| Website promotion is a competitive, lucrative industry | | | | better equipped to get mentions and links on authority |
| where everyone from Manhattan Public Relations(PR) | | | | websites than their SEOs counterparts. |
| Firms to small-time Search Engine Optimization (SEO) | | | | Of course just because a PR firm can get mentioned |
| companies are vying for a piece of the pie. Ironically, | | | | in a dozen blogs posts, or make the first page of |
| on the information super highway, it is because of the | | | | Digg.com, doesn't necessitate an increase in their |
| lack of knowledge that most SEOs and PRs have for | | | | client's bottom line. With the help of an SEO consultant, |
| one another that neither side is able to offer a truly | | | | or SEO company, however, PR firms could present |
| effective and affordable solution, which yields Return | | | | actual numbers to prove the value of their service by |
| on Investment (ROI), on a large scale for their clientele. | | | | converting online publicity into search engine |
| Let me explain. | | | | dominance. |
| THE TROUBLE WITH PUBLIC RELATIONS | | | | If PR could tap into the technical expertise of a search |
| PR is an industry that creates visibility across several | | | | engine optimizer they could solve the problem of |
| different media for its clients while adhering to a | | | | tangible ROI and expand their services to more |
| pre-defined budget. It is an industry of communicators, | | | | medium sized companies, ecommerce sites, and |
| with the ability to disseminate information to selected | | | | others. What if you as a PR Practitioner could hand |
| outlets armed with a rolodex, a press release and | | | | your client a piece of paper saying "Look, we've |
| some serious people skills. Yet, with all of their | | | | gotten your name out to your niche here, here, here |
| strengths, one of the greatest criticisms of PR is their | | | | and here - oh, and as a result of this, you are now |
| lack of ability to produce measurable ROI. | | | | number one in the search engines when searched for |
| Large companies see the overall benefit of a well | | | | these top keyphrases..." |
| executed PR campaign, but medium-sized companies | | | | Likewise, SEO firms, what if you could cut your |
| don't see the immediate value in a bunch of blog links | | | | workload in half by completely cutting out link building, |
| or they can't afford to have Custom Myspace Tools | | | | show your clients better results, and get them |
| developed for a product launch. As a result, many | | | | mentioned in related high-traffic blogs or ezines? How |
| medium sized companies are leaving PR out of the | | | | much more would they be willing to spend with you? |
| marketing mix. | | | | For how many more keywords would they want to |
| THE TROUBLE WITH SEARCH ENGINE | | | | rank? |
| OPTIMIZATION | | | | YES, BUT WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? |
| On the other side of the spectrum are search engine | | | | It is a symbiotic relationship. Yes, you have to pay |
| optimizers (SEOs). Technically savvy problem solvers, | | | | another company and cut away at some of your |
| SEOs can tweak a website to maximize its exposure | | | | margin, but the relationship is mutually beneficial. |
| in the search engines (the tools that over 90% of | | | | Furthermore, if each party is accommodated with |
| internet users turn to when finding new resources or | | | | solutions specific to the other's industry where both |
| information online). SEOs rely on their technical | | | | stand to make a buck from offering the other's |
| expertise as well as their ability to build "backlinks" (links | | | | services, the relationship will grow. |
| coming from other websites) to achieve success in | | | | By putting stock in SEO as well as outsourcing it, Public |
| the search engines for their clients. | | | | Relations Firms will be able to retain their larger clients |
| In the past few months, however, (06-07) search | | | | with greater frequency as well as set their sites on |
| engines have gotten "smarter" and have made | | | | medium sized businesses that previously hid their |
| traditional methods of building backlinks less effective. | | | | wallets when someone mentioned the words "press |
| Many SEOs have turned to what they call "link bait", | | | | release." Similarly, by outsourcing to PR firms, Search |
| tapping into social media (blog forums and others) to | | | | Engine Optimization companies will be able to service |
| build backlinks. Of course, "link baiting" is really just a | | | | more clients, while providing all around better results. |
| nerdy term for online publicity. It's something that only | | | | The most important point to remember here is that |
| the best of SEOs have mastered, and many PR | | | | neither SEO nor PR firms have the whole of the online |
| Practitioners are now diving into. | | | | promotions pie yet. PR's strengths lie in creating visibility, |
| WHY PR AND SEO SHOULD BE BEST BUDS | | | | but