Press release optimization involves a number of factors, not the least of which is being sure you reach the right person, actually reads it, digs it and uses it. You appeal to two different audiences with the releases you send. One group is the consumers you hope to sway, but the other is the all-important collection of influencers who will dictate how far your release spreads.
Who are the definitive voices in your industry? You know the kind, the people that other people listen to – the ones at the cool kids’ table? If you don’t know, you should (that’s another post). If you do know and you want to attract their attention, have you thought about the subtle ways to boost press release optimization to turn their heads?
While there may be great discussion about which tactic is better at getting online attention – SEO or social media, the reality is that the foundation of all success on the net is relationships, pure and simple. You’re trying to create them with customers, but you should be equally as committed to building them with those cool kids who may just send your press release into Internet stratospheric success with just a tip of their hats.
Check these 10 ways to influence the people who can control your press release success:
1. Figure Out Who Goes Where
You need a clear view of the field generals who control the flow of information in your industry. Subscribe to their blogs, follow them on Twitter and show up to the conferences where they speak.
2. Butter Them Up
We don’t mean to be trite but the truth is, people like people who think they are cool. While keeping in mind not to go overboard, you should be familiar enough with these influencers’ personalities and perspectives to comment on and share their wisdom, and give them credit when you reference their knowledge.
3. Follow Their Followers
If somebody has several thousand subscribers to their blog, chances are that some of the people following them are pretty smart too. If you comment and retweet content that reflects your thought leader target, it’s a pretty good bet your guy is going to get wind of it.
4. Chase Those They Follow
Your influencer is powerful for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that he’s up on everything going on in his corner of the net. How does he stay abreast of the important news and trends? He follows a few rock stars, too. Find them.
5. Get Friendly
Thought leaders on the net are incredibly busy, but don’t let that stop you from reaching out and initiating a relationship with news they can use. You might get lucky when you provide a helpful whitepaper or offer added research to his favorite topic.
6. Join The Discussion
More often than not, the people who command our attention are eager to hear what our reaction is. Whenever you have the opportunity to speak up and participate, do it (just don’t overdo it).
7. Use The Words They Use
Ah, here it is the wonder of SEO. Every online marketer worth his salt knows that the basis of press release optimization is keywords. If the journalist or blogger you follow has a specific lexicon, integrate that language into your posts, tweets and blogs to let them see you are on the same page.
8. Like Them On Facebook
It may seem simple, but liking an individual is an easy way to show they’ve made an impact on you. Even better, your like or share communicates that you feel their opinions are worthwhile for others.
9. Stay Connected
You may not get much of a response back initially, but by remaining respectfully engaged you continue to have the spark of connection. Probably the best advice we can give is, when you add your content contributions, you have something worthwhile to say. Inane comments to posts and discussions won’t move you in the right direction, press release optimization combined with relevant messages will.
10. Give them a Shout Out
Don’t forget the good old-fashioned ways of getting in touch. Give them a call or write to introduce yourself – just remember, they’ll naturally be thinking, “What does this guy want?” Answer that question with a resounding, “To help you do your job better.”
Although the Internet has changed many ways that PR pros do business, the foundational principals still apply: writers need information to craft their content. Be a friendly and trustworthy source and you’ll be more likely to see their names pop up on your phone when it rings.
We’d love to hear from all those influencers being chased by amorous PR pros or from those marketers who’ve mastered the art of influencer connection. Leave your comments here and we’ll get the discussion started.
Stacey Acevero is the social media community manager of PRWeb. She is all about creative social media marketing ideas as well as building the PRWeb brand. An early adopter of social media, Stacey was news-on-demand project manager and a 4-year veteran of our Vocus media research center before joining our marketing team. She attended the University of Maryland at College Park, majoring in communication.