Using Top Search Keywords In Online Public Relations by Greg Jarboe, 4 April 2007
SEO-PR has been offering optimized press release services since March 2003. But, the first time my online public relations firm recommends using top search keywords in headlines and at least the first hundred words of optimized press releases, I can't tell you how frequently new clients are surprised.
Many people mistakenly believe that search engine optimization and online public relations firms can magically optimize a press release - without modifying any release content - by adding invisible Meta keywords tags. So, they are shocked, shocked to find that their top search keywords actually need to appear high up in very visible locations.
Key points
- Many people mistakenly believe that search engine optimization and online public relations firms can magically optimize a press release – without modifying any release content – by adding invisible Meta keywords tags.
- While changing meta tags was the most popular method used to improve rankings back in 2000, the meta keywords tag became a magnet for search engine spam.
- Edit your press release – particularly the headline and first few sentences – and make sure that it actually includes your target terms.
- When people conduct a news search, they often find recent and relevant press releases along with articles from thousands of other news sources.
Invariably, new clients ask me for proof. I point them to an article entitled “Death of a Meta Tag” written by Danny Sullivan in Search Engine Watch on October 1, 2002. Sullivan, the recognized authority on search and search engine marketing, declared, “In my opinion, the meta keywords tag is dead, dead, dead.”
While changing meta tags was the most popular method used to improve rankings back in 2000, the meta keywords tag became a magnet for search engine spam. That’s why Google never added support for it and all the other search engines, except Inktomi, had dropped their support for the meta keywords tag by the fall of 2002.
When they learn this, many of my new clients go through the five stages of grief described in the book by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, “On Death and Dying.” They are:
- Denial (This isn’t happening to me!)
- Anger (Why is this happening to me?)
- Bargaining (I promise I’ll be a better person if...)
- Depression (I don’t care anymore.)
- Acceptance (I’m ready for whatever comes.)
To help new clients through the grieving process, I’ve developed my own five-step process. If it helps you explain why you need to make some more edits to the final draft of a press release that has already been approved, then thank Kubler-Ross, not me.
- Conduct keyword research to find two or three relevant terms that your target audiences are likely to use for a news search. We’ve used a variety of keyword research tools over the past four years, including Wordtracker.
- Edit your press release – particularly the headline and first few sentences – and make sure that it actually includes your target terms. News search engine algorithms scan the title, headline and at least the first hundred words or so of news articles, so it would be wise to include your top search keywords in these crucial positions.
- Add hyperlinks intended to help people find interesting, related content, when applicable. However, don’t link to “bad neighborhoods” on the web, and avoid excessively linking to inflate a site’s apparent popularity.
- Use one of the press release distribution services crawled by Yahoo News and Google News. We’ve used a variety of press release distribution services over the past four years, including Business Wire.
- Measure your results. An optimized press release can generate high keyword ranking in Yahoo News and Google News, publicity in news media and blogs, traffic to your web site, qualified leads, as well as online sales.
Learning how to use top search keywords in optimized press releases is no longer an interesting sideline for a few SEO copywriters. It is now a significant career opportunity for the vast majority of online public relations copywriters, as well.
Why?
According to Hitwise, Yahoo News and Google News are both in the top 10 news and media websites. And Yahoo News ranks ahead of CNN.com and MSNBC, while Google News ranks ahead of USA Today and The New York Times.
When people conduct a news search, they often find recent and relevant press releases along with articles from thousands of other news sources. A report from Outsell last summer found that press releases had leapfrogged over trade publications to become the top news sources of knowledge workers.
Bennett & Company’s 15th annual media survey also found that online research remains number one source for journalists to obtain additional story information. In fact, 75% of journalists search the Internet for previous stories on their subject.
Now, it may seem odd that I’m willing to share the so-called “secrets” of using top search keywords in online public relations. There are two reasons why I’m doing it.
First, I believe that sharing my “secrets” will help SEO copywriters overcome an emerging stereotype created by a few unethical search engine optimizers who are “secretive or won’t clearly explain what they intend to do.” I also believe that being open and honest about what I do will help online public relations copywriters overcome the entrenched stereotype created by a few unprincipled flaks and spin doctors who take credit when the sun comes up in the morning, but say it’s not their fault when the sun goes down at night.
