Press Release Tip 70

Your Press Release SEO checklist

Before you hit “send,” here’s a quick checklist of how to optimize your press releases for the search engines.

1. Choose only one or two keyword phrases people use to find information about the product, service, cause or issue you’re writing about. 
2. Choose a specific keyword phrase instead of a general keyword. “Sugar-free recipes for keto” is far better than just “sugar-free” which is too broad. 
3. Place your keyword(s) in the headline if it sounds natural. Don’t use it if it sounds awkward or looks like it doesn’t belong there.
4. Place a different keyword in the sub-head just under the headline if it sounds natural.
5. Sub-heads, the short headlines that break up the type, are another good place for keywords.
6. Sprinkle keywords throughout the copy so the search engines can see there’s a theme to the entire release.
7. Don’t stuff keywords. Shoot for one keyword phrase every 150 words or so. 
8. If you’re using multi-media in your release, make sure the file names have keywords.  Photos should include captions.
9. Use a call to action.
10. Is there a hashtag or a Twitter handle you can use in your press release? 
11. Use a combination of navigational links (http://www.yourwebsite) and anchor text links. You’ll learn about links in Module 11, starting with the next lesson.
12.  

Opportunity #70 to write a press release: Sales promotions

If you have a special sales promotion like an inventory clearance or you’re promoting a new product or service, write a press release. We never would have done this in the old days, when we only wrote releases for journalists because that would have been considered free advertising. But now that we’re writing press releases for consumers as well as for journalists, almost anything goes as long as your content is relevant to the reader.   

Next: You’ll start Module 11 and learn how to use links within your releases.

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