Beginner s
      Beginner’s Guide to Search Engine
       Optimization for Press Releases
Joseph Miller                       Alison MacDonald
EON Product Manager                 Account Executive
San Antonio, Texas                  Silicon Valley, CA




Joseph.Miller@BusinessWire.com      Alison.MacDonald@BusinessWire.com
@EONpr


                        #bwevents on Twitter
Overview of Today’s Presentation
                      y


•   SEO
•   Goals
•   Keywords
•   Optimization
•   Distribution
    Di t ib ti
•   Q&A
Well Optimized Releases
      p
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)




The
Th organic process of getting your content indexed and ranked
        i           f tti             t ti d     d d      k d
                    by Search Engines.
WHY SEO IS IMPORTANT


The objective of search engine optimization (SEO) is to increase a Website's
traffic counts, and ultimately conversions, by ranking very high in the results of
searches for the keywords in the search q y Bruce Clay
                     y                    query~             y

• Increase Traffic
• Create awareness of your company
                      y       p y
• Get more business
Paid or
Sponsored
S       d
“SERPS”




Natural or
Organic
“SERPS”
Google
           News
           Results




Google
Realtime
Results
Search Statistics


• 15.6 billion “core” search queries
  were conducted in the U.S.
  in August ‘10 an increase
             10,
  of 6% from ‘December ‘09.
  (Comscore)


• 81% of online purchases
  start with search.
  (Forrester Research)             Photo by: danardvincente
Press Release Optimization Goal
Brand Visibility and Website Traffic
Press Release Optimization Goal
 SERP Rankings / Rep Management
Develop a Keyword Strategy


Identify               Analyze                Select
Brianstorm,
Brianstorm look at     Research t fi d out
                       R        h to find t   Choose 3 to 5
stats, and work with   those keywords that    keywords that will be
stakeholders and       are most lucrative,    used to optimize your
teams to determine     competitive or
                           p                  press release.
which keywords to
  hi h k      d t      popular.
consider.
                       Find like terms that
                       can be used as
                       alternatives.
Release Optimization Flow



Write for real         Going top down,
readers and search     add your top 3-5   Format and add
engines. They are      keywords           Multimedia to add to
both target            throughout your    the visibility of your
audiences for your     release while      release
                                            l
press release.         retaining
                       readability.
Optimization Focus
       p


                           50%




10%                        40%
Optimizing Headlines
                p       g

                                              50%
•   What People See First
•   Use Top Keyword Top Three if possible
              Keyword.            possible.
•   Title Tag
•   Search engine results listing
Press Release Optimization
           Google News Headline Tip
           G   l N     H dli Ti

                                        50%
• Keep your headline between 2 and 22 Words
• L
  Less or more and Google News may reject
                 dG     l N           j t
• Almost always use Company name
Press Release Optimization
Avoid S
A id Special Characters in Headline
         i l Ch    t    i H dli

                              50%
Press Release Optimization
Avoid S
A id Special Characters in Headline
         i l Ch    t    i H dli

                              50%
Optimizing Body
                  p       g    y


• First 100 words most important.                            40%

• First 200 characters used to populate Description
  Tag.
  Tag
   – Used below hyperlinked search engine results listing.
   – Used as description for RSS feeds.
• First 140 characters used as default for Google.
• & Business Wire site display.
• Al
  Always use top your three keywords.
              t        th    k      d
Press Release Optimization
               Google News Body Tips
               G   l N     B d Ti


                                                      40%

•   Most rejected releases under 125 words
•   Over 1000 words usually go to Finance channels
•   First paragraph should be at least two sentences
•   Three sentences is better
    Th        t       i b tt
•   Bullet points are good, but too many bullet points +
    short paragraphs may negatively affect performance
Optimizing Multimedia
             p       g

• Unique description & filename for image
      q        p                        g
  or video
• Ex. Joseph Miller, EON Product Manager at
  Business Wire, reacts to receiving 10000
  B i      Wi         t t      i i
  Berkshire Hathaway shares for his birthday




                                               10%
Multimedia
Photos
Video
Where Multimedia Goes

•US Newspaper photo desks
 US
•AP PhotoExpress
•Yahoo! Finance
•Press Association
•European Pressphoto Agency
 E         P     h t A
•Ddp
•Newsis
•ME Newswire
•YourTube
•Vimeo
•Search Engines
•Etc

                              10%
Press Release Optimization
       Add Multimedia for Increased Visibility
23% of our Top 500 releases in 2010
   releases have multimedia.
5% of all our releases have multimedia
70% more release reads

Increase clickthru % to your website
and press release.

Images served up in Google Universal
Search and Google Images.
               g      g

Use of multimedia downstream on other
sites and in print.
Where Release Goes

•Newsrooms
 Newsrooms
•Search Engines
•Blogs
•Email Alerts
•Micro Blogs
 Mi     Bl
•Fax lists
•Mobile Aps
•Financial Pages
              g
•RSS Feeds
•Anywhere and everywhere
Closing Tips
                       Take Aways
                       T k A


•   Any
    A amount of optimization goes a long way.
                t f ti i ti             l
•   Always optimize the headline.
•   Optimize your multimedia captions
                               captions.
•   Don’t forget Hyperlinks to Drive Traffic.
•   Use tools to help your research.
•   Think of your press release as a miniwebsite,
    designed by you, for your client.
Thanks f J i i U T d !
           Th k for Joining Us Today!


