It appears to me that at this time, too many online marketers are focusing their attention on beating one search algorithm or another. Like a dog chasing its tail, this really is a never-ending pursuit.
For some time now, I have promoted the idea of doing what is right for your customer, and by doing so, the bulk of organic SEO benefits will naturally follow. This does not mean we should throw sound SEO principles out the window. Rather, we should incorporate them organically in our work, secondary to the primary focus of meeting the interests and filling the needs of our customers.
Here’s your task today:
Make customers #1 again — and watch how rankings climb. There is new leverage to be found in consumer generated media (define: CGM). I have seen how positive CGM drives and boosts organic listings for a number of companies. The power of CGM is partially what has driven PRWeb to include TrackBack functionality in all of our services, including our press releases content, podcast episode pages and PRWeb free photowire service.
Last week I was passed a link to an article by Larry Chase that provides 10 tips on how to write press releases that drive traffic to your Web site. The article, "How to Attract Traffic to Your Site Using Press Releases", should be read in its entirety. I believe it provides new and unique insights on crafting a release for the current CGM environment. Pay particular attention to tips #1-3 and #5-8 as these tips will help you write with your customer in mind.
In the context of CGM, I am particularly fond of idea #8. Larry suggests that when creating a tip-style press release with 10 tips, we should reserve some, perhaps even the last five, for our Web site. This is actually pretty brilliant. It moves your customer closer to you by pulling them from the press release to your site. Your customer is now one step closer to conversion. And, you have just done something good for you customer.
Now what about the SEO? Let’s look at this in context:
The press release, if provided in an online service that is well-positioned, is content. And content, optimized for the customer and for the Web, is the core of SEO. The press release is now a mid-form marketing element, and the follow-up link to your Web site is really a link to your "landing page." This is familiar territory to any online marketer. This PR content is persistent: it lasts as long as your PR service keeps your press release active and online. This is long-term content, in a highly visible and searchable context.
We’ve been thinking along these lines for many years now. PRWeb allows you to create active hyperlinks from within your press release, which search engines then follow, bringing the search engines one page closer to your desired content, too.
Larry Chase has been around for a long time and you cannot go wrong by watching what he writes and covers. He publishes Web Digest for Marketers which goes out on a weekly basis and is still in my white list years after my initial subscription.
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