SEO Tips for Better B2B Digital PR Campaign Results

Have you been writing press releases for your B2B clients, but they aren’t actually delivering results? If you need help understanding search engine optimisation for PR to improve your overall digital PR strategy, you’re in the right place. 

Stop wasting valuable time on B2B PR campaigns that aren’t optimised for today’s world of ‘digital-first’ PR. Start using essential SEO best practices to get your content and website to be seen by the right people.

What’s ‘digital-first’ PR?

Unless you’ve been hiding in remote woodlands for the last decade, you know how much of our lives are now spent online and on smart phones. Unlike traditional media, digital-first PR focuses on producing content primarily for online channels. 

Your digital PR strategy should encourage your audience to share and engage with your content, spreading the word. By also considering SEO, you get the best chance of seeing great results from your B2B PR campaign.

Improve on-page SEO for B2B PR campaigns

You need to be writing articles or press releases suitable for both Google and the audience so it’s more likely to reach the right eyeballs. Here’s how to drive organic traffic to your (or your client’s) website with these simple steps. 

Title and sub-headers 

Your press release title (H1) should include keywords relevant to the actual focus of your news update. Don’t try to be ‘clever’ with a witty or cryptic headline – if the editor is not SEO mindful and uses it as it is, your target audience will likely not find your release and search engines will take longer to rank it.  Save the puns for the body text (or kill them altogether). 

Does your press release have a geographical focus or insights from an industry expert? Clearly include these details in your H1 (don’t use vague terms like ‘industry veteran’).

For your sub-headers (H2 and so on) also include keywords and similar variations. Make the press release structure clear through your use of headers, so people can scan the article and get to the part they are interested in. 

The main body of the press release 

Are you writing to keep scan-readers happy? People have short attention spans, so the quicker you get to the point, the better. Don’t bury your important message in the final paragraph… not many people will read the whole thing.

Use a mix of sentence lengths, but always keep them as short as possible. Do the same with paragraphs so readers aren’t overwhelmed with a big block of text. 

Be careful about using jargon or abbreviations your audience won’t understand – does it all make sense to people other than you? If you’re unsure, err on the side of caution by using a simplified version. 

Use a mix of keywords throughout the article instead of repeating the same exact phrase in every sentence. Google knows when you’re ‘keyword stuffing’, and they don’t like it! 

Optimising other media formats when using them in your digital PR campaign

Are you sharing videos, images, or supporting links when distributing your press release? The way you format the file names and anchor text impacts SEO (and accessibility). 

Before attaching that photo of the newly hired exec, have you named the file something relevant instead of ‘pic 12589xyz.jpg’? Ideally, you want to include your keyword (even if it’s the exec’s name) and company/brand name, which boosts SEO, gives information when the press release is shared, and helps your image appear in Google Image searches. 

Is your media compressed? Load times are longer for large image or video files, and anyone with a weak Wi-Fi service won’t see them. People won’t wait – they’ll go elsewhere or keep scrolling. Use free media compressor tools to avoid this happening. 

The importance of “Notes to the editor” section

Do you still have a ‘notes to the editor’ section in your press release? When was the last time it was updated to make sure it’s accurate? Do you copy and paste the same generic paragraph about your company, or do you update it so it’s actually useful for the editor to whom you are pitching your press release? 

And, of course, make sure you keep your notes to the editor optimised with – 

• relevant keywords for SEO 
• further resources and references
• context to explain why you’re covering this topic, sector, or person.

If you’re not adding anything of value in this section, you’re wasting the editor’s time. 

Digital PR Campaign Brief Template

Soon, you’ll be optimising press releases for SEO in your sleep… but if you need more help, download the free digital PR campaign brief template from BrandHouzz. It’s an actionable guide to making your PR more effective for SEO. 

Do you need help with your digital marketing or PR? Get in touch to have a chat about how BrandHouzz can turn your online audience into customers.