Improve Online Marketing with SEO & Digital PR 10/29/08 Lee Odden TopRank Marketing .com

Lee Odden - CEO, TopRankMarketing.com TopRank is an industry leader in strategic digital marketing and PR consulting, training and implementation for NWA, McKesson, BizFilings Publishes Online Marketing Blog (toprankblog.com), a Technorati 100 and AdAge Power150 top ranked blog on digital PR, search and social media marketing. Speaks at PRSA, DMA, Search Engine Strategies and OMMA Global conferences on PR and search marketing. Frequently cited in books, industry publications and media.

Lee Odden - CEO, TopRankMarketing.com

TopRank is an industry leader in strategic digital marketing and PR consulting, training and implementation for NWA, McKesson, BizFilings

Publishes Online Marketing Blog (toprankblog.com), a Technorati 100 and AdAge Power150 top ranked blog on digital PR, search and social media marketing.

Speaks at PRSA, DMA, Search Engine Strategies and OMMA Global conferences on PR and search marketing.

Frequently cited in books, industry publications and media.

Public Relations SEO Digital PR

Google 71% Yahoo 18.06% MSN 5.36% Ask 3.63% Source: Hitwise via MarketingCharts.com - http://tinyurl.com/5ou9er Fish Where the Fish Are

Google 71%

Yahoo 18.06%

MSN 5.36%

Ask 3.63%

Source: Hitwise via MarketingCharts.com - http://tinyurl.com/5ou9er

MSNBC Digital Network (37.6m) Yahoo! News (34.9m) CNN (33.4m) AOL News (22m) NYTimes.com (17.6m) Tribune Newspapers (15m) Gannett Newspapers (12.4m) ABCNEWS Digital Network (11.5m) Google News (10.5m) Source: Nielsen Online June 2008

64% of journalists report that they use either Google or Yahoo! online news services to follow the news. Source: TEKgroup International/Bulldog Reporter Study Sept 2008. Journalist Use of News Search

Sample survey of tech/marketing writers, editors & reporters TopRank Journalist Survey

Sample survey of tech/marketing writers, editors & reporters

How do you use search? Research past stories - 95% Story ideas - 82% Research new sources - 91% Research press releases - 59% Specific companies/people - 91% Source: TopRank Online Marketing Survey on Journalist Use of Search, Oct 2008 TopRank Journalist Survey

How do you use search?

Research past stories - 95%

Story ideas - 82%

Research new sources - 91%

Research press releases - 59%

Specific companies/people - 91%

Source: TopRank Online Marketing Survey on Journalist Use of Search, Oct 2008

What type of search do you use most often? Standard search - 91% News search - 27% Blog search - 14% Image - 18% Video - 9% Local - 5% Bookmarks - 9% Other (Social search) - 27% Source: TopRank Online Marketing Survey on Journalist Use of Search, Oct 2008 TopRank Journalist Survey

What type of search do you use

most often?

Standard search - 91%

News search - 27%

Blog search - 14%

Image - 18%

Video - 9%

Local - 5%

Bookmarks - 9%

Other (Social search) - 27%

Source: TopRank Online Marketing Survey on Journalist Use of Search, Oct 2008

“ I was stumped recently when giving a last-minute assignment requiring an expert on the topic of communications infrastructure interoperability. A 15 minute Google search turned up some really viable experts, and I was able to make my deadline.” Source: TopRank Online Marketing Survey on Journalist Use of Search, Oct 2008 TopRank Journalist Survey

“ I was stumped recently when giving a last-minute assignment requiring an expert on the topic of communications infrastructure interoperability. A 15 minute Google search turned up some really viable experts, and I was able to make my deadline.”

Source: TopRank Online Marketing Survey on Journalist Use of Search, Oct 2008

What social media tools do you use most often? Blogs - 55% Microblogging - 36% Social networks - 64% Social news - 14% Social bookmarks - 9% Media sharing - 36% Podcasts - 14% Wikis - 50% TopRank Journalist Survey

What social media tools do

you use most often?

Blogs - 55%

Microblogging - 36%

Social networks - 64%

Social news - 14%

Social bookmarks - 9%

Media sharing - 36%

Podcasts - 14%

Wikis - 50%

Most SEO efforts optimize for lead/sales generation Features Benefits Buy! G o o g l e Customer Searcher

Most SEO efforts optimize for lead/sales generation

News optimization focuses on a different audience and outcome Facts Experts Trends Trusted Source Researcher Media Relationship G o o g l e

News optimization focuses on a different audience and outcome

Push PR Pull PR Newswire RSS Pitching/Blogger Relations Social Media Engagement Standard Search News Search Blog Search Media Search Pull = SEO

Newswire

RSS

Pitching/Blogger Relations

Social Media Engagement

Standard Search

News Search

Blog Search

Media Search

If it can be searched on, it can be Optimized

If it can be searched on, it can be

Optimized

How can small businesses take advantage of efficient SEO and PR tactics? Press release optimization Online newsroom optimization

How can small businesses take advantage of efficient SEO and PR tactics?

