As you probably already know, one of the biggest SEO benefits of online press release distribution is that you can use it for link building. If you devote yourself to embedding links in your press releases, you can drive organic traffic to your website. This will not only help you boost rankings, but it will also help with brand awareness. Although old press releases don’t carry as much juice as they used to, these still can be a good tool for SEO. That’s why we decided to make a list of do’s and don’ts when it comes to press release links.
However, the fact that press releases are an excellent way to promote your website doesn’t mean you should litter your examples with links. Similar to using outbound links, there are some things that you should or shouldn’t do.
Include Keywords in Your Anchor Texts
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when including links in your press release is using generic phrases like Click here or Visit our website. If you want to get the most SEO benefits out of your links, make sure to use descriptive, keyword-based anchor text.
For instance, if you’d like to add a link to a page that is about backlink monitoring, you should certainly use backlink monitoring as a keyword in your anchor text. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, you’re helping search engines to better classify the pages on your website. However, this is also excellent for the user experience. It clearly lets the reader know what will be on the page he’s about to click, and that’s exactly what you want to achieve.
Don’t Force Keywords If They Don’t Fit
Sometimes, writing press releases can be a daunting task. So, you might find yourself tangled in trying to optimize your press releases and the links. If this happens make sure not to force keywords into your links when you see that they don’t really fit. Include them only if it makes sense with the story and if they’re relevant to the content.
Don’t forget that this is not the same thing as choosing a keyword for backlinks. The main reason for writing a press release should be to share a newsworthy story. Therefore, don’t try to stuff keywords and unnaturally boost your search rankings. This won’t give you more exposure, and you may even ruin your chances by forcing something you shouldn’t.
Feel Free to Link to Deep Pages of Your Website
Linking to a homepage is easy, and it may even seem natural. However, that’s not the best decision to make here. Rather than doing that, link to deeper pages on your website. There are a couple of reasons for this.
- It helps to build their search engine rankings. Find a particular page on your website that is important to you, and that you want to be visited by more people. If links leading to it are coming from relevant sources, the search engine results for that specific page will improve. It’s the easiest way to improve SERPs.
- It allows you to drive targeted traffic to specific, conversion-driven pages on your website. For example, if you’re issuing a press release that mentions a service that you’re offering, make sure to link to the page where you’re offering that service. This will give you a nice stream of targeted traffic, and every person that clicks on the link is your potential customer.
Don’t Include More Links Than You’re Allowed
Directories that deal with the topic often have rules for how many press release links you can include in each story. Even if this isn’t the case and the directory doesn’t have any limitations, you still don’t want to cram your release with links. This will look unprofessional, and it will come out as spammy. Naturally, that’s something you want to avoid.
According to the professionals from Link Department, the ideal number of links you should aim for in an average press release is 2-3. This is generally enough to offer your readers enough diversity when it comes to content so they can find something they like, but you’re not overwhelming them with things to click on.
Try to Stick With Trending Topics
If we’ve learned anything from Google in the last couple of years, that is that it loves anything trending. Try to find something that is within your niche, and that is popular at the moment for whichever reason. Being at the right place at the right time is crucial even on the internet. A piece of news that you think is irrelevant can give you a tremendous amount of exposure if you process it at the right moment.
It’s a smart idea to use tools like Google Trends or Google Insights to find out about the things that are most talked about at the moment.
Don’t Use Quotes to Provide Information
Issuing a press release is one of the best off-page SEO strategies to use, and using quotes in it can be a good way to make your press release seem more compelling and interesting. However, make sure not to use them for providing information. They should be there as an insight or an opinion from somebody’s perspective. Therefore, don’t use quotes that consist of often boring facts, statistics, and other jargon.
Instead, make sure that a quote is attributed to your relevant, key spokesperson. Most of the time, the ideal candidates for this are the chief executive or managing director.
Make Life Easier for the Journalist
Always include a descriptive headline within the subject header, so the recipient immediately knows what the email is about. Remember that journalists get hundreds of new releases each day. So if you want to be published any time soon, make sure that yours is clear and concise.
Also, past your release underneath the main message in the body of your email. Additionally, attach the document and do your best to make it ready for publishing in terms of formatting. Good quality images are a must and don’t forget about them. These are the things that will get your press release links in front of everyone else’s.