Joseph Miller                    Alison MacDonald
EON Product Manager              Account Executive
San Antonio, Texas               Silicon Valley, CA




Joseph.Miller@BusinessWire.com   Alison.MacDonald@BusinessWire.com
@EONpr

Beginner's Guide to Press Release Optimization

  • 1.
    Beginner s Beginner’s Guide to Search Engine Optimization for Press Releases Joseph Miller Alison MacDonald EON Product Manager Account Executive San Antonio, Texas Silicon Valley, CA Joseph.Miller@BusinessWire.com Alison.MacDonald@BusinessWire.com @EONpr #bwevents on Twitter
  • 2.
    Overview of Today’sPresentation y • SEO • Goals • Keywords • Optimization • Distribution Di t ib ti • Q&A
  • 3.
  • 4.
    Search Engine Optimization(SEO) The Th organic process of getting your content indexed and ranked i f tti t ti d d d k d by Search Engines.
  • 5.
    WHY SEO ISIMPORTANT The objective of search engine optimization (SEO) is to increase a Website's traffic counts, and ultimately conversions, by ranking very high in the results of searches for the keywords in the search q y Bruce Clay y query~ y • Increase Traffic • Create awareness of your company y p y • Get more business
  • 6.
    Paid or Sponsored S d “SERPS” Natural or Organic “SERPS”
  • 7.
    Google News Results Google Realtime Results
  • 8.
    Search Statistics • 15.6billion “core” search queries were conducted in the U.S. in August ‘10 an increase 10, of 6% from ‘December ‘09. (Comscore) • 81% of online purchases start with search. (Forrester Research) Photo by: danardvincente
  • 9.
    Press Release OptimizationGoal Brand Visibility and Website Traffic
  • 10.
    Press Release OptimizationGoal SERP Rankings / Rep Management
  • 11.
    Develop a KeywordStrategy Identify Analyze Select Brianstorm, Brianstorm look at Research t fi d out R h to find t Choose 3 to 5 stats, and work with those keywords that keywords that will be stakeholders and are most lucrative, used to optimize your teams to determine competitive or p press release. which keywords to hi h k d t popular. consider. Find like terms that can be used as alternatives.
  • 12.
    Release Optimization Flow Writefor real Going top down, readers and search add your top 3-5 Format and add engines. They are keywords Multimedia to add to both target throughout your the visibility of your audiences for your release while release l press release. retaining readability.
  • 13.
    Optimization Focus p 50% 10% 40%
  • 14.
    Optimizing Headlines p g 50% • What People See First • Use Top Keyword Top Three if possible Keyword. possible. • Title Tag • Search engine results listing
  • 15.
    Press Release Optimization Google News Headline Tip G l N H dli Ti 50% • Keep your headline between 2 and 22 Words • L Less or more and Google News may reject dG l N j t • Almost always use Company name
  • 16.
    Press Release Optimization AvoidS A id Special Characters in Headline i l Ch t i H dli 50%
  • 17.
    Press Release Optimization AvoidS A id Special Characters in Headline i l Ch t i H dli 50%
  • 18.
    Optimizing Body p g y • First 100 words most important. 40% • First 200 characters used to populate Description Tag. Tag – Used below hyperlinked search engine results listing. – Used as description for RSS feeds. • First 140 characters used as default for Google. • & Business Wire site display. • Al Always use top your three keywords. t th k d
  • 19.
    Press Release Optimization Google News Body Tips G l N B d Ti 40% • Most rejected releases under 125 words • Over 1000 words usually go to Finance channels • First paragraph should be at least two sentences • Three sentences is better Th t i b tt • Bullet points are good, but too many bullet points + short paragraphs may negatively affect performance
  • 20.
    Optimizing Multimedia p g • Unique description & filename for image q p g or video • Ex. Joseph Miller, EON Product Manager at Business Wire, reacts to receiving 10000 B i Wi t t i i Berkshire Hathaway shares for his birthday 10%
  • 21.
  • 22.
  • 23.
  • 24.
    Where Multimedia Goes •USNewspaper photo desks US •AP PhotoExpress •Yahoo! Finance •Press Association •European Pressphoto Agency E P h t A •Ddp •Newsis •ME Newswire •YourTube •Vimeo •Search Engines •Etc 10%
  • 25.
    Press Release Optimization Add Multimedia for Increased Visibility 23% of our Top 500 releases in 2010 releases have multimedia. 5% of all our releases have multimedia 70% more release reads Increase clickthru % to your website and press release. Images served up in Google Universal Search and Google Images. g g Use of multimedia downstream on other sites and in print.
  • 26.
    Where Release Goes •Newsrooms Newsrooms •Search Engines •Blogs •Email Alerts •Micro Blogs Mi Bl •Fax lists •Mobile Aps •Financial Pages g •RSS Feeds •Anywhere and everywhere
  • 27.
    Closing Tips Take Aways T k A • Any A amount of optimization goes a long way. t f ti i ti l • Always optimize the headline. • Optimize your multimedia captions captions. • Don’t forget Hyperlinks to Drive Traffic. • Use tools to help your research. • Think of your press release as a miniwebsite, designed by you, for your client.
  • 28.
    Thanks f Ji i U T d ! Th k for Joining Us Today! Joseph Miller Alison MacDonald EON Product Manager Account Executive San Antonio, Texas Silicon Valley, CA Joseph.Miller@BusinessWire.com Alison.MacDonald@BusinessWire.com @EONpr