The Web's Press Releases paradox
By: Daniel Borel
Search Engines love text, the more the better, they do not really prize images. People do not read anymore, the less the better, they favor images. Leave the fancy writing alone! So what?
On one side, a great number of press releases services ask for articles that count at least several hundred words, meaning several thousand of signs. On the other side, Google Adwords allow ninety-five signs to summarize one's whole purpose.
What is the solution?
Just read press releases, they give you the answer.
First of all, a spectacular title with a maximum of ten words preferably easy-money or instantaneous-success or secrets-for-richness or income-without-work oriented...
Then a compelling first paragraph that depicts a first-class ticket to success with no struggles, no risks, no failures. Just to make the reader go on, dream on.
Finally the bulk of the press release. Frequently the most entertaining part of numerous press releases. The author begins with a speech about himself, his believes - some more words gained with the development of the personal reasons behind these believes - his (preferably famous) colleague's opinion. But this is often not enough to reach the required number if words. This is the time for the fairy tale about Old Uncle Willy who was a baker but nevertheless had real good insight into...
... Do you notice I am doing exactly the thing I am making fun of?
To make a long story short, this is stuffing required by the rules of the press releases game.
Now, try and imagine the challenge of a fine art photography on-line gallery as ours, oneppm.com, playing such a game: we have to promote and make known images with words.
The main reason and the ultimate goal of press releases being to get picked up by Google, Yahoo, MSN and the others to get the maximum of inbound links to one's web site and better a Page Rank that will give as much opportunities to be THE winner as playing the lottery... what an apparently ironic world, isn't it?
Not so sure: that speaks for the faith of the human being in himself, herself, a former spermatozoon that has won.
About The Author:
Daniel Borel is a marketing and communication specialist. He has been studying these fields since 1964 as the manager of Atelier Synerg?tique SA, a Swiss Proficiencies Network which is oriented toward industry, high-tech and B2B services on export markets. That makes him acutely aware of a hard-to-manage happening: simply say "tree" to a Canadian and a Polynesian and compare what they visualize and you understand what marketing commun