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Leveraging the Press Release as an SEO Tool

A large number of webmasters and site promoters neglect to implement press releases into their SEO campaigns.  This is primarily because most associate them with some sort of news related publishing piece.  While that holds true from a traditional aspect, press releases are quiet effective in print media and the world of online marketing as well.  If you have not considered using them to promote your website, this article will give you all the reason to leverage the old press release for SEO purposes.

Generating Traffic with Press Releases

Press releases are not limited to introducing a new product or service.  However, link popularity and all the most popular keywords on the web will not aid your efforts if traffic is not coming to your site.  With a good press release, you can reel in traffic from the following sources:

Direct Traffic – In the ideal environment, your published press release will be syndicated across a network of related sites.  If you are able to snag readers with an intriguing headline, people will check out the piece and follow up by paying your site a visit.

Subscribers - By signing up with a reputable press release service, you can have your publication submitted to leading news wire sites like, EIN News, Google News, Topix and several more.  These sites maintain an existing database of subscribers so when publishing a press release, they will be able to view your piece in their news readers.  If they like what you have to say, they will visit your site to find out what else you have to offer.  This is certainly an avenue you want to consider because these sites combine to offer the potential of millions of visitors every month.

Search Engines – The most valuable traffic source that can be obtained is generated directly from the search engines.  This could turn out to be a long term source because your press release will remain online for as long as your site is up and running.  Should the traffic from the news wire sites start to diminish, you can always rely on the search engines for that consistent stream needed to keep up your exposure.

Organic Search Engine Rankings - Since publishing a press release is merely another aspect of SEO, your search engine rankings will naturally improve, thus resulting in more organic traffic.  When following this up with quality backlinks, you can boost your traffic numbers considerably very fast.

Tips for Press Release Writing

If you want to write a press release to improve your SEO efforts, keep the following tips in mind:

- Right your press release in the third person.

- Compose an intriguing headline to entice readers.

- Emphasis facts and benefits; avoid fluff.

- Make sure your press release is not too short or too long.  500 or so words should do the trick.

- Remember to insert your primary keywords into the press release.  Do not go overboard with keywords as you want your piece to flow as naturally as possible.

How Search Engine-Friendly is Your Domain Name?

A search engine-friendly domain name can put you on a path to achieve the rankings and traffic you need to be successful online.  It can aid in helping target your audience, increase conversions and open the door to multiple streams of revenue.  If these benefits are desirable to you, the following tips should come in handy when going to the registrar to acquire the name.

Think SEO and User-friendly Domain - In order to be considered search engine-friendly, your domain name must be preferably short and easy to remember.  This way, users can recall it much faster and the probability of generating quality traffic becomes much greater.  In most cases, a long, complicated name will only work against you and hinder your success.

Focus on Keywords - Keywords add to the success of a domain name because they play such a critical role in the SEO process.  When implementing keywords into your URL, search engines like Google will index it faster, thus increasing the possibility of higher click-through rates and most importantly, more exposure.

Be Cautious of Hyphens - Many SEO experts speak strongly against inserting hyphens in a domain name.  This is because they can lead to complications such as users forgetting where the hyphen is to be positioned within the domain.  Because there could be many similar websites that contain domain names without hyphens, you want to be very careful that you do not direct visitors to your competition.

Optimize for Type-in Traffic – Some internet users have a habit of typing keywords directly into their browser bar instead of a search box.  To leverage this type of traffic, you may want to register a domain that contains your targeted domain in its entirety to increase your traffic through this prevalent market.

Choose a Fitting TLD – There are many top level domain to choose from, but you will likely have more success from SEO standpoint by choosing a .com.

Establish Inbound Links – Inbound links are another part of the SEO process. You certainly want to establish quality links that include your domain.  If your site is devoid of such links, the search engines will conclude that it lacks relative content.  Keep in mind that poor links will negatively effective your optimization efforts.  For this reason, you want to avoid link farms and questionable practices employed by questionable SEO firms.

Choose a Good Domain Name Registrar – The key to obtaining an search engine-friendly domain name is to register the name with a respectable registrar.  There are many registrars on the market but not all can be relied upon.  We recommend sticking with known and trusted brands like GoDaddy and Yahoo or opting for one with your web hosting provider.

Registering a search engine-friendly domain will not guarantee you increased traffic or visibility.  Even SEO itself calls for you to promote your site in traditional ways and most importantly, make sure it contains quality content web surfers will be interested in.   Once you come to realize this, we are confident that these tips will go a long way in helping you achieve the visibility and success you desire online.

Outsourcing Articles for SEO

njoying success online is great but promoting your website is never the easiest thing to do.  We have all heard that SEO works wonder but not everyone is willing to put in the time intensive labor.  One of the best ways to optimize your site for the search engines is quality articles related to your market or topic.  If you do not have the writers in-house who can produce the content, you should strongly consider outsourcing.

Content is King

More webmasters have come to discover that articles are an excellent way to obtain the relative one-way links and linkable content a website needs to generate search engine traffic.  The internet has opened up many doors for the freelance market.  What this means is that you can contract out some work at around $20 per 400 to 500 word article and possibly less when purchasing them in bulk.  If your site is bringing in steady revenue, this could be a rewarding trade off.

The greatest advantage of outsourcing articles is that you have the luxury to order content as it is required.  There is no need to worry about employing additional staff or equipment.  Simply hire a professional freelance writer and they handle the content while you focus on other important aspects.  In many cases, freelancers are represented by firms, providing you with access to even more resources and varying levels of expertise.

What Should You Pay?

When it comes to outsourcing articles, you will find that prices vary greatly, and so do the qualifications.  The truth is that many freelance writers will take on a tremendous amount of work all at once.  While this allows them to maximum their earnings it also impacts turn-around time, meaning your assignment could get put on the back burner.  Realizing this, it is a good rule of thumb to anticipate a short turn-round time at a higher price and longer turn-around at a lower price.  Try to play your cards right in the middle by not going too high or too low on the price.  Instead, take what the contractor has to say into consider and view samples of their past work.  From there, you can determine if the writer is able to meet your needs and then discuss the price.

What Qualifications Should You Look For?

Price will always be a factor but qualifications is quite possibly the most important aspect of all.  Some writers could be more effective at crafting catchy headlines while some may excel at writing the specific content.  In fact, many writers may not fully understand the ever changing SEO tactics or LSI considerations. You will also find writers who are well versed with technical subjects and others who specialize in a wide range of genres.  The key is finding one who is able to convey the tone of your website while still factoring in search engine optimization techniques.

In the end, outsourcing your articles will require that you communicate the messages you want expressed to a writer.  However, the bright side is that when you get the right individual or team on your side, you can dramatically boost productivity and ensure that your website remains appealing in the eyes of your readers and the search engines.