Shifting Expecations for the PR Pro: Going beyond the press to drive web traffic

Search engine optimization is the way to get your website noticed. Without it, those searching may not be able to find your organization. For public relations professionals, our job is to establish and manage our publics. If our publics cannot find us on the web, are we really doing our job?

A key to search engine optimization is effective backlinking. Search engines track how many sites on the Internet link back to your company's web site. An important piece of SEO is developing links across the Internet to help your site get ranked more highly on search engines results pages (SERPs). The more sites linking in, the more relevant your site appears to the engines and the more highly you will be ranked for your target keywords.

Therefore, a press release can contain links with target keywords that Like traditional media releases, web press releases have a target market as well. A release about your new CEO might use keywords targeting the business community; a Michigan business would focus on Michigan Search Engine Optimization, focusing your Internet marketing for Michigan.

In writing a web press release, there are a few key differences:
+ Write your press release with formatting that you can copy and paste into any web page
+ Include relevant keywords to your business. If you are a grocery hosting a food drive, make sure to include the popular types of goods that your store sells for this food drive. Keyword density helps. This is true for the boilerplate as well.
+ Hyperlink your keywords and your company name to relevant pages--"dogfood" should not link to the "contact us" page.
+ Submit these to press release sites that allow html and have a high page rank.

Here is an example:

Michigan Search Engine Optimization Company Offers Free Seminars to Benefit Local Businesses

Michigan-based Netvantage Marketing presents "11 on 11/11 - 11 Ways to Use Google to Your Advantage," at Claddagh's Irish Pub in East Lansing, Mich. This free seminar is the latest installment of their Search Engines for Small Business series.

This seminar will focus on Google products, and their application for small businesses. "To be a successful organization, just having a web site isn't enough," said Adam Henige, managing partner of Netvantage Marketing. "If you can't be found by search engines, you're requiring people to know your name or your web address. So if they're looking for a need, and not a specific organization, that user is going to go somewhere else."

Without the knowledge of the products and services available, small businesses are often buried in the multitude of search results produced by search engines. Netvantage uses this opportunity to aid other Michigan organizations through their expertise in search engine optimization, web analytics, and pay per click management. The Michigan SEO consultants offer services for several local organizations, including the Mid-Michigan Food Bank. The Nov. 11 seminar will include training in tools that will improve organic optimization and paid search efforts through Google, another Michigan company.

At their August event, Netvantage Marketing greeted a considerable audience for their presentation on site content improvements, meta tags, and other processes at East Lansing's Dublin Square. In addition to Netvantage's seminars, the organization participates in several other community events. In October, Managing Partner Joe Ford will present for the Capital Area IT Council at the Greater Lansing Business Showcase.

Those interested in the "11 on 11/11" seminar must register by e-mail at seminars@netvantagemarketing.com. Appetizers will be provided for those in attendance. Netvantage Marketing is a Michigan search engine optimization, pay per click management and web analytics consulting company based in Okemos. For more information, you can reach the Netvantage office by phone at 517-853-5838 or on the web at http://netvantagemarketing.com.