When you start an online business, should you announce it with a press release? Isn’t blogging about it enough?
Some very smart and worldly PR people suggest that press releases are outdated and useless, claiming that nobody reads them anyway.
Others contend that writing a press release is a neat way to clarify your own understanding of your business — the who, what, why, when, where, and how.
We use press releases as part of our online business system. They’re very helpful, especially when it comes to promoting an internet business. We see predictable sales spikes and increases in subscribers to our membership sites whenever we put out a press release, usually the very day it gets published.
In addition, first-time visitors to your website can view them as a way to take the temperature of your business — see that it’s still up-and-running, and scan them to check out your latest announcements. They’re looking for relevance to their business.
Remember, your visitors are always asking themselves: What’s in it for me? Press releases are handy because they put the focus on the benefits for your subscribers.
The reasons for writing a press release have changed.
When it comes to building online business traffic, the press release should be embraced as part of a vibrant SEO strategy.
A press release can:
- help spread the word about your web business quickly across the Web
- maximize your visibility on search engines
- increase the number of visitors to your site from news searches
- establish enduring links on other relevant websites
- generate publicity
If you want to try including press releases as part of your online business system, here are a few things to keep in mind.
3 tips for writing a press release:
- Write for the web. Use bullet points, make it easy to scan, and watch your Flesh-Kincaid score. Keep it at the 8th grade level. You may think this is low-balling your customer’s cognitive capacities, but it isn’t. We’re pretty smart in the 8th grade.
- Only include pertinent information. The press release is an opportunity to announce “official” information, such as a deal that was made, a change or addition to your business, a product launched. Give your reader a link to your “about us” page (or another relevant page) on your website.
- Add attachments — videos, docs, pictures. People are more likely to click on these to learn more about your announcement. They’re also more prone to share compelling videos and pictures with their friends and colleagues. These PR packages cost more, but they’re worth it.
Have you found press releases useful, or do you think they’re outdated? If you have tried using them in your online business system, please leave a comment about it. I love hearing from you 