Second, I believe that clients and agencies will benefit from learning about using top search keywords in online public relations. As David Ogilvy wrote in his book, Ogilvy on Advertising:
“In 18th-century England, a family of obstetricians built a huge practice by delivering babies with a lower rate of infant and maternal mortality than their competitors. They had a secret – and guarded it jealously, until an inquisitive medical student climbed onto the roof of their delivering room, looked through the skylight and saw the forceps they had invented. The secret was out, to the benefit of all obstetricians and their patients.”
That’s why I’m happy to teach others how to use top search keywords in optimized press releases. Call it “enlightened self-interest.” But, I’ve always recognized that my biggest challenge wasn’t helping new clients through the grieving process. It was helping “the tactic known as SEO PR” to get born.
About Greg Jarboe
Greg Jarboe is the President and Co-Founder of SEO-PR, a search engine optimization and online public relations firm. He is also the news search, blog search and PR correspondent for the Search Engine Watch Blog.
18 comments
Hi - very useful article. What other press release distribution services do you recommend other than Business Wire?
Great words, Greg. As always very useful and a very enlightened approach, I’m sure. Like anything of profound truth, there’s no stopping these practices becoming totally mainstream but, like copyrighting itself, there will always be knowledgeable masters and the apprentices at their feet.
Just on press release services (Mark Edwards) obviously PRNewswire is important and PRWeb is very good (one of the best value). And - finally - if I can blow our trumpet - send law-related news to us at LawFuel.com
It’s a long slow process to educate others in the more traditional PR fields about SEO and online visibility. It is sometimes difficult to get seasoned journalists and PR types to alter their established writing style to take into account keywords.
To some extent trying to incorporate keywords runs counter to how journalists we’re taught to write. Traditionally editors would come down hard on any writing who repeated the same words too often.
Striking a healthy balance between traditional writing styles and the needs to SEO is a little like the holy grail at the moment.
One of the hardest hurdles to overcome is educating the client and getting them to fully cooperate. It is hard to accept the fact that we have to alter sites and articles in undesirable ways in order to achieve the desired rankings.
Nicely put, Greg. I am constantly amazed at the confusion I find at traditional agencies over these points. I invariably get arguements from the MA in Fine Arts folks that SEO will destroy their “eye-catching copy that sells” baloney, or they insist on burying the key terms where Google won’t find them, or they select client’s obscure brand names as anchortext links instead of targeted terms for which customers are actually searching.
THIS IS EXCELLENCE BORN OUT OF A GOOD MIND AND KIND HEART.
An excelent tool for the webmasters. I have used the MediaTrack tool which is excelent on demography selection of keywords.
I have found that sharing insight and being upfront with customers helps build a competitive edge. My customers typically shop around due to the amount of money involved in an SEO campaign. Many of my competitors employ sales people who don’t know a lot about SEO and/or don’t share information, making them sound like they don’t know as much and aren’t as passionate about SEO as my company. Thanks for the article and I’m glad some of us are on the same page.
Your sharing of your nuggets of wisdom is great for all newbies in this arena. Additionally, your showing your sincere, kind and caring persona which of course sure makes it easier for others to look to you for advice and business relationships.
Good for you. And thank you. If more people understand the strength and power of giving and paying it forward, business and life in general just gets better and better.
Cheers.
Kevin Lynch Founder, Make Your Difference.com
Nice post, Greg. I used http://prweb.com for European press releases and had good results.
I'm just about to write some articles, so that's gonna come in very handy, thanks for the advice.
Thanks for the great article ... and the link to the Ogilvy book. Amazon just made a little bit more money. Cheers,
Hmmm, spam on WordTracker... :( Good article tho!
Do you know if some company use the same marketing concept as Webkinz?
I'm writing a few articles right now and want to get some info and opinions.
tahnk you very much for good article.
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This post will definitely help me to strategically change the way I offer services.
Thank you,
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