A press release is an announcement written to the media. Unlike a sales letter, which is meant for prospective customers, the aim of a press release is to draw the attention of editors who you hope will be interested enough to pick up your release and write an article based on the information found there.



Why is it important that you get your first press release out there now?

* Boost web traffic – The amount of web traffic a website receives is evidence of their popularity and top ranking within a search engine. The more web traffic a site receives the higher their chances of making sales. A press release that is news worthy and properly search engine optimized can do a lot for your websites traffic.

* More marketing for your business – Your first press release can only help to further the success of your business and is another way you can market to internet users. The best thing is, you can continue writing press releases as long as you have something new and newsworthy to report.

* Powerful SEO marketing tool – you likely are already aware of how important seo business marketing is. A press release is another way to improve search engine optimization for your website and improve your ranking within search engines.

* Increase Sales – A newsworthy press release will receive plenty of attention from the media, which means your website will receive plenty of attention from prospective clients.

Now that you know why it is so important to write a press release, you need to know what's involved in writing one. The following is a basic rundown of what you should keep in mind when constructing your press release:

* Announcement not a sales pitch – the purpose of your first press release, and all press releases is to announce something new (IE. new business, new products, new feature to products, partnerships, working with charities, etc.). It is a modest advertisement, not a sales letter.

* The “W” Factor – the press release should be able to answer the “who”, “what”, “when”, “where” and “why” of the item, service, feature, etc. that you are announcing. It also doesn't hurt to answer the “how” question.

* Information about your company – provide brief information about yourself and your business. Keep it short. A press release shouldn't feature your life story.

* Contact information – Include your full contact information at the end of the press release (IE. phone number, fax, email, address, web address)

* Keep it straight to the point – aim to make your press release one page. If it goes beyond one page that's fine, but it shouldn't exceed two pages. Edit out any fluff. Your goal is to keep your announcement clear and concise.

If you do not have the writing skills for a press release, don't be afraid to seek the guidance of a press release expert, or hire a writer who can get the job done for you. It doesn't matter if you or someone else writes your first press release. The bottom line is it has to be done without a moment to lose.