Using News to Drive SEO 03/18/09 @leeodden TopRank Marketing .com TopRank Blog .com

Presenter: Lee Odden CEO, TopRankMarketing.com An industry leader in strategic Internet marketing consulting, training and implementation services 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.

CEO, TopRankMarketing.com

An industry leader in strategic Internet marketing consulting, training and implementation services

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 63%, Yahoo 21%, MSN 8.5% , AOL 3.9%, Ask 3.7% Source: Jan 2009 comS, e http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2729 Fish Where the Fish Are

Google 63%, Yahoo 21%, MSN 8.5% , AOL 3.9%, Ask 3.7%

Source: Jan 2009 comS, e http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2729

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

The Search for News ” I have received over 25,000 email story pitches over the last two years. Products. Solutions. Tech innovations, etc. How many resulted in stories? None. I go to the web and search for information on the topic I want to do a story on.” David Meerman Scott, #1 Best-Selling author of “ The New Rules of Marketing and PR"

” I have received over 25,000 email story pitches over the last two years. Products. Solutions. Tech innovations, etc. How many resulted in stories? None. I go to the web and search for information on the topic I want to do a story on.”

David Meerman Scott, #1 Best-Selling author of “ The New Rules of Marketing and PR"

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

How Journalists Use Search “ I was stumped recently when given 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

“ I was stumped recently when given 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.”

“ I was writing a column about the planned partnership between Google and Yahoo.” “ I tracked down potential sources first using Google and LinkedIn, and came across a white paper prepared by a senior fellow at the American Antitrust Institute.” “ While I could not easily find an e-mail address, I went to Facebook where I located him, then sent a message. He replied and we followed up with a phone interview.” Source: TopRank Online Marketing Survey on Journalist Use of Search, Oct 2008

“ I was writing a column about the planned partnership between Google and Yahoo.”

“ I tracked down potential sources first using Google and LinkedIn, and came across a white paper prepared by a senior fellow at the American Antitrust Institute.”

“ While I could not easily find an e-mail address, I went to Facebook where I located him, then sent a message. He replied and we followed up with a phone interview.”

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 - PULL Outreach: Wire Service Networking Pitching RSS Optimized: Press Release Newsroom Social Media Media Coverage

If it can be searched on, it can be Optimized

If it can be searched on, it can be

Optimized

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

How can web marketers 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 Success Press Release Optimization

Research Keywords

Optimize Content

Call to Action

Landing Pages

Post to Newsroom

Pitch to media

RSS

Wire Service Distribution

Measure Success

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 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

Meta Data Title tag: 8-12 words, important keywords on the left. Focus on 1-2 keyword phrases. MOST important location for keywords in a document used to rank web pages. Meta description: 10-25 word elaboration of the title tag. Used to describe the site in search results. NOT used for rankings.

Title tag: 8-12 words, important keywords on the left. Focus on 1-2 keyword phrases. MOST important location for keywords in a document used to rank web pages.

Meta description: 10-25 word elaboration of the title tag. Used to describe the site in search results. NOT used for rankings.

Meta Data

Where to Use Keywords Title tags Page titles Categories Body copy Anchor text links Tags Image, Video alt text URLs

Title tags

Page titles

Categories

Body copy

Anchor text links

Tags

Image, Video alt text

URLs

Press Release Metrics Google & Yahoo News inclusion Page views/impressions Media & blog pickups Inbound links Social bookmarks Keyword rankings Corporate site traffic Conversions: Sales/PR

Press Release Metrics

Google & Yahoo News inclusion

Page views/impressions

Media & blog pickups

Inbound links

Social bookmarks

Keyword rankings

Corporate site traffic

Conversions: Sales/PR

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

Distribute release via SEO savvy wire service

PRWeb.com

PRNewswire.com

BusinessWire.com

Marketwire.com

Primenewswire.com

Link Building & Content Post to newsroom 1 st ! 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

Post to newsroom 1 st !

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 chann els 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 chann els

Announcements Press Releases Images Video Blog/RSS Media Coverage Case Studies Microcontent Optimize & Promote Digital Asset Optimization: News

Announcements

Press Releases

Images

Video

Blog/RSS

Media Coverage

Case Studies

Microcontent

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 Newsroom Features/Content

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

Consumers Journalists PR SEO Keyword Glossary Corporate Web Site Optimization Sales Media Coverage Newsroom Releases Newsletters White Papers Case Studies Products Services Demo Freemium Sales/Offer

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 @leeodden TopRank Marketing .com TopRank Blog .com

Thank You

@leeodden

TopRank Marketing .com

TopRank Blog .com