Online press releases are one of the fastest and easiest ways to get your home business in front of your target market.

Often times, when people think of the term “press release,” what comes to mind is important, life-changing news released by a large corporation or government agency. However, according to the World English Dictionary, a press release is simply “an official announcement or account of a news item distributed to the press.”

What does that mean for the home business entrepreneur?

You have a powerful tool for generating publicity and getting noticed, right at your fingertips.

Why online press releases?

In the past, news was published in print, on television, and on the radio. In recent years, however, the Internet has completely changed the way that people and organizations get the word out.

The average consumer now expects to receive their news immediately, especially online, so when you post a press release about your home business on the web, you might see a huge influx of traffic to your business in a matter of hours and minutes. instead of weeks and days it used to take.

Here’s why it works.

Many of the press release sites are considered major authority sites by search engines, so if you optimize your report correctly as explained in this article, your news will appear higher in the search results for the terms that interest your prospective customer.

Also, the fact that they are identified as authority sites means the links from press release sites to his website are given more weight. So, from a search engine perspective, you are more of an authority and your website ranking increases, making it easier for your target audience to find you online.

Also, because of the relevance associated with press release sites, your perceived authority in the minds of your readers is multiplied. So you have an avenue by which you can educate the consumer about your home business, build a relationship, and form a real connection.

But what would you write a press release about?

As noted above, a press release doesn’t have to be about a momentous event (although big news can quickly attract a lot of attention, as you’ll see below). Here are 10 ideas you can use to get free publicity using the power of the press:

1. Announce the opening of your business. If you’ve been in business for a while and have never written a press release about it, write an article announcing your mission statement. tell the world who are you and what do you have to offer.

2. Advertise a new product or service that you are launching. Share the benefits your customer can wait, and tell them how to do business with you.

3. Advertise your teleseminars and webinars. A press release is a fantastic vehicle for engaging attendees, so always include enough information to ensure you’re attracting attendees. good audience.

4. Reveal a special sale or any special offers you have. Tell your potential client exactly why they should go out of their way to search for you.

5. Do you remember that important news? Link big news to something happening at your company. As an example, about two weeks before the time of writing this article, Prince William announced his engagement to Kate Middleton. The Franklin Mint then announced the production of a limited edition Kate Middleton portrait doll.

6. Start a Meetup group for business owners in your area and promote it with a press release. You can announce the establishment of the group itself and send a press release before each event. In this way, you increase your membership. and increased attendance at meetings.

7. Post a story when you launch your website and each Time to make a major change. Be sure to include an incentive for the reader to visit your site.

8. Create a press release when hiring support staff. This is an implied statement that your home business is growing rapidly and your prospects need to do business with you. nowwhile they can still work with you personally.

9. Organize a charity event and tell the world about it through a press release. One of the best ways to implement this idea is to offer a product for sale and donate 100% of the proceeds to the charity of your choice. This is especially effective if the product for sale is a Product Information because it minimizes its cost. Don’t have an information product? Schedule an interview with a well-known figure in your market (let them know it’s for charity), record the interview, and sell the mp3 download.

10. Start a contest and write a story to announce it. Include enough information so that the reader can clearly understand the rules and benefits. Contests are fantastic tools for building your prospect list.

So what goes in a press release anyway?

One of the keys to success with online press releases is writing your story so that it will be found when people search for what you offer.

To do this, spend several minutes brainstorming and typing in specific words and phrases that your ideal prospect is likely to type into the search box when they search for the solution you provide. Next, use a keyword research tool, such as the Google External Keyword Tool, to identify the most popular search terms in your market.

Select 4-5 of the most popular terms. One of these will be your main keyword, and the rest will serve as supporting, or secondary, keywords. These are the words you will focus on when writing your press release for your home business.

Now that you know your keywords, let’s see what to put in the press release.

1. Qualification. A good press release title is short, starts with your main keyword, and grabs the reader’s attention right away. Use action words and power words like results, secret, risky, revealed, and announce. Remember that the goal is to motivate the audience to want to read more

2. Summary. The summary consists of one or two sentences that describe what your story is about and should include 3-5 secondary keywords. The abstract should entice the potential reader to read the entire article. It’s also a good idea to put a link to your website in the summary of a press release so the reader can visit your site immediately if they want to.

3. date line. The date line should include the date and a clear, concise statement of the news. When someone reads the date line, he should have an immediate understanding of what it is reporting.

4. hand bodysuit. The body of your press release should be between 300 and 800 words, written from the neutral point of view and in the third person. You must answer the 5 W’s: who, what, where, when and why. The body of the text should focus on a single news item and should not be written as an advertisement. Instead, tell the reader what’s going on and why they should care. Be sure to include 1-3 links to your website in the body of your press release. At least one of the links must use your main keyword as the anchor text (the visible text that the hyperlink can be clicked on) and at least one of the links must use the actual address of your website as the anchor text. anchorage. Take the time to make sure that one of your keywords is in every paragraph of your press release.

5. about/repetitive. Give your press release reader a high-level look at your home business. Tell them about any special certifications, awards, and honors you’ve received. Convey your unique selling proposition. Then put a call to action, with a direct link to your website, as the last line.

6. contact information. Provide your name, company name, phone number, and your company’s website address so readers and members of the media can easily contact you. Do not use a personal email address.

So I just write a press release and people start calling?

Well, no.

After writing your press release, you must submit it to online distribution services. These services share your news articles with various websites so that your content is published all over the web, increasing your exposure and the likelihood that your target audience will connect with you and learn about your home business.

While there are some paid services, there are also several that allow you to distribute your news at no cost.