Did you know that about 78% of people use the internet to conduct product research? It’s no secret that great online marketing and promotion is becoming more and more integral to the success businesses experience. If you are searching for ways to give your website or business a boost, you might have come across the option for free press release submissions. Before hitting the “enter” button to submit your site, there are several things you should know about this growing industry.
1. Not all Sites are the Best Free Press Release Sites
The ultimate point of a press release is to either have it read by consumers, or act as a positive link for Google rankings. If your press release accomplishes neither of these things, then it is essentially a dead end. Among the multiple sites that promise to do this online, only a small percentage actually follow through. A study by Vitis Public Relations found that, of the 60 free press release submission sites they studied, less than 10 managed to make it to Google web pages or news. Successful sites included Online PR News, Open PR, PR Zoom, and PR Fire.
2. Just Because it’s Free, Doesn’t Mean it’s a Deal
Did you read the above paragraph, realize some of the sites you want to use aren’t listed, and decided it was worth it to try anyway since the service is free? Keep your fingers off the keyboard for just a second. The truth is, these websites can actually hurt you if they cause Google to suspect you of engaging in deceptive practices. Although Google expects syndication, they often interpret blind copy pasting across the web as an effort to fool their algorithm. This is especially likely when your links end up on low relevance pages filled with ads, as is likely with less reputable link submit websites. Avoid getting put in the Google time out, and do things right the first time.
3. The Benefits of Free Press Release Submission Sites
If you do it right, though, there can be benefit to your website. Links that end up on pages with relevancy to your industry or products will lead Google to reward your website with a higher ranking. Want to help your release perform even better? Consider creating a video press release instead of just text. Did you know that an incredible 50% of consumers end up taking further action after watching online news videos? Keep the videos short. Most people finish watching a 30 second film, but only half will stay for two minutes.