Some snarky communicators love to claim that the press release is dead, or should be. Google thinks otherwise. Earlier this year, Google started putting company press releases in its news search results. Useful, concise content that can have an impact on corporate efficiency and profits is valued by search engines, whether it's in the form of a press release or news article.
As Amanda Grinavich, account manager for SHIFT Communications, writes in PR News' Digital PR & Social Media Guidebook, Google understands that press releases are still valuable for regulatory requirements and for notifying journalists of legitimately important news. She offers four steps to make sure your press releases rank high in Google searches:
Step One: Create a compelling release. Right from the start, make sure the content you’re creating is useful for the audiences you’re targeting. This should already be a common practice.
Step Two: Make sure everyone on your team is up to speed on Google’s latest changes. Let them know their days of keyword stuffing are over.
Step Three: Within your release, make sure you are linking to your business or the product name that is the focus of the release. Link to that keyword once and only once.
Step Four: Partner with a reputable wire service that keeps track of and understands the changes to Google’s search algorithm. They’ll help you stay up to date and avoid penalties.
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