Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the power behind Google and other search engines results. Typing a word or phrase into Google’s search box and clicking on search will bring back a long list of results – literally millions of results for any particular phrase. How do those top five listings make it to the top over millions of others?
By effectively using SEO techniques for writing web content including news releases.
SEO Writing Tips
It’s all about the keywords. The first and main ingredient of the best SEO writing recipe is the use of rich and effective keywords. Keywords are the words or phrases that Internet searchers would type into a search box when using one of the search engines to find information on the net.
Before writing a news release, determine keywords that apply to the news in the release and then use those keywords strategically throughout the release. For example, include the keywords in the title of the release and in the first paragraph.
The keywords have to be applicable to the release. Just filling a release with keywords is parallel to spamming and may get the release buried deeper than if there were no keywords used.
Filling web content with keywords just to make it the top of the search results list is known as Black Hat SEO and will earn a site a reputation as being the bad guy. White Hat SEO on the other hand is using SEO and keywords ethically.
Finding Keywords
There are two basic ways to find applicable keywords. One way is to spend time in each of the search engines and type in words or phrases that might be used and then review the results. A second way is to subscribe to one of the many online keyword search program sites.
Type a news release topic at one of the keyword sites and a list of keywords will quickly be returned. There may also be stats on the search words such as which words have been used by which search engine and how many times it was used, the number of times a word has been used in general and a prediction of how many times the word will be used.
Regardless of the method used, once the keyword list is compiled, it is always a good idea to narrow the keyword list down to 10 or 15. Also, determining primary and secondary keywords will help in writing an effective online press release.
Using Keywords
After getting the keyword lists narrowed down and designating the primary and secondary keywords, use the primary words in the title of the release and the opening paragraph. Use the secondary words in headings or subheadings if used. Both primary and secondary keywords should be used throughout the release.
When first starting to write news releases for online publication, it may help to use the keyword list to help plan or outline the release before writing it.
Online News
Print and broadcast media outlets are shrinking more each day. To find the best press outlets these days, you have to go online. Consumers from around the world and down the street are searching for their news online.
To get online news read, it needs to be written with SEO techniques. It’ll only take a short time to get used to writing with SEO and once the SEO is built into press releases, it will take a much less time for the audience to find it.
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