When you think of public relations for your business, the first thing that probably pops into your mind is to write and post a press release. Well, if you want to build attention online, a press release with search engine optimization (SEO) keywords is a great place to start.
However, if you are a new, small business owner, a press release with SEO is not the first step to take if you want to:
- Get a feature story in a major media venue;
- Target a specific reporter, producer or writer; or
- Make a good, first impression with your favorite media-member.
Why?
Think about it.
Media members receive hundreds of SEO press releases every day. They are inundated with news about the latest widget, doodad or “innovative and leading” service. If you send out a press release to hundreds of reporters at once, you are not going to stand out.
In fact, if you do this, your press release has a better chance of going straight to the trash with a simple click of the delete button. And I know this straight from experience.
As a blogger, I get press releases on a daily basis. Usually, they are very difficult to read and have nothing to do with what I write about.
The worst is when I get a bad press release… several times.
For some reason, people think that if they send me the same press release numerous times with “urgent” follow-up messages, I’ll want to write about their “news.”
As you can guess, this does not work. Instead, these messages waste my time and go straight to my spam lists.
Now with this information, you may be confused about promoting your business with an SEO press release.
To keep it simple, here’s a guideline:
- If you want to build awareness online for your SEO keywords and business, post a press release.
- If you want to generate press with major media-venues, contact each reporter on your list with a targeted pitch unique to their beat and publication.
Obviously, these are just two, simple tips to remember. There are many ways to generate publicity and online awareness. But if you are a small business owner who has a lot to do, I want to keep it simple. Plus, I want to help you avoid wasting money.
SEO press releases are great for online buzz, and sometimes, they generate major media-mentions. But don’t expect too much. Good publicity still comes from taking the time and effort to provide valuable stories targeted at specific media-members. It’s a lot of work. But it’s well worth it!
If you have questions about increasing awareness for your business with SEO publicity, please contact me below or at www.rembrandtwrites.com.
