created, and a little history. Don’t hype up the product with your marketing message. Just give ‘em the facts.

3) Quotes

Have you ever noticed how just about every article you read in a newspaper has a quote from one person or multiple people? That’s because quotes make a story more interesting. Instead of being a general story, it adds a more human touch to the writing. Always include a quote from someone in your press release and if you don’t have anyone to quote in your story - quote yourself. And you can even use the quote as a way to insert a little bit of the marketing message if you like.

With the potential benefits that press releases have to offer, you’d be a fool not to take advantage of them in your business.

If you’d like to learn more about how to write press releases with numerous “paint by numbers” examples, then you’ll want to get my link building course - Mission Unlinkable - and watch video 6.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 16th, 2007 at 7:36 am and is filed under Link Building, SEO Lessons, SEO Videos, Search Engine Optimization, Traffic Generation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.