Link Building with PRweb press releases

[nbeske]

Im looking for tips or best practices when sending out PR for link building.

I send out at least 4 press releases per month using prweb’s advanced release which allows anchor text. For the past few months I’ve been rotating branded terms, exact match keywords and full URL’s as the links, but always linking to my home page or to one particular subpage. Most of the releases are to announce upcoming projects or to announce a recent website launch for a client, less often we’re highlighting a service or special we want to promote.

Im wondering if I should be linking to more sub pages to spread links around, and if I should be focusing more on branded terms vs. exact match anchors. Due to the cost involved I just want to be sure im getting the most out of it.

[xtopher66]

[Response removed by forum moderator.]

[RobertFisher]

This is always the issue with "We need you to prepay because... blah blah blah." The real reason is, if we did it month to month, it would kill the model.

I think the problem will be that slowly it has no real value. How slowly,who knows, I have never been able to justify the cost for the PR services. I have gotten a lot of emails from them telling me they disagree with me though.

Best

[sweetfancymoses]

For one client whose work is generating some interesting potential headlines (business technology for the financial sector), I'm starting to experiment with PressKing.com.  It's a distribution wire that's roughly like DM'ing an unusually large, influential Google+ circle.  It's too early to call it a success, but here's why I think it's important to use in tandem with any PR:

1. Their database includes journalists and bloggers who've consented to receiving fresh news on an overwhelming list of topics. Client wants to publicize a new patent for mobile checking?  Want to get your PR in front of 2000+ US-based columnists who've expressed interest in "ATMs", "Business Technology", or "Digital Imaging"?  (It seems like a good idea, no?)  You can do that with PressKing, and the contacts span from high-DA sites like NYTimes, Bloomberg, and WSJ to niche news sites and industry quarterlies.
2. If you're already using OSE to identify where related sites receive links from, and you know your client's low-hanging fruit (i.e. sites that link to multiple competitors but not to your client's site), it could be an excellent idea to add contact email addresses from those sites to the distribution list.  Would it be more effective to reach out directly to individual journalists with a personalized note?  Probably – but if you don't have the time, I think there's a way to do this respectfully, and successfully.

The technical considerations of which keywords to use, what anchor text, to which pages, I think are old-world considerations that obscure the real issue.  The real issue is how to get links to your latest and greatest content while it's still fresh, and "fresh" is powerful bait for many journalists seeking word counts to occupy an otherwise slow news day.  I hope this helps!

[KristopherWho]

Wait, PR Web is sending some really nice links your way.

[KristopherWho]

I am no expert, in fact I probably should not be giving advice, but here are my 2 cents. With the recent  Penguin updates it seems that we now need to blend exact match anchor text with branded keywords. Make sure you diversify your back links, try to keep it natural.

[nbeske]

Great ideas, thank you! The reason I've been sending them as one-offs is to keep the flow steady and add these types of links each month, but I really like your ideas about promoting great content. Easier said than done of course...

[nbeske]

It's working OK, but it's hard to justify the cost. My goal was not to get the attention of the press, although I have on rare occasions, it was to get the releases picked up by authority domains for some decent links. It's certainly a case of diminishing returns since it seems to be the same sites that pick up the releases each month. I prepaid for a year with PRweb so im trying to get the most out it.

[EGOL]

Most of the releases are to announce upcoming projects or to announce a recent website launch for a client, less often we’re highlighting a service or special we want to promote.

These topics are ephemeral rather than evergreen.

Just saying what I would do.....

I would announce client sites in batches - one batch of several clients every couple of months.

I would make three or four great pieces of content that are best-on-the-web in your niche each month (posted on your own site) and send one press release to PRweb that announces all of them.  People might say WOW... if anybody still reads PRWeb releases.

I think that this would focus your efforts on building great equity in your website and minimize your investment in topics of temporary interest and using PRWeb - which IMO is a low value service.  Maybe share your release with a couple of bloggers in your niche.

[RobertFisher]

Nick,

Wow, by paying extra you get to use anchor text! OK, sorry, had to do that...

To say I have an opinion on these is an understatement. First, it sounds as if you are using them as more of an actual release which is good. Most companies use them as web trash and news rehash with a company or firm name repeated: XYZ announces inside toilets used more often than outhouses in US!!

My question would be, how is it working for you? Are you getting links back and are they of value? If so, where do you need/want them and make sure you are watching for questionable ones, keeping anchor text varied, etc.

Rand did a nice piece on Link earning versus link building that I went back and reread that speaks to more "meritorious" (for lack of a better term) link gathering. I think over time we will see this type of link building diminish. As someone who understands PR, I can tell you that the "press" does not see this type of thing due to there being so much of it. So, to call it a press release is overstating it at best. These are link building tools for the web.

I think with Penguin and all the other animals, slowly these will lose value.

Good to see someone at least using it like a real press release about their company,

Best