PressReleaseInsider: The Press Release Secrets Service

What Is Google Thinking About With The YouTube Deal?

2006-10-13T20:24:00.000-07:00

What was Google thinking when they paid $1.6 billion for YouTube - a business without a model it would seem, started by college kids in a garage a couple of weeks back? Advertising? Of course.

Well, they know it's got traffic (14th most-visited site on the web). But what else?

Umm. That's got me thinking. Hard. I just can't see what else there is.

Google's CEO Eric Schmidt said "This is the next step in the evolution of the Internet."

Okay. Those are smart guys. But they're also guys who have never been through a recession or bust. They're bursting with Google dollars and I just hope they haven't gone to their heads because very quickly that company is going to have to clean out the YouTube house - by that I mean tidy up the copyright issues that are going to come home to roost faster than the sinking of the North Korean economy.

Watch this YouTube space.

Wordtracker's Free Tools For Key Word Research - Yes, I said 'Free'

2006-09-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

Keywords have always been essential for any marketing or PR campaign online, as we have been told repeatedly and endlessly. Quite true. So if you want to keep on top of the keyword game you need to keep using the words of wisdom from the people at Wordtracker, as people at the very top of their game.

And in that respect, Wordtracker have just introduced some new fancy tools to make your job easier. To start with, try out their absolutely free pdf 'Researcher' and check out the entertaining and informing and FREE video from Andy Jenkins and Brad Fallen. These guys are good, know their stuff and provide some highly useful and powerful information for free.

Download the info right now. It's absolutely true that some of the best things in Web life are free.

PRWeb Deal - The Press Release Master Sells

2006-08-15T22:22:00.000-07:00

PRWeb's sale to Vocus PR is unlikely to immediately change the company's press release service and that's certainly the reassurance given by PRWeb founder and maestro David McInnis. PRWeb's own blog confirms that. In fact, McInnis points out that enhanced publicity opportunities will be presented as a result of the acquisition.

For an interview with David McInnis and some background to the deal, have a look at Lee Odden's TopRankingBlog

Blog SEO Tips: How to get the most from your blog

2006-08-11T17:06:00.000-07:00

Using blogs for PR and getting good blog SEO ratings is an increasing trend and readers should check an article by iPrioritize's Adam McFarland on SiteProNews. As blogging becomes more ubquitious so too does it become more authoritative and read by media outlets and others. To promote your business, website or whatever you need to put blogs near the top of the 'must do' list and to become recognized by them McFarland points out an interesting fact: a personal email will secure amazining results.

McFarland's rules for your email:

* Have a simple subject. You probably won't get many responses by treating your email like a press release and writing RELEASE in the subject line. Try something simple like "fan of your blog" or "comment about your blog."

* Start by complementing them. Since you've read their blog and learned about them from their bio, you know quite a bit about them. Use it to your advantage.

* Request them to post about you. Be direct and to the point. They will respect that.

* Offer something in return. You have something that could help them.

* Close with something nice. Thank them for their time and wish them luck with their blog and/or business ventures.

Try it. blog seo blog seo

Press Release Optimization Comes of Age

2006-08-08T22:13:00.000-07:00

Well, press release optimization has doubtless come of age some time ago, but tech tools designed to improve optimization results continue to arrive, the latest being a tool announced a couple of days ago called "Newsforce".

The tool partners major SEO/software players like SEO-PR, SiteLab Intl and Primero Systems with BusinessWire and is open to BusinessWire customers. These are similar to the optimization tools launched by innovative PRWeb in June, the SEO Wizard, which are part of the wire service fee.

Essentially, 'Newsforce' allows press release posters to research keywords, analyze the press release and add links to it, with the results exported directly to the BusinessWire account. As more businesses wake up to the need for optimization of their news these tools are going to become a more essential component of the PR Department's arsenal.

Press Release Optimization : SEO Tools Anyone Can Use

2006-07-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

A useful article on search engine optimization and free tools that are available to anyone who wants the search engines to come calling can be seen at this Site Reference article by Christos Varsamis. These tools, or their often paid-for equivalents, can be extremely helpful. You should check them out and see what you may NOT have been using.

