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• Tuesday 6 June 2006 - Looking For Traffic In All The Wrong Places - Part 6

Looking For Traffic In All The Wrong Places - Part 6

Step 4 - Traffic

Extra! Extra! Read All About It! Hot Off The Presses!

Press releases. This is how news is shared across the globe. Press releases are updates, information, news, or announcements about your products, services, or areas of interest. A press release should do at least 1 thing: PROMOTE.

Creating a buzz is only achieved through some level of promotion. Press releases are where you should advertise your blog, in an article format. This is your chance to boast and brag! Tell the world about yourself and about your blog. Put emphasis on the positive which surrounds your blog and focus on inflating the positive facts (don't falsify your press release, but provide hype...create your buzz). You should attempt to be creative and witty when advertising. This means you should entice readers to want to see your blog. Such as: "This blog was voted Blog of The Year by the New York Post." Of course, don't say that...it is just an example. Be truthful and be honest.

A press release should be written in third-person (they, him, her, it, etc.). A press release should be written when you have something to offer the reader, an announcement, or when you have an attention-grabbing press release. When submitting press release you should focus on the release date and schedule the distribution date on the same day and time from each press release submission service you use. Your press release should be appealing, promoting, enticing, advertising, and compelling.

When writing a press release the audience which you are writing for is editors, journalist, and publishers of newspapers, magazines, blogs, and other news media. When writing your press release ask yourself "Why would XYZ Newspaper publish my press release?" In the first paragraph you should include the 5 W's (who?, what?, when?, where?, and why?) and the 'H' (how?).

Most editors look for press releases which are interesting and will entice readers. Most editors look for press releases relevant to their column or publication. Most editors look for press releases which are detailed and informative about the product, service, or area of interest, but the trick is not to make the press release to lengthy (unlike articles). A press release should be 300-700 words. This length is enough to provide valuable information and leave out all the extra fluff.

Your mission for this week is to create a press release and submit the press release to at least 10 press release services. Many press release services are free of charge, but some do require a fee and others do NOT require a contribution fee, but if you contribute then your press release will be distributed over a greater network and your press release will have ranking within the service site. It is your choice to contribute or not. Note: Some sites take you to the contribution page after you have successfully submitted and scheduled your press release for distribution. The contribution page makes it seem like you must purchase the service but in reality your press release is already submitted and waiting. At this point you will just need to back out and go to the member area of the site to see your press release and edit changes, if needed. Otherwise, you will need to contribute to move forward. Let me also, note that contributing is sometimes the best way to promote your press release. Contributions is the same as a bidding war, the highest bid or contribution gets the highest position and exposure.

Think of something creative and catchy to draw a buzz to your blog.

Can you think of anything?

If not then think like this: If you a reader and you are searching an online newspaper or online magazine which revolves around your niche and you seen a headline, what headline will grab your attention and make you click to read more?

What will keep you reading. The first few sentences of your press release should be so compelling that it keeps the attention of the reader. You should have good writing practice by now if you have following the instructions and to-do list of this newsletter.

I can try to help. I can think of one headline for you: New Blog About YOUR NICHE on the Journal Home Domain

New - usually is an indication of fresh content and sometimes peaks the interest of readers. Would you click on an headline that reads: New Blog About YOUR NICHE on the Journal Home Domain or an headline that reads: Blog About YOUR NICHE on the Journal Home Domain

See the difference one word can make?

We can even take it one step further and have the headline read: Exciting New Blog About YOUR NICHE on the Journal Home Domain

Make good use of adjectives when creating headlines and enticing readers. But don't over do it with adjectives or with hype. Provide your readers with substantial information and content. Press releases is where you should tap into your creative writing style. Ask yourself, what will hold your interest?

Okay, so I will let you think about your press release and what to write about. Complete your press release this week and submit it to at least 10 press releasae submission services. Below is a list of press release services. There are niche-related services, it will be your job to become familiar with these. The services listed below are general:

Go here to go through a step-by-step to create your press release: http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/Instant-Press-Release.htm

You should read the terms, conditions, guidelines, and rules of each publication. Do not become discouraged if your press release is rejected, if the publication tells you why it was rejected and the problem can be fixed by a simple change then go ahead and make the change. Otherwise, just move on and forget, but read the site policies before submitting a submission to save you from user-fault rejections.

Daily To-Do List

1½ hours per day

Search for latest news and information about your niche

Bookmark web pages

At least 1-3 blog entries each day

At least 4-7 sentences per entry (50-100 words)

Use keywords from your 25 keyword list when appropriate
Stay Original - blog with your words, your voice, your thoughts, your views, your style, etc.
Find 2 related websites and put their link on your blog (use keyword-oriented anchor text)