This article summarises a methodology for optimising your press release submissions and utilising intelligent online PR to maximize your website natural search rankings.

What is it and how does it work?

Your website is the voice of your business on the internet, it tells people who you are, what you have to offer and why they should buy your product or read about your service. Press release Optimisation is about promoting your business through the most respected and influential news channels.

Millions of people use Yahoo and Google news search engines to find recent articles and press releases. According to Neilsen//NetRatings, Yahoo News had a unique audience of 19.8 million visitors in January 2004 and Google News had a unique audience of 4.1 million visitors.

News search engines have also become an indispensable tool for journalists. According to a Middleberg/Ross Survey, 98% of journalists go online daily, 92% for article research, 81% to do searching, 76% to find new sources or experts, and 73% to find press releases.

If an organization wants its news release to be found when either journalists or its prospects conduct a search using relevant terms, then it needs help writing press releases for and sending press releases to the major news search engines to be optimized.

How can online Press release submissions build link value for search rankings?

The most effective way to achieving and maintaining high rankings is acquiring inbound links through press release submission.The number of websites that link to your website is the most important factor that helps search engines determine your relevancy for a search term. Link popularity and acquiring new links make up to 60% of the ranking weighting for Google.

The best links are often editorial in nature are often the most difficult to achieve. Coveted link sources include major online publications, educational and government websites.The pitching of stories to journalists common to media relations is directly related to pitching for linking opportunities on some of the more difficult sites. Getting a contributing article into a prominent publication can drive traffic, build credibility and associate link popularity.

Distribution Source

The distribution source of the release is also a vital consideration for success. The number of "free" press release distribution services has grown on the heels of PRweb.com so it is important to decide whether you pay or use a free service - noting what type of service you want your release associated with. If a wire service sends out lots of press release spam, do you really want to be associated with that?

Go to where the journalist are searching

Journalists receive an abundance of emailed press releases every day. Discouraged by the deluge of press release spam and by the sheer volume of poorly written email pitches by PR grads, many journalists, freelance writers and prominent bloggers are keen to search for news stories and sources in other ways.

A clever strategy for getting press coverage is to help journalists pull themselves to you by making sure you have relevant visibility in the places where they are looking.

Write great content which is newsworthy

It also matters how newsworthy your release is and how well it's written. If you have important news, definitely consider having a professional write your release.

Summary of results and benefits of this service:

1. People will read these articles and find out more about what your business has to offer them, this will drive traffic to your website
2. News and media sites re-publish and syndicate your articles thus increasing the pass along readership and traffic
3. Fantastic for building relevant links; Each publication carries a link to your website increasing relevant back links to your website.
4. Builds relevant links from within the news release to key pages on the organization's web site

‘The best links are earned and given by choice’ - Matt Cutts, Head of technology Google

What we require from you?

A press release of up to 1000 words. As an alternative Barracuda Digital offers a professional editorial Press release writing service depending on the exact requirement of the service.

What reporting will you receive?

Barracuda Digital will supply you with a detailed report of the results.

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