Check out the new LawFuel

2006-07-19T21:09:00.000-07:00

Hey, it's taken a bit, but the new Lawfuel is up and going. This site has taken major steps to upgrade its back-end, as well as to update the whole appearance and 'feel' of the site - including RSS feeds, MY Yahoo! etc functions, pics, video (very shortly) and the rest.

PLUS - we can still provide our discounted PRWebDirect service (http://lawfuel.prwebdirect.com) as well as create for clients a direct-to-Google News service.

Have a look and send us comments.

Citizen journalism vs. professional journalism - The world of press releases and the press

2006-04-29T14:35:00.000-07:00

The Editor's Weblog has been looking at the question of whether amateur citizen-journalists can ever perform "true" journalism. The issue becomes more relevant as newspapers increasingly try to develop their interactive capacity by having journalists and blogs incorporated into their media mix - with mixed results too. My view is that - with few exceptions - old line media have remained in the jurassic age so far as embracing new media is concerned. Also, 'old line' journalists trained in taking an objective stance on issues of the day are not necessarily the world's most compelling bloggers.

Online Journalism Review conducted interviews with several online journalists to see what they thought about newspapers integrating blogs into their journalism. Results were mixed. Check them out.

Press Release: What they're saying about Tony Snow

2006-04-26T14:52:00.000-07:00

So the President has announced his new press secretary. It's always an interesting exercise, diagnosing the temperament, background, proclivities and idiosyncrasies of a new press secretary and in Tony Snow he has a kind of lateral transfer from Fox News to the White House. PowerLine said he "was one of the nice people", while Think Progressive lined up his stance on a variety of issues. Either way, he's going to need every radio-host skill in his arsenal to put the spin on a White House way down in the popularity stakes. Even the President asked him about all those times Snow called him a “impotent”or “embarrassing” or “fuckface.” Evidently Snow tried the old “You shoulda seen what I said about the other guy” gag.

Press release strategies must include the Blogosphere. Here's why.

2006-04-18T20:15:00.000-07:00

Blog-watcher Dave Shifry has posted his findings from href="http://www.toprankblog.com/2006/04/state-of-the-blogosphere/"State of the Blogsophere, which identifies some interesting facts on the velocity with which blogs are growing and - according - their importance for news release hounds out to get publicity.

Among the findings:

Technorati now tracks over 35.3 Million blogs
The blogosphere is doubling in size every 6 months
It is now over 60 times bigger than it was 3 years ago
On average, a new weblog is created every second of every day
19.4 million bloggers (55%) are still posting 3 months after their blogs are created
Technorati tracks about 1.2 Million new blog posts each day, about 50,000 per hour

Press release marketing, RSS Marketing and Real-Life Marketing Experience

2006-04-11T19:41:00.000-07:00

Blogging as a press release or general marketing tool is all very easy, so they say, but so is sex, and look at the trouble you can get yourself in. The key, in both, is careful anaylsis, preparation, protection and performance. Who am I to comment on such matters, I ask myself, but hey, it's my blog.

One of the keys to good blogging has to be blog promotion, and this site from Rok Hrastnikprovides some useful tips on the all-important RSS - the syndication that gets your blog noticed and read.

Press Releases and optimization: This Boring Headline Is Written for Google - New York Times

2006-04-09T18:31:00.001-07:00

New York Times columnist Steve Lohr has written an interesting article on writing for search engines. As Lohr reports: The optimizer wizards devise some technical trick to outwit the search-engine algorithms that rank the results of a search. The search engines periodically change their algorithms to thwart such self-interested manipulation, and the game starts again.

News organizations, by contrast, have moved cautiously. Mostly, they are making titles and headlines easier for search engines to find and fathom. About a year ago, The Sacramento Bee changed online section titles. "Real Estate" became "Homes," "Scene" turned into "Lifestyle," and dining information found in newsprint under "Taste," is online under "Taste/Food."

Some news sites offer two headlines. One headline, often on the first Web page, is clever, meant to attract human readers. Then, one click to a second Web page, a more quotidian, factual headline appears with the article itself. The popular BBC News Web site does this routinely on longer articles.

Nic Newman, head of product development and technology at BBC News Interactive, pointed to a few examples from last Wednesday. The first headline a human reader sees: "Unsafe sex: Has Jacob Zuma's rape trial hit South Africa's war on AIDS?" One click down: "Zuma testimony sparks HIV fear." Another headline meant to lure the human reader: "Tulsa star: The life and career of much-loved 1960's singer." One click down: "Obituary: Gene Pitney."

