I’ve already shown you how press releases can help in search engine optimization in my last article “How To Increase Your Page Rank In No Time“. But the truth is that a weak press release won’t get you anywhere. In order to get the most out of your online press release, you have to make sure it’s written effectively.

Do You Really Have Something To Say?

One of the main reasons why some press releases don’t work is because they don’t have anything important to say. Remember that a press release is a mix of article and advertisement- it should kindle consumer interest without sounding overtly promotional. Maybe the sleek new design of your website is exciting to you, but is it what other people want to read about? Will it ultimately drive traffic your way?

Here are some questions you should ask yourself when writing your press release:

1. Is my excitement worth a press release? Some things that you can definitely issue press releases for are product launches, poll/survey results, newsletter launches, seminars, classes, books, awards or high profile endorsements
2. Is it strong? A press release has to be written in a clear, strong manner particularly the opening. Ideally, people should grasp the gist of your press release from the headline and opening paragraphs. They should also be sufficiently interested to read on.
3. Is it newsworthy? Remember that you are sending these out to media outlets so your press release has to answer the five ‘W’s of journalism- who, what, when, where and why
4. Is it focused? A press release is not a 300 page essay- in fact, it shouldn’t run for more than one page. Make sure that your content is crystal-clear and to the point.

Content Is Key

It’s rather obvious that the content is the most important part of your online press release. A weakly-written press release will make zero impact on your website traffic. Similarly, a press release on something nobody is interested in won’t help you either. Many people spend days perfecting their online press release before they send it into cyberspace. Others shell out big bucks to hire press release services to do the writing for them.

If you’d rather write your own press release, you’re already at an advantage. You’ll be able to write truly original and unique content which will set your release apart. Remember to use the right keywords. Keywords are as important in a press release as in articles or website content. Make sure you use them coherently and don’t crowd them in one area. Using them twice in the body of the article and once in the opening line should be enough. Make sure that your headline is striking and grabs attention. It’s also a good idea to use anchor text in your press release.

Popularity: 93% [?]

There are product launches happening all the time on the internet. But how would this benefit you when you don’t have a product or a website? Let me show you how.

People are looking for digital products all the time in the form of ebooks and software every single day. Naturally, marketers are smart enough to see their opportunity to earn a huge income making these products available and developing new ones on an ongoing basis. Added to this, the product is launched in a big way. Marketers don’t wait for the product to win on its own merit. They promote a new product even before it launches.

If the marketer is well established, and enjoys a good reputation in the market, it is possible to have the product sold out even before its launch. People associated with the marketer like joint venture partners, affiliates, etc. go all out to promote it, getting richer in the process. Here’s how you too can profit from someone else’s product launch.

Each time a product is launched, which is about 5-6 times a month you can promote it in a few easy ways and enjoy the results. You need to move quickly when you spot the opportunity. This brings us to the first step - finding the product launch. You can find this through popular JV networks and other sites where marketers announce their launch. You can use Google to find them. Where necessary you can sign up for a membership without paying anything.

Internet marketing product launches are usually announced at least a month before the actual launch so you must act soon. The moment you spot an announcement for a launch, sign up as an affiliate. Hopefully you have a ClickBank account - if not sign up for one right now. An account with PayPal, Paydotcom etc. also helps so that it enables you to take part in as many launches as possible.

Keep a track of the launches. After you sign up as an affiliate, you’ll be ready to grab your share of the profits through your commission.

Here’s a tip - you can cash in on the high amounts of traffic that the website launching the product will receive on launch day. Lots of people type the domain name of the website directly into their browser and go to the site. Now that you know this, how do you use the information? Here’s the trick. The fact is, a lot of people tend to type in variations of the website URL. What you need to do is register these domain names with the most obvious variations and direct them to your affiliate link for the product being launched. This converts to easy commissions on the day of the launch.

Popularity: 29% [?]

Linkbaiting is not a new concept. In fact, people have been using it for years to generate one-way links to their websites. Only the term is new, if at all. So, if you’re thinking of driving massive amounts of traffic towards you, better get your linkbaiting arsenal well oiled. Here’s what you can do:

Create great content: By great content, I don’t mean content you get from Private Label Articles. Take a look at some of the top websites for competitive terms on Google, and notice their content on all the pages, not just the index page. Some of the pages simply make your jaw drop. When you are writing to Linkbait, your content is not just some words to fill up a page. The average reader must get something valuable out of your content. Doesn’t matter if they don’t buy or opt-in to your list. Create expert quality content that is interesting, easy and informative.

Rake up a Controversy: Nothing sells better than controversy. Say it with vigor and stir up some heat. Put up controversial video, audio or interviews. You’ll be surprised by the amount of people who come to visit you by way of hate mail, fan mail, curiosity and just to have some fun. And don’t go by what some people say about controversies damaging your credibility. Look at Howard Stern, he’s making a living out of it!

Do a case study: If you can’t kick up some heat, do the next best thing: do a case study of a controversial product or a new product. Conduct some research in your niche and find out what you can effectively ’study’ to rake up enough embers.

Hold a competition: Nothing catches eyeballs faster than a good-sized competition with something juicy at the winner’s post. That is why many websites have end-of-the-year competitions or hold competitions just after a launch. If your competition is popular, you’ll easily be featured on search engines because people are talking about you and linking to you. The competition you hold does not really have to be about your niche or product. Even a fun competition that touches a raw nerve will do the trick, like a prediction poll on the winner of the next American Idol.

These are some of the ways you can bait people to click on your links. However, let’s be realistic here. Each one of your linkbaiting attempts need not hit pay dirt. The trick is to keep trying.

A number of websites help you spread the word about your kickass linkbait piece, so people will find you easily. Seek out sites that are created for your niche and start posting.

Of course, the best thing about Web 2.0 tools is that you really don’t have to do all the hard work. Figure out what you need to do and automation will take care of the rest.

Easier said than done. Zeroing in on the right resources requires a lot of research. You may have to make mistakes and start all over again, which is painful and time consuming, to say the least.

Popularity: 19% [?]

Lets define niche marketing first. A niche market is a segment of the market where you can group people with similar needs. Now, it makes more sense to sell to fifty people who want your stuff instead of 10000 people about whom you have no idea at all, doesn’t it? Here’s an example - you might be offering a variety of stationery items especially for scrap booking. So you would try to understand how scrap bookers (your niche market) tick and work out a strategy that would appeal to them and get them to buy from you, right? Right! By identifying your niche market, you ensure that your visitors convert into sales - and money!

That said the most important thing is to actually find the RIGHT niche market. After that, the rest is easy. When you select your niche carefully, you will be laying the foundation for a steady and stable business that will thrive. So find those buyers, give them precisely what they want and get assured profits. But suppose you choose the WRONG niche market? Here are three critical mistakes to avoid - so that you are never left wondering why you are not making any money.

Mistake 1: Niche market not big enough

Your niche market must be big enough to produce enough sales. If only a hundred or so people are interested in your product - no point making the effort.

Mistake 2: Niche market too big

If your niche market is too big, then the competition will also be intense. Can you keep up with them? Will you spend more on promotion than the sales? You will need to pick a niche market that is neither too big or too small.

Mistake 3: Niche market Out of reach

In online marketing, your niche market must be within easy reach. Suppose your niche market is not online; then to whom will you send your emails, ezines, newsletters, etc.? So make sure your niche market can be reached.

But it does not end with just understanding who comprises your niche market. You must also figure out

• How to find them,
• Know their browsing behavior,
• Find forums dedicated to them,
• Know the kind of information they look for,
• The words they use, etc.

Popularity: 10% [?]