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A Press Release is basically release of a news item by a company that is a part of the news itself. It has become the formal form of Marketing Communications. Whether your release is announcing an event, company, or a product it is imperative that it is effective and detailed. Often people leave out important information and miss out on great opportunities.

A press release is written to have an edge over the journalists tending to seek news on their own. Traditionally, the press release was disseminated in printed form and sent to the media by mail or fax.  But the new century of online Press Release is a watertight way to correspond with the virtual world. It effectively contributes to your website marketing. The news generation also indicates that the site is being updated constantly.

Despite being one of the most beneficial tools, an Online Press Release is one of the mail tools use in SEO. It is valuable because even though the press release documents are submitted at any one location, they are deemed for publication in millions of other locations.  

Online press releases are created for Web distribution rather than for any print media. They often are written to publicize websites or online services. Online press releases are written in the same general format as a print press release, but they usually contain links back to the site that is being promoted.

The overall format of an online press release is a one-page document of about 400 words. Anything written for online consumption is best kept short and to the point to keep the interest of the online audience. Remember that people are searching for condensed information. Every word of an online press release must count.

Start with a paragraph about how the site/service/product is relevant. This is the newsworthy aspect that will bring in readers and interest news outlets. If the item being promoted can be tied in any way to a major, ongoing news story there is a better chance of the release getting noticed. If not, try to tie it into any major problem or concern that has been in the news over the past year. For example, a product that is good for the health can be tied into medical stories.

After leading with the newsworthy element, go into more detail about the actual thing being promoted. Create at least two links to the site. These serve as both backlinks to boost the site's page rank and as a way for potential customers to find the site quickly.  

Using SEO techniques is just as important with online press releases as it is with web content articles. To find the best keywords to use, check with one of the many keyword tools available online. A well-written press release can get high-quality publicity from thousands of websites. If the information in the release is newsworthy and optimized, it will be of great interest to media outlets and will be easy to find for anyone who is seeking that information.

Above all, a press release is not a sales brochure. It is means to be a somber news worthy event that is about to be told to the world and hence should be treated as one. This involves the following steps:

• Developing Quality Content
• Appropriate placement of title tags
• Optimized Layout
• Authentic news
• SEO + PR keyword optimization
• Press Release Composition
• Press Release Optimization
• Writing an effective press release  

Always have contact information for media personnel. Include the name, phone number and email of your contact where media inquiries can be directed.

Always have a captivating headline to grab readers.

Remember to include the date of when the information is to be released. Dates should be listed as such: June 14, 2009.

You must include the location of where the news is taking place. Usually big cities do not need to have state name listed. If in New York City this line should read: June 14, 2009 – Washington D.C.