Press Release Hell - What happens when a good press release winds up in bad company?

2006-04-05T23:34:00.000-07:00

It's one of those things - when the best intentions in the world and some of the biggest brands wind up in the sort of company that just looks plain . . embarrassing. As the Wall Street Journal reports this problem is just like losing luggage. It's a damn nuisance, but it happens.

Press Release advice: Learn from the Politicos

2006-04-04T17:36:00.000-07:00

It will be no surprise to learn that the Web is transforming political advertising and marketing, according to a report in The New York Times. Aspiring politicians are finding a new voice on the Web through Web sites, e-mail, blogs, podcasts, and chat and also because of the viral nature of the Web itself. All the more reason for press release-savvy operators to learn the tools politicos and others are using to employ in their own campaigns.

Press releases & the art of SEO

2006-04-03T19:07:00.000-07:00

The art of search engine optimization and its practise is reported in a free report from FathemSEO. The firm conducted a study of 350 manufacturers across the U.S. and how they utilize SEO for their websites. It was discovered that many U.S. manufacturers resist natural SEO marketing for a variety of reasons, including a lack of education, it's not a priority, or it was too much to monitor.

This new SEO case study shows lack of search engine optimization for manufacturers is a result of a combination of incorrect page titles or lack thereof, little to no keyword phrases in their META descriptions and keywords, and the webpage content was not properly optimized.

Choosing the right keywords for your press release

2006-04-03T03:19:00.000-07:00

In the search for the 'right' keywords in your press release, for maximum search engine visibility, you need to ensure you have actually fixed on the right word or phrase.

You should use tools like Wordtracker (www.wordtracker.com) to help in this search process, but more importantly do some brainstorming yourself and with friends, famiily and staff. Once you have the word or phrase that you know fits your business, use it in your headline and repeat it in the press release, particularly in the first 50 words. Once is enough 'up front', but you can use it later in the body of the release as well. Also, you a properly formed link to your site with the full http://www.yourdomain.com within the text.

Press Release distribution and Blog Optimization Online Marketing Blog

2006-03-30T22:47:00.000-08:00

Lee Odden's TopRankBlog is one of the best around on SEO matters and this article on
» Blog Optimization is also one of the best. Great tips, hitting the keywords and submitting your blogs which I'll spend more time talking about in terms of the collateral you need for your press release backup. More later . .

Press releases and visibility

2006-03-28T17:22:00.000-08:00

press releases provide credibility which is a key reason for angling your release for the sort of news 'hook' that your target audience is likely to be interested in. This is another forgotten fact by the press release spammers who simply spam their release without a thought for what the press might be interested in. Dumb, really.

Press Release tips - Remember who to contact

2006-03-28T13:36:00.000-08:00

It's surprising how often press release information lacks critical information and therefore misses the cut when it comes to being received by even free press release services. Check press release tips here: Press Release writing tips

For instance, the need to provide contact information is critical if journalists are to follow up on your news. Similarly, the need to provide a company profile, so details can be checked by journalists and others.

They're simple enough - but its surprising how many 'innocents' out there overlook these critical aspects of preparing a press release.

Press Releases to where: The Death of the Newspaper

2006-03-27T15:08:00.000-08:00

Molly Ivins in The Free Press has a few words to say about journalists and the death of the newspaper.

" I don't so much mind that newspapers are dying -- it's watching them commit suicide that pisses me off."

Stop the release - I want to get off

2006-03-26T21:03:00.000-08:00

Boy, was I every having a blond moment. You try and do a good turn and - the blonds turn against you. Here's a tip from the inside: When you're handling press for friends, make sure you put on the fur-lined, lanolin-skinned kid gloves to handle their precious egos. In this case, a book launch in Godzone leads to a blood-zone of fractured egos because one of the co-authors had her name omitted from the media release.

Well, there were reasons - like lack of interest in marketing - but there's another. There's no point in putting a plethora of names at the foot of a release. We all know journalists are not blessed with the patience of Job while they wait for a response to their calls. Make a contact point easy, contactable and - most of all - someone who answers their phone. Sounds simple. Isn't though.

