If you've decided to do online press releases as part of your company's search engine marketing program, the next logical question is -
What should we write about? For the most part, stick to topics of material interest to customers and stakeholders. Avoid topics that are gossipy or geared mainly to employees. Here are some topic ideas.
- Introduce a new product.
- Introduce a new version of a product, if the upgrades are significant.
- Introduce a new service.
- Introduce a service upgrade, if it is significant.
- Introduce a cause marketing program.
- Announce C-level promotions and reorganizations.
- Announce mergers, strategic alliances, and corporate restructuring.
- Announce territorial expansions.
- Announce corporate earnings.
- Announce acquisitions of companies, product lines.
- Announce awards, certifications, and honors, if they are significant.
- Announce a scientific breakthrough.
- Announce a breakthrough business model.
- Analyze industry news, events, reports, and trends.
- Report on a survey or internal study.
- Report on executives being quoted in major publications or featured as speakers at major events.
- Respond to or preempt negative news, such as a plant closing, layoffs, and product failures.
If you think you have news but it doesn't fit into any of these categories, you might have a story if your news is about something that is -
- Newest.
- Biggest
- Best.
- Fastest.
- First.
- Strongest.
- Simplest.
- Lowest cost.
- Easiest to use.
- Most sophisticated.
- Precedent setting.
- Revolutionary.
- ... or, Free.
Choose your topics with care. Spewing out tons of trivial press releases may boost your search profile in the short run, but in the long run, the practice taints your image with customers and stakeholders, who will come to perceive your company as a shallow, shameless self-promoter.
The good news is, almost every company has news - employees simply don't stop to think about it. But do stop and think. A steady stream of meaningful press releases conveys the message that your company is productive and vibrant. Customers and stakeholders like that, and so do search engines.
