Writing a press release is one thing, but writing optimized press releases is a skill that puts you miles ahead of all the rest. It's a bit like web pages in a way. A web page created without structure may perform satisfactorily, but once it has been properly optimized it is much more likely to outperform all the rest. Your press releases can be turned into optimized press releases in much the same way.

In this article we will compare ordinary press releases and optimized press releases to see which elements are most important and require the most attention, which elements need to complement the most important elements, and which elements still need to be present, but don't require as much close attention.

Companies or organizations that send out press releases are often disappointed with the results. Usually they don't know why and conclude that press releases don't work very well. Nothing could be further from the truth, for properly optimized press releases are still one of the most effective promotional devices that anyone can use.

As in any promotional information, try to provide benefits for the reader. It's all too easy to write about your company in glowing terms, but remember that the reader will probably not have the same enthusiasm. If, on the other hand, you can tell the reader how they stand to gain, their interest in the information will be considerably increased.

Optimized press releases start with a stunning headline. It needs to draw the reader in, and that includes the news editor who first looks at it. If he or she is not impressed, then it may not pass the first hurdle and make it into the publication and no one will ever read it.

A good headline is one that stops the reader and makes him or her want to read on. It has to be newsworthy, but at the same time compelling and interesting. The press releases that say, "Our company has a new product" are boring and of little interest to anyone. However, a headline for say, a weight loss product, for example, that says something like, "Which bikini will you wear this summer?" will appeal to women who want to lose weight and look good on the beach.

After the headline comes the introduction. This is usually the first paragraph. It needs to establish the situation and answer the who, the why, the what, the where and the when of the piece. This is where you lay it all out, but in an interesting and compelling way to draw the reader in further. If the headline and the introduction do their job well, the reader is much more likely to read on into the rest of the body.

The structure of optimized press releases is a kind of pyramid where the peak is the headline, followed by the introduction that expands a little on the message of the headline. Next is the body where the information is expanded on fully to provide the whole story. Not everyone will read through to the end of the body, so the headline and introduction need to almost stand alone and provide an adequate amount of information.

Writing optimized press releases is not difficult if you follow a proven procedure. Remember, the reader wants to be entertained with something that will hold his or her interest. Give it to them and discover that there's no mystery to writing optimized press releases.