 How can an online PR help your search engine optimisation?For most site owners, a decent search engine optimisation campaign includes link building, possibly some social media work and an overhaul of page content, titles, meta tags and suchlike. Invariably, an online press release strategy is overlooked, yet a successful and sustained digital PR campaign can go hand in hand with traditional SEO activities. In fact, an online press release can actually help to deliver better rankings and improve brand awareness. As any marketing traditionalist will know, a press release is an excellent vehicle for generating product and brand buzz. An easy way to reach a wide audience provided distribution is tackled correctly; a press release delivers an instant hit of recognition. SEO wise, an online PR also promises all of these benefits... 1. Quality Content Helps On Page Search Engine Optimisation Often with search engine optimisation campaigns, it can be hard to think of fresh, relevant and really interesting content to upload on site. One of the problems with search engines is their constant hunger for new pages, new data and new information. Sating that desire becomes tougher and tougher the more content you create as there are fewer and fewer original ideas remaining. A press release will help to lessen the load as a tried and tested format for communicating relevant information. Topics such as new product launches, special offers, company accolades and business developments will go from being internal news to an external content creator. 2. Branding Helps With Overall Search Engine Optimisation More and more, branding is becoming an integral part of search engine optimisation. A recognisable brand delivers some of the same kudos and traffic as a page one search engine placement. An online PR campaign will help to develop brand identity at the same time as suggesting professionalism and aiding in the construction of a corporate image. Large corporations like Coca-Cola and Sony use both on and offline press releases to consolidate their brand - this regular flow of information helps to combat industry competitors and ensures customers retain their brand loyalty. 3. Ease of Distribution Allows For Quick and Effective Promotion A genuinely newsworthy press release, or series of press releases, can be distributed to thousands of journalists, commentators and opinion leaders within seconds online. Each of these recipients is able to quickly and easily forward on the release to a colleague or other interested party, adding to the distribution network. One of the primary aims of search engine optimisation is to increase web site visibility and traffic – something equally likely to occur through online PR distribution, making it the perfect SEO partner for pro-active websites and organisations. 4. Authoritative Links Aid Off Page Search Engine Optimisation Building good quality inbound links is a constant trial for search engine optimizers. Much like with the content issue, an online PR can help to ease this burden. Once distributed, the PR can be picked up by any number of outlets including magazines and newspapers. Provided links have been planted in the original press release, a new link is created each time an outlet picks up on the PR’s story. If the distribution has been done correctly, these links should all be from very relevant sources – known to be of benefit to the off page optimisation calculations employed by the search engines and likely to direct targeted traffic to the web site. 5. User Data Can Be Transferred To SEO Activities Keeping a close eye on the online press release’s pick up rate can provide useful data for the distributor. Monitoring which news items are picked up gives a clear insight into the types of subjects and messages most likely to be of interest to the target audience – this knowledge can be transferred to web site copy, future releases and optimized content. |    |