Press release optimization

Online newsroom optimization

Research Keywords Optimize Content Call to Action Landing Pages Post to Newsroom Pitch to media RSS Wire Service Distribution Measure Succe ss Press Release Optimization

Research Keywords

Optimize Content

Call to Action

Landing Pages

Post to Newsroom

Pitch to media

RSS

Wire Service Distribution

Measure Succe ss

Press Release Optimization Match Purpose with Metrics Page views/impressions Media pickups Blog pickups Links Rankings Traffic Conversions

Match Purpose with Metrics

Page views/impressions

Media pickups

Blog pickups

Links

Rankings

Traffic

Conversions

Optimization Tips: Think upward and to the left Optimize for people first , search engines next Use keywords in Title, Subheading, body Don’t obsess over keyword density A 500 word release – use target keyword 2-4 times Use keywords in links to company web site Add media : images, podcast, video, pdf/word docs Press Release Optimization

Optimization Tips:

Think upward and to the left

Optimize for people first , search engines next

Use keywords in Title, Subheading, body

Don’t obsess over keyword density

A 500 word release – use target keyword 2-4 times

Use keywords in links to company web site

Add media : images, podcast, video, pdf/word docs

Release Metrics: Pick ups – traditional & bloggers Inbound links Google & Yahoo News inclusion Social bookmarks Keyword ranking of press release Keyword ranking of target web page Traffic to web site Conversions: media inquiries Press Release Optimization

Release Metrics:

Pick ups – traditional & bloggers

Inbound links

Google & Yahoo News inclusion

Social bookmarks

Keyword ranking of press release

Keyword ranking of target web page

Traffic to web site

Conversions: media inquiries

Distribute release via SEO savvy wire service PRNewswire.com BusinessWire.com PRWeb.com Marketwire.com Primenewswire.com Press Release Optimization

Distribute release via SEO savvy wire service

PRNewswire.com

BusinessWire.com

PRWeb.com

Marketwire.com

Primenewswire.com

Link Building & Content Pickups on blogs Syndication (RSS) Media coverage Comments/Trackbacks Social bookmarks Newsroom - Press Release Media Coverage Events White papers - Newsletters Exec bios/photos - Media contact Newsroom Optimization Pickup Wire Service Pickup Blog Post Pickup Book mark Pickup Blog Post Book mark

Link Building & Content

Pickups on blogs

Syndication (RSS)

Media coverage

Comments/Trackbacks

Social bookmarks

Newsroom

- Press Release

Media Coverage

Events

White papers - Newsletters

Exec bios/photos - Media contact

Newsrooms can be crawled by Googlebot like any other collection of web pages News content is typically added more often than corporate site content – search engines love fresh content Digital assets (text, image, video, audio, interactive) offer additional promotion channels Why Optimize A Newsroom?

Newsrooms can be crawled by Googlebot like any other collection of web pages

News content is typically added more often than corporate site content – search engines love fresh content

Digital assets (text, image, video, audio, interactive) offer additional promotion channels

Online Newsroom Blog software : WordPress, TypePad, Blogger.com Share/Save bookmarks Keyword categories Chronological archives Site search Subscribe RSS Feed Optimized for keywords Include: Press releases, Media coverage, Events Cross link to related pages on main web site

Blog software : WordPress, TypePad, Blogger.com

Share/Save bookmarks

Keyword categories

Chronological archives

Site search

Subscribe RSS Feed

Optimized for keywords

Include: Press releases, Media coverage, Events

Cross link to related pages on main web site

Site search Easy to find contact info Exec bios and images Segment news types, topics Multiple subscription options Segment media/content types: video, podcast, images, webinar, white paper Social news/bookmark options for resources Usability Tips for Newsroom

Site search

Easy to find contact info

Exec bios and images

Segment news types, topics

Multiple subscription options

Segment media/content types: video, podcast, images, webinar, white paper

Social news/bookmark options for resources

Press releases Letters to the editor Online newsrooms Media kits Blogs White papers Webinars / demos Newsletters Real world interviews Podcasts/Internet radio PR Tactics That Affect SEO

Press releases

Letters to the editor

Online newsrooms

Media kits

Blogs

White papers

Webinars / demos

Newsletters

Real world interviews

Podcasts/Internet radio

SEO Isn’t Optimizing Parts

SEO Is Holistic

Make it easy for consumers and journalists alike to find your message on the channels and in the format they prefer

Make it easy for consumers and journalists alike to find your message on the channels and in the format they prefer

Journalists increasingly rely on search and social media Create, optimize and promote news content to reach consumers AND journalists Best practices news optimization is holistic & strategic – not based on a single tactic Digital PR Takeaways:

Journalists increasingly rely on search and social media

Create, optimize and promote news content to reach consumers AND journalists

Best practices news optimization is holistic & strategic – not based on a single tactic

Thank You! Contact: Lee Odden Toll Free: 1 877 872 6628 Email: [email_address] Company: TopRankMarketing.com Blog: TopRankBlog.com Twitter: @leeodden