How to Generate Sales Leads with Press Release Optimization

Learn how to generate sales on B2C sites and how to generate sales leads on B2B sites with a press release optimization workshop or webinar.

Greg Jarboe and Jamie O’Donnell teach press release optimization in-person workshops and webinars for a variety of organizations, including: AOL, CBS Sports, Consumer Reports, Burson-Marsteller, Business Wire, Cohn & Wolfe, CNET, Eastwick Communications, Harlequin, Horn Group, HP, Patrice Tanaka & Company, PRWeb, Southwest Airlines, Symmetricom, Thomson Reuters, Verizon SuperPages, the University of Pennsylvania and Zebra Technologies.

Five Fundamental Steps of Press Release Optimization Process

The workshops and webinars cover the five fundamental steps of press release optimization process:

1. Conducting keyword research to find two to three relevant search terms the target audience is likely to use
2. Making sure the release actually includes these terms – particularly in the headline and first few sentences
3. Adding links intended to help people find interesting, related content, when applicable
4. Using a press release distribution service indexed by Yahoo! News, Bing and Google News
5. Measuring the results of the campaign in PR outputs and, when possible, in business outcomes

The first four steps are very similar for both B2B and B2C sites. But measuring the business outcomes created by press release optimization campaigns is significantly different because B2B and B2C marketers have different objectives. The goal of B2C marketers is to sell products, services or content directly online, while the goal of B2B marketers is to generate leads that another channel will close as sales.

How to Generate Sales on B2C Sites

When adding links to optimized press releases, link to interesting, related content deep on B2C sites. Don’t just add links from the releases to the home page, consider using unique tracking links.

SEO-PR and Southwest Airlines added unique tracking links to a series of optimized press releases, which took people to unique landing pages that offered a complete list of introductory fares to new destinations. This enabled Southwest Airlines to track more than $2.5 million in ticket sales back to their optimized press releases. For more details, read the Southwest Airlines case study, which won the 2005 Golden Ruler Award from the Institute for Public Relations and PR News.

How to Generate Sales Leads on B2B Sites

For B2B sites, it’s worth creating a new landing page that asks visitors to fill out a form to get access to additional information. This tactic enabled Symmetricom to turn website visitors into qualified leads.

Symmetricom used this technique to track eight inquiries back to an optimized press release. That might not sound like a big number, but one of these enquiries was for 10,000 chip scale atomic clocks, which cost about $20,000 a unit. In other words, that one inquiry was potentially worth $200 million.

Press Release Optimization Takes Hours to Learn and Semesters to Master

While press release optimization takes only a couple of hours to learn, it can take a few semesters to master. That’s because it involves a lot more than a couple of simple tricks. Ask yourself this question: How long did it take you to learn to become really adept at search engine optimization or public relations? This emerging new field can take just as long to master.

It is definitely worth the time and effort. Once you become really adept, you will be able to generate more than PR outputs like press coverage and blog mentions. You will also be able to generate website traffic, qualified leads, and online sales. That will make press release optimization – and you – a much more valuable part of the marketing mix.