[Press Release Secret #2] Is your handshake strong?

Today we get tactical. Time to discuss the real stuff you gotta do to bring in those fat paydays we love so very much.   It's all pretty simple.  Definitely not rocket science.   Yet for whatever reason, most small business never get the chance to learn this stuff!   Lucky for you, I'm laying it all out here for free.   There are really only a few rules you need to follow. Once you get them down, you'll be armed to the teeth. Ranking for the big money keywords you might not have believed a "little 'ole SEO" like me or you could rank for.   But we sure can. It's time to play for the big bucks.     ============ Lesson 2: Titles ============     A press release's title will often make or break it, for many reasons.   It's a handshake…    It's your first introduction to a new customer, so it has to be strong! Like bull!   Not weak… Like jellyfish...   Here are some points to keep in mind for press release titles:   1.  The main keyword should preferably be the first word in the title. Otherwise it's harder to rank in Google (this is true for all pages, not just press releases.)   2.  Include your brand name in the title if possible. Here's one of the simplest reputation management tricks in the book. Over time, your releases will start ranking for your brand name and often knock down any negative feedback you don't want there! Brilliant!   3.  The title must be newsworthy.  Otherwise, your press release will likely be rejected by the distributor. Newsworthy titles also happen to get more clicks, so it never hurts!   4. The title cannot be sensational or sound biased. Otherwise, it will again likely be rejected by distributor.   And most important…   5.  The title must be fascinating! Grab the reader by the throat! Otherwise, it won't get many clicks (even if it's ranking in Google.)     So, taking the time to write a GREAT press release title is worth the effort. Because, as we said before, a successful press release is worth its weight in gold.   Actually, I don't think press releases weigh very much but you get the idea.   Of course, writing a news story can be tricky at first. It places some restrictions onto your writing style ... what you can and can't say … but it's easy to figure out pretty quickly.   A great way learn about news headlines (I fully recommend you do this, by the way) is to skim through a newspaper, paying attention to which stories grab your attention and which don't. What's common about the interesting ones?   Here are 3 Tips for Writing a HEART-STOPPING News Headline:   1. Talk about something controversial. Your headline cannot say "Herbalife is a Pyramid Scheme" … that would be an opinion, right? (It also wouldn't be news, because it's not about something recent.) But it CAN say "Herbalife Accused of Being A Pyramid Scheme" ... which is still controversial, sounds more credible and will get a ton clicks when it ranks in Google.   2. Use powerful verbs. I know this sounds kind of weird, and most people try to use adjectives to make things sound interesting. But verbs are actually what makes a sentence exciting. "Stocks Shudder After Fed Meeting" is more startling than "Stocks Sold After Fed Meeting" ... Get it? Thesaurus is your friend!   3. Try to include numbers. For whatever reason, numbers grab people's attention. Always do. People love to hear specific details, like "Cable Companies Fined $2 Million" … so work them into your headlines. Also, they draw the eye if they're written in numeral form. 2 instead of two, etc.   I know improving your titles isn't the MOST exciting thing in the world. But there's nothing that makes a bigger difference, and it costs $0. In SEO, your click through rate (CTR) is everything!   By the way, this headline advice doesn't just apply to press releases. Take a look at every page you're trying to rank and make sure they are all just as exciting. A quick title audit for the pages you have ranking can easily increase your traffic by 10% or more (seriously!)   That adds up to a ton of free business.   To your success,   Bobby MacDonald Co-Founder, Penny Backlinks     P.S. Tomorrow we're gonna talk about something called "Launch Jacking," and specifically how your press release can kick the pants off some of the most competitive affiliate keywords known to man.   Prepare to get nerdy……………...

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