How could it be worth millions, you ask? By using one of the top stories as a strategy for an online marketing campaign.

Every day the news is filled with human-interest stories. Stories that people want to follow because of their timeliness, and their impact on society as a whole. Things like:

• * The Olympics
• Space exploration
• Elections
• Seasonal Events
• Hollywood movies and awards ceremonies
• Job loss/cutbacks

And with each of these events is the opportunity to combine your traditional marketing ideas, with your Internet strategy, with the event itself.

As you’re reading the news, choose one article or topic that captures your attention, and use it as a basis for creating an online marketing campaign.

Let’s use the idea of job loss and recent cutbacks as an example. The news is filled with companies that are making cutbacks on staff, and are laying people off by the thousands. If you are a financial advisor, this should be music to your ears.

You can start bringing in significant traffic to your site by writing up a press release and a keyword rich article promoting your solutions and helping people survive while facing a lay off situation.

First, a press release is made to deliver a message to the press. While its important to send it to your local news affiliates, its just as important to send it to online press sources to develop links to your website.

In your press release, use an energetic title that captures attention. Since your goal is to help people survive cutbacks, your title may say something like, “Local Financial Advisor Holds Key To Surviving Layoffs”. Then continue to fill your press release with several paragraphs of detail on what the key is.

The purpose of a great press release is to provide a storyline for a reporter or media source, and give enough support to make the story a credible piece of news for their outlet. The more work you put into the release, the less work will be needed to write the story – and the greater your chance of getting the coverage you’re looking for.

After your release has been written, submit it to top online newswires like PRWeb.com, PR.com, and PRLeap.com. This not only puts you in front of the people who cover the news, but also provides you with a valued link back to your site.

Second, write an article with the same structure as your press release. Using the same information from the above example, your article title may be, “Three Key Ways To Survive A Layoff”.

Like your press release, your article should be filled with helpful information for a person recently experiencing a layoff. The more helpful the article, the better chance of it being used in other news sources.

Also, create a three or five sentence bio, and include information on your business and services. Remember to include a direct link back to your website, and consider offering something for free to motivate people to provide their email address. Free reports and small email classes can provide valuable information and motivate your prospect to invest in your offer.

When you’re comfortable with your article, submit it to article directories such as GoArticles.com or SubmitYourArticle.com for publication. Many publishers of websites, ezines and newsletters use these services regularly to find quality content. In exchange for using your article, they agree to leave your bio intact. As people use your content online, your URL will be linked back to your site, not only providing an opportunity within the published piece itself, but also over time as a permanent link between the sites.

While your first try may take you several hours to complete both writings, you’ll eventually be able to write both quickly. And when you set up a routine for submissions, both will be able to provide you with an incredible online marketing strategy that will take a short amount of time each week.

Within two hours of your morning coffee, you can have two marketing pieces online and working hard for your business. If you do that once every week, you’re connections will rapidly increase. And it will make that morning coffee routine somehow look a little more profitable!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lori Osterberg helps business owners build an online marketing strategy. She consults with owners to show them how to develop a strong Internet presence, and provides many services such as paid search, search optimization, and copywriting for press releases, articles and other online marketing tools. Receive her FREE ezine at http://www.VisionOfSuccess.com and http://www.VisionBusinessConcepts.com