The search for SEO

The hot button in online marketing today is the one labeled "Search." And the biggest search currently underway among agencies and corporations is for something called SEO, or search-engine optimization. SEO consists of practices that help boost the ranking of a Web site within search-engine results so that, ideally, it is listed higher on the first page when consumers enter search terms in Google, MSN, Yahoo!, or other search engines.

The basic technique entails inserting key words in the HTML coding of each page and including those words prominently in the text. The advanced techniques are diverse and closely guarded by SEO practitioners in many instances.

Some marketers' efforts to manipulate search rankings have met with backlash from the search engines themselves as recently described in Forbes: "Search engine optimizers can use software that generates thousands of links to their site, pushing its ranking artificially high. In response, Google and Yahoo!'s search algorithms now automatically punish sites that game their algorithms by pushing the offending pages deep into the unseen layers of search results."

Airfoil's own site is optimized for search (enter the term "high-tech PR" in Google, MSN or Yahoo! to see the amazing result); and in considering all the SEO techniques that we've reviewed, these are among our favorites:

1.     Do your research. Use tools offered by the search engines themselves to see which relevant key words are most frequently queried.

2.     Enter a word or phrase in an online tool that will automatically generate a long list of related phrases to include among your keywords and can even tell you which keywords have been the most popular in searches. (See Wordtracker Keywords or KeywordDiscovery.)

3.     Search engines generally like a lot of copy. Include as many as 400 words of text on your Web pages.

4.     Use your keywords frequently throughout your text, but don't jam your copy with dozens of repetitions. Search engines will recognize your attempt and downgrade your pages.

5.     Add one or more site maps to your Web site so search engines can find and index all your pages.

6.     Avoid generic names for the URLs in your links (such as, "image.jpg" or "page2.html"). Instead, use your keywords as file names (such as "vegetarian-menu.jpg" or "las-vegas-discounts.html").

7.     Optimize your news releases for search as well. Put contact names at the bottom so that they don't become the words that search engines pull out. Include your keywords in your headline and lead paragraph. Use full names for companies and individuals throughout the copy so that they match search terms.

8.     Use social media to gain improved search results. Create a blog that links to other blogs and Web sites and request the author of those to add a link to your site. Comment on articles posted on other blogs, with a link back to your own site. Place funny, highly useful or particularly timely content on your home page, then go out to the blogosphere to let others know of its availability. Chances are many will post links back to your site, raising your search-worthiness.

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Online marketing firm quantifies the value of search engine marketing

Ann Arbor-based Fluency Media, an Airfoil client that helps major corporations develop and analyze search engine marketing (SEM) programs, has reported a number of statistics that demonstrate the value of SEM. Fluency has found that adding pay-per-click (PPC) to free (organic) search actually can increase the free traffic by 40 to 50 percent during the first quarter of an online marketing campaign and in some cases has boosted traffic nearly 80 percent over a year. Adding PPC to a search engine marketing program also has been successful in maintaining search engine traffic volumes during seasonal lows, at times when organic traffic may ebb.

Fluency notes that the best SEO plans focus as much on increasing conversion opportunities as they do on increasing traffic. One simple technique for example-adding a Flash header contact form that enables potential leads to convert to a contact from any page on the site-has produced twice as many qualified leads as offering the form only on the contact page.

Contacts from a company's corporate Web site are exceptionally valuable, according to Fluency's analysis, because they produce leads at a much lower cost than other channels do-93 percent lower than radio and 88 percent less than newspaper for some companies. In examining results obtained by franchisors seeking leads, Fluency found that leads generated directly from the franchisor's Web site produce an average close rate of two-percent and higher, whereas those originating from directory sites and other third-party lead generation sites average less than one percent.

"Clearly, optimizing Web sites and online marketing campaigns makes a significant impact on both the quantity and quality of leads," said Airfoil Senior Vice President Eric Kushner. "Every communicator should be incorporating SEO and SEM considerations into their internal and external campaigns if they intend for their messages to surmount search-engine barriers."

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Search Marketing Standard: Searching for gurus

What's the best publication for gathering tips and learning about developments in SEO? Look for "search marketing magazines" on Google, and number three on page one is Search Marketing Standard. It's number two on Yahoo! and strangely buried somewhere on MSN. Two out of three top-level listings, however, reflect its status as the most popular magazine by far in a reader poll on best search marketing magazines conducted by the popular TopRank online marketing blog.

Search Marketing Standard asserts that it is "the leading publication covering the search marketing industry," with information-based articles, interviews with entrepreneurs in the field, expert tips and industry news. It's published by MordComm, Inc., a marketing company based in New York.

The publication comes in two flavors: an online edition (of course) and a quarterly full-color print edition. In both, experts offer opinions and advice on search-engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, social networks and new technology.

On its home page, the magazine posts blog entries from experts and offers links to sections with numerous articles on blogging, branding, general search-engine marketing, link building, local search, mobile search, pay-per-click, SEO, social media and video. Its current print edition features coverage of such areas as search-engine marketing training and certification, link baiting and local search advertising.

The publication is looking for writers who are authorities on such topics as click fraud, local search, ranking, Web directories, visitor statistics and other topics related to search.

"Search Marketing Standard is an excellent vehicle for boosting a company's reputation for its understanding of the world of search and SEO," said Kushner. "The publication is eager to hear from 'search marketing gurus' with sound search advice, and it reaches a key market for technology firms."

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Airfoil provides comprehensive public relations campaign for green startup

Airfoil is developing and implementing a comprehensive public relations plan for TerraPass, a carbon-offset provider for environmentally conscious consumers. The program is aimed at educating consumers about their carbon footprint and TerraPass' solutions that enable individuals to balance out carbon emissions incurred through everyday activities - emissions that cannot be fully eliminated through other actions. TerraPass pools funds derived from their sales to drive renewable energy and carbon-reduction projects. Airfoil's plan focuses on top-tier national print and broadcast outlets, influential green blogs and speaker placements.

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Airfoil promotes Kushner and Parry to senior vice presidents

Eric Kushner, APR, who heads Airfoil's business-to-business practice, and Tracey Parry, APR, who leads the business-to-consumer area, have been promoted to senior vice presidents of the firm. They also have become partners in the agency. "Airfoil is especially thrilled to recognize the leadership and service that Eric and Tracey have provided the company since its founding," said CEO Lisa Vallee-Smith. "Much of our growth and success have come as a result of their hard work and dedication." Airfoil President Janet Tyler noted that "Eric and Tracey have been constant models of Higher Thinking at Airfoil, and we are excited to welcome them as partners. We congratulate them on setting such an exceptional standard in public relations."

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