Business

How Small Businesses Can Use Press Releases to Drive Targeted Traffic

How Small Businesses Can Use Press Releases to Drive Targeted Traffic 2 Comments

Mickie Kennedy started eReleases 15 years ago after working in a PR environment that was not meeting the needs of small- and medium-sized businesses and firms.Mickie lives in Baltimore County, MD with his wife, son, daughter, and two feuding cats. He enjoys British science fiction and acknowledges an unhealthy addiction to diet soda.


Trying to figure out how to get more eyeballs to your website? Many small businesses struggle with this very thing. They have a great product, solid website, and stellar customer service; only one thing is missing – traffic.

Many of these businesses, though, don’t know they have a great resource right in front of them – their own press releases! There are a number of ways to use press releases to drive targeted traffic to your site and increase sales.


Get it On News Sites 

Of course the main way to see success with your press release is to get it to where the public can see it. Send your release to national and local papers, magazines, or other sources of news and stories that might be interested. Don’t forget TV stations as well.

This is the most traditional means of using a press release, but it’s by no means irrelevant to businesses owners looking for web traffic. A mention in a traditional news article can often mean a link back to your site, and a ton of new visitors.  Plus, a link back from a major news website can increase your website’s search engine optimization (SEO). This will make it easier for potential customers to find you in web search later.

One of the less obvious, but certainly more powerful benefits of landing a story in a major newspaper or garnering a favorable radio/TV spot is that of position.  People tend to attach a certain degree of importance to a person or company they see being covered in the media – after all, they’re on TV, they’re on the radio, that must mean they’re important and be experts in their field!  What kind of traffic could being in a position of authority and expertise bring you and your company?  Probably a lot.

Repost it on Your Blog 

Again the idea is to get your story and its keywords out there. If you have a blog, you’re no doubt always looking for new material – so why not repost your release on your blog for added traction? It’s a great way to get more mileage out of it, especially if no media picks up on the story.

Instead of just posting it as is, though, see if there is a way to expand on the information. Press releases must follow a one-page format, but your blog doesn’t have to. Expand on some of the more important points from your press release.

Another idea is to split it up into multiple blogs to get even more mileage out of it. For example, if you wrote about your new product, could you write several blogs detailing all the ways it helps your customers with their daily lives? A follow-up post might include common questions customers have asked about your product. Use all the great research you gathered in writing your initial press release to expand on the topic.

Newsletters 

Rather than using the info in one or multiple blog posts, another idea is to split the info from the release into copy for newsletters. Email newsletters are not only a great way to keep your company top-of-mind with your established customers, but also to bring in those precious new eyeballs you need as people share it with friends and family.

So if you take that press release you wrote about the fancy new product, for instance, you can split it up to provide advice for weeks to come about how customers can use it best. Combine this with other updates and company info to keep people reading and interested in your company. Also, make sure to encourage them to share it and post it elsewhere which spreads your news all over the web.

What was your last press release about? Did you repurpose it in any of the ways we mentioned?

Image Source: freedigitalphotos.net

Mickie Kennedy started eReleases 15 years ago after working in a PR environment that was not meeting the needs of small- and medium-sized businesses and firms.Mickie lives in Baltimore County, MD with his wife, son, daughter, and two feuding cats. He enjoys British science fiction and acknowledges an unhealthy addiction to diet soda.

2 comments

  1. A PRWeb press release can help your business or organization get reach and publicity on the web across search engines, blogs, and websites in just a few simple steps. Compelling news in a well-crafted release will help you attract new business, as well as engage and retain existing customers. Best of all, you can do it yourself – there’s no expertise needed.

    1. Indeed, press releases, as described above, are a great way to get the word out about your business. PRWeb, an internet-only distribution service, is not as effective as going through a traditional, real-world newswire (see PR Newswire). Real newswires reach real reporters and journalists in their offices and newsrooms, while web-only PR tends to be treated as spam and picked up only by content aggregators. Buyer beware!

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