Getting good keywords: A key to a good SEO press release

2006-03-24T14:49:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for good keywords (which you should be) for an SEO press release, then you can use tools like Good Keywords but you need to use keywords that are unique to your services or offering.

For instance, to use the words 'cooking' or 'cook book' for a cook book sale will simply put you on the treadmill with thousands of others. You need to be specific: cajun cooking, bar-b-que recipes, indian curry secrets - whatever. Select a small number of words and test them to see what the response is before you refine and develop the market.

Keyword use is all about testing - and then using the 'golden' words that work for you business.

SEO Press Releases? Think SEO TV - John Battelle's Searchblog: The Viral TV

2006-03-23T21:02:00.000-08:00

So much for SEO Press Release distribution, what about Search Television? John Battelle's Searchblog wondered if there were a TelevisionRank or something that would notice, in real time, what people were watching -- kind of like how Yahoo places an RSS feed of the most viewed stories at the top of the My Yahoo home page--updated continuously throughout the day? Not only is that possible, Battelle says, it's probable we'll see that in the next five years--a mash of Technorati with Nielsen, YouTube and Comcast.

Google's move towards building customer loyalty

2006-03-22T17:00:00.000-08:00

Google's new finance portal demonstrates the world domination ambitions of Google management, with their move away from pure search to greater web stickability.

Whether the move is likely to succeed or not, time will tell, but Google's 'for-now, ad-free' finance site is clearly showing they're throwing their limitless money and tech talents at building customer loyalty.

Read the story right there on Yahoo!

The Modular Press Release

2006-03-20T21:50:00.000-08:00

Kami Huyse's popular post on the 'PR is dead, long live PR' debate is a useful summary of some of the PR possibilities that surround the "press release". Her preference for the modular format is one that is, I believe, finding favor in the frenetic-paced world in which journalists live with multiple feeds from multiple sources pounding them in their bunkers.
Communication Overtones: Modular News Releases

Algorithms, keywords and search engines

2006-03-20T13:21:00.000-08:00

An item in SiteProNews by John Metzler looks at changes in search engine algorithms, always useful for press release writers. A lot of web site owners tried to outsmart the search engines with their metatag and keyword tricks, which is not to say there do not remain useful rules for such devices, but the flagrant abuse of the methodology lead to inevitable discovery.

Metzler's article's conclusion is the need to write for your business users or your website visitors, not the search engines. The more naturally written sites can expect to see better results in the future.

Robin Good's new media picks

2006-03-19T16:35:00.000-08:00

Robin Good's new media blog, which I've added as a link to PRI, outlines new media tools that can be used to maximimum advantage. Check out the latestIndependent Publishing by Robin Good

Copywriting For Search Engines & Directories :: Swift Media UK

2006-03-17T12:48:00.000-08:00

Copywriting For Search Engines & Directories :: Swift Media UK - This an interesting article from the useful UK web design company.

As Swift say, when online marketing experts optimize a web site for search engine and directory queries, they should not spend most of their time redesigning the layout (in HTML) or submitting the site to the search engines. Most of their time should be spent on researching, writing good copy that will index well in search engines, and writing thorough, accurate descriptions for directory submissions.

Like good search engine-optimized press releases, good web copy must contain well-researched and varied keywords and key concepts, based on a web page's topic; accurately reflect the web pages' content; and be strategically placed throughout a web page as mentioned above

All this talk about keywords . .

2006-03-15T19:38:00.000-08:00

Writing for machines may seem a strange way to proceed with the preparation of a press release – but it is one component to writing a successful press release that can result in a massive PR-payoff.

There are certain basics that anyone wanting to achieve high search engine rankings need to fulfil. But there is also one secret component that many search engine optimizers forget when preparing their releases – of which, more later.

First, let’s consider what you must do to optimize your news release? The answer is two words: Key Words.

Key words are the essential words that your clients or customers will use to find you – or your competitor. They are the search terms, the words that describe the product or service you offer. They are also something else: Gold in the right hands.

Let’s say the media are looking for your business. What is the word or search term they would use?

Ask yourself (and your staff, friends and customers) what they use to find a product or service like yours. Do they search under your brand, or your service/product type, or generically in some manner? Do they search using geographical factors?

Are these issues that you have seriously considered? Have you tried to ‘break down’ your business into a few, critical key words?

There are a number of useful tools available that can help your search – Google search terms, Overture’s search tool, Wordtracker and others – but you can simply search the major search engines to find what words surfers are using to find your business.

Then work out what others, like the media, would use to find your business. It may be a different set of words or word. For instance, your business in auto repairs might use that term by customers, but media interest may be more focused on a search term like ‘auto repair service provider’ or ‘auto services’. You need to check and find out the key words that your target audience is using to find you.

Once you’ve located the ‘gold’, you need to mine it. You need to use those words in your company reports, company statements, announcements and – of course – press releases. Focus just on a few key words so as to not lose the momentum and impact that they create. But use them in your content and, where possible, hotlink them to your content.

When search engine “spiders” hunt for text items and key words they particularly like links to the words you have used, rather than to something that could mean anything – such as a generalized link to an information service.

A good press release organisation like PRWeb can help you with this process, and certainly with "optimizing" your release for maximum exposure on the search engines.

There’s lots more to this, but the first step for anyone writing for search engines is to hunt down those key words. And mine them.

And the secret? Well, it’s like this. Writing using key words is writing for the search engine spiders who place your item into the engines – which in turn permits your business to increase its exposure. But then what? You need to convert surfers into clients or customers.

How do you best do that? Obviously if your business is providing the required product or service you’re ahead of the game, but in a competitive marketplace you have to be noticed as well. You need to “engage” the Web surfer with your content. Infusing your copy with key words is fundamental. But so too is writing in a manner that will engage with the reader in a way that they want to use your product or service. Get emotional (without being sappy) about your product, service or business. Build in humor and humanity, whenever appropriate. If you seem to be a real person, rather than a robotic, PR type writing for machines then you may get the rankings, but you won’t get the business.

Go to it. Get emotional. And use the right words.

The changing world of word processing - and how they will affect your press releases

2006-03-14T18:37:00.000-08:00

BusinessWeek magazine is not necessarily tops when it comes to picking winners on the market, but it's now sticking its neck out with a call on the second coming of Internet businesses - what BusinessWeek calls Web 2.0. How come?

Well, Google just scooped up Writely and Yahoo! bought that social bookmarking site del.icio.us a while back. Writely allows people to collaborate on documents in a way that doesn't require pages to be reloaded. And - I hear you ask - how does this affect my press release program?

Well, the fact is, like RSS, podcasting and even blogs - it will take 'majors' like Yahoo! and Google to bring these new technologies into mass use in a way that affects all our communications - particularly interactive and more dramatic communication of ideas. Writely is more the former than the latter. But the net effect will be more seamless communication preparation and delivery. And that impacts on everyone.

Now . . about this podcasting

2006-03-13T17:34:00.000-08:00

Podcasting has become a new tool to increase visibility on the Web. With increased use of press release tools the ability to also access audio feeds about your product, service or company provides users with an added bonus.

PRWeb are the first of the major newswires t offer these "interviews", which effectively promote your product or services through an interview that is conducted by PRWeb staffers and released using the same technology as with 'conventional' releases.

The popularity of podcasts will undoubtedly increase hugely, particulary for web users who do not want to read content online or who simply prefer an audio presentation, which necessarily entails a different approach to 'words on the page'.

To access the podcast service or use it, check out at

PRWeb

The service is free to those who release news via PRWeb at the search engine optimization (SEO) level.

Remember, if you're using PRWeb for podcasting or otherwise, log in via our special deal and get the 10% discount. LawFuelDiscount

How to write a press release . . yawn

2006-03-10T17:02:00.000-08:00

How many articles are there? How many free reports? How many "gifts" on getting your PR into the headlines. I lost count an age ago. But when you read these reports (as I do, just to find a nugget that tells me something different) I see one common, basic and all-encompassing rule: Write news - and write it in a compelling manner.

Sounds fine. So how come most PR that reaches the wires (ie the Net and elsewhere) is so damn boring?

Take this release from the PRNewswire page, headed by a release from KB Home about Martha Stewart, with the pic (above):

KB Home (NYSE: KBH) Chairman and CEO Bruce Karatz and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. Founder Martha Stewart today will unveil the two companies' co-branded community outside Raleigh, North Carolina. The community, known as KB Home Twin Lakes: Homes Created with Martha Stewart, will open to the public on Sunday, March 12, 2006. First announced in October 2005, Twin Lakes is the first of several communities that the two companies will build and design across the U.S.

Does that grab you by the lapels and scream: "Read me!" Where's the flair? Where's the human interest, the drama - God knows there's enough with Martha. I mean, it doesn't mean you have to write: "Isn't Martha's new home better than her last one" or anything - but this is dreary writing. Take a lesson then: what would you want to read. How would you like it to be expressed to capture your attention. You're not writing for morons. You're writing for people just like you.

The Billions in PR . .

2006-03-09T18:56:00.000-08:00

And the world must be short on trust, because public relations is long on profits. According to Veronis Suhler Stevenson, a private equity firm that analyzes media trends, the industry was estimated to be worth $3.4 billion in 2004 and is expected to increase at an impressive annual clip of up to 10 percent, reaching $5.2 billion by 2009. Other industry journals, like O’Dwyer’s PR Report, consider such estimates conservative.

“It used to be I would schmooze you and I was your flack,” said Mr. Edelman, whose firm netted about $260 million in 2005. “Today, if we want to get a message into the public’s conversation, we just make a post on a blog. If The Wall Street Journal goes after a client, we don’t have to accept that anymore. Let’s post the documents we gave The Journal; let’s show the interviews the newspaper decided not to show.

“You’re not God anymore,” he said.

Mr. Edelman—and he is not alone—believes that the erosion of the public’s trust in bedrock institutions after scandals in government, big business and the press only contributes to the industry’s success. Without anyone holding a monopoly on truth, the argument goes, P.R. people can get their messages across without pesky filters like, say, the news media.

Article writing for PR purposes

2006-03-09T01:23:00.000-08:00

Writing articles and submitting them to search engines is a tried and increasingly true means of getting your news "out there". The first rule has to be to write about what you know. In a world of experts and clutter it is the expertise - properly expressed - that is going to get your press release-equivalent (the article) noticed.

And so the Rule? Write what you know. And don't think you only know about your business and what it makes or provides. There can be literally scores of topics within one business - no matter how simple or arcane.

You will achieve a number of key objectives: Obtain credibility for your area of expertise; Obtain interest in your business and - surprise, surprise - obtain exposure.

I'll give you some more tips on these articles shortly. Using key words and their huge importance in article writing for search engines.

Stay tuned.

The nut with the "Free Money" promotion

2006-03-09T00:50:00.000-08:00

Take this guy - Matthew Lesko - although he looks like a wacko, has managed to entertain as well as inform with a release that's designed to drive traffic to his website, (167,000 on Alexa at time of writing) where he sells his books on "free money" and "free stuff" and all that.

And so - along with the nutty picture - comes the text:

If you see your neighbor buying a new $50,000 Mercedes on a teacher's salary or you overhear that nasty no-good co-worker brag talking about how he never pays his taxes, well then government financial guru, Matthew Lesko (www.lesko.com/taxcheat.php ) says: "STOP being Mr. Nice Guy and bank big money while you help the IRS collect back taxes." If your information helps the government collect on such taxes, you can receive 15% of what the IRS collects up to a total of $10 million. And the IRS will not disclose the identity of informants to unauthorized persons. So, go and do the right thing for your country!

Sex, War, Money, Drugs . . and all that

2006-03-09T00:18:00.000-08:00

Welcome to PressReleasePR. The title? Just an attention-getter because that's surely what your news is about. And with a blog-a-second and SEO and technology-driven publicity, RSS feeds and the plethora of alternatives facing PR professionals, we wanted to help 'clear the air' and chat about what's what.

"We?". Well, me. John Bowie. I publish LawFuel.com, a legal news service. And in the course of publishing news releases and articles from dozens of law firms, US Attorneys offices, the SEC, various academic, charitable and other institutions, the need to get a clear picture of how to present a press release in the 21st century with effectivness and punch became more apparent.

That's what PressReleasePR is about: presentation, reception, the death of advertising and rise of PR. That's optimized, RSS-enabled PR. Read all about.

Right here.