Online press release distribution has not lost its power to create buzz and brand awareness. In fact, in speaking with many business professionals who have used our distribution partner's press release services, we've been told:
* Their press releases were picked up by 40+ online sites and media news stations.
* Their press release placement brought additional credibility to the launch of their new books, products and services.
* They started to dominate the search engines – and "own" their keywords as search engines love optimized press releases
* They doubled and tripled their website traffic
* Multiple reporters and media professionals contacted them for additional interviews and media opportunities that give them more exposure.
* Their website now ranks higher on Google - because online press release distribution is a powerful link building too.
Here's an additional benefit of online press release distribution that no one else is talking about...Online press release distribution will help you with your overall LinkedIn marketing efforts.
6 Ways Online Press Release Distribution Can Help You With Your LinkedIn Marketing Efforts
1) The press release generated publicity can provide you with instant credibility with your LinkedIn profile visitors.
For example my client Sara LaForest's headline reads like this: "Top Management Consultant Featured in Business Week, Fast Company & WomenEntrepreneur.com – Connect and Find Out Why". This shows readers immediately why they should trust her and why they should trust what she has to say.
Here are some of the other ways you can highlight your publicity on your LinkedIn profile:
* Create a quoted media positions
* Showcase your media mentions within your summary
* Add the publications section to your LinkedIn profile
* Create a media kit on your LinkedIn profile using Box.net
2) Showcasing your press release generated publicity will prove to journalists that you are media worthy.
On LinkedIn you should be looking to connect with journalists, editors, online radio show hosts and other media professionals. Now for those media professionals to accept your invitation, you have to prove you are credible and newsworthy. When your press release is published by a top publication, you have completed half the battle because you have given yourself expert status. Now, you just have to build a relationship with the media professionals you connect with and show them that your information is relevant to their audience.
3) Use press releases to promote your LinkedIn group and community.
We recently created and distributed a press release that promoted Skip Weisman's Workplace Communication Strategies group – and it was published on CNBC.com. This helped him:
* Increase his LinkedIn group membership by making more people aware of his group.
* Give him a reason to re-announce his group again to his email list as well as any LinkedIn connection that were not already members of his group. Any time you have a success, you should be letting your connections know.
* Give new connections a reason to join his LinkedIn group when we sent out group invites.
4) Your press release placements can position you as a thought leader in your LinkedIn group – and those other groups you belong to.
I like to create discussions around a topic and link the discussion to a press release or article I've written that gives more information on the topic and is featured on a top website. This automatically gives me a third party endorsement which offers more credibility than if the information was just placed on my own website or blog.
5) Use your press release placement as a springboard for discussions.
For example, I distributed a press release titled "More Journalist on LinkedIn Than Any Other Social Network, Study Shows". I then created this discussion within LinkedIn group: "How are you using LinkedIn to get you more publicity?
In the LinkedIn discussion summary I put "In the press release below, I reveal that 82% of journalist are on LinkedIn and that is more than any other social network. So now I am asking you, how are using LinkedIn to build and maintain relationships with media professionals to get you more publicity?"
I then linked the discussion to my press release on Yahoo News.
This helped me:
* Get more exposure for my press release
* Create a discussion among publicity professionals as they provided their insights. I then responded to their feedback with other ideas and explained to them how I can help them with their LinkedIn publicity efforts
* Start a discussion among small business owners and other business professionals who wanted to learn how to get more publicity by using LinkedIn
6) Getting published or featured all over the Web on top websites and blogs will give you access to more people who will want to connect with you on LinkedIn.
You will have people coming to you seeking your advice. They will see your press release and then look you up on LinkedIn wanting to connect with you. For example, as I was writing this article, I received an invitation to connect that said, "Hi Kristina, I just read your tips in Canadian Advisor's Edge Magazine – I'd like to connect with you and learn more."
Your Next Steps
Now that I have shown you how online press release distribution can help you with your LinkedIn marketing efforts, it's time you take action and start writing your press releases. If you need help, check our my Instant Press Release Templates at 40InstantPressReleaseTemplates.com
