"Insert" Keyphrases
Search engines and news websites use word pattern recognition to rank and categorize the press releases they receive. Since thousands of documents are published on news sites daily, a press release that doesn't prominently feature its relevant keyphrases will get buried in a mass of information.
Each day, readers perform keyphrase searches looking for answers to their concerns and editors perform keyphrase searches looking for undiscovered stories. If your press release uses keyphrases correctly, your point-of-view should be easy for readers to find and editors to consider. Many editors also use services such as Google Alerts that notify them by email when a press release with a particular keyphrase shows up in a news site – yet another chance for your keyphrase-optimized press release to get exposure.
To select appropriate keyphrases, please refer to the step-by-step instructions in the chapter on Keyphrase Research. As a quick summary: Brainstorm the search terms that your target audience would use when searching for information about your cause. Once you have a list of these possible keyphrases, use keyword selector tools (such as inventory.overture.com) to narrow down your choices. Keyphrases should generally be two or three words long.
After selecting your keyphrases, use them early and often in your press release. Insert keyphrases as frequently as you can without interfering with the reader's experience.
Make sure your keyphrases are in the following locations:
Headline – Use the primary keyphrase in the headline, near the beginning if possible.
Subheadline – Use the primary keyphrase and secondary keyphrase(s) in your subheadline.
Summary and first paragraph – Use your keyphrases several times in the summary and first paragraph, lead by your primary keyphrase. The first paragraph should also include a keyphrase-rich hyperlink to the webpage featured in the press release.
Hyperlinks – Make your hyperlinks keyphrase-rich:
Sections – If you are promoting more than one keyphrase in a press release, use subheadings to break the release into several sections. Each section should be optimized for a single keyphrase.
In place of pronouns – Replace generic pronouns such as "it," "its," "this," "that," and "them" with keyphrases where possible. For example, replace "them" with "foster children." Replace "it" with "foster care."
Optimizing your press release for search engines will help you reach a larger online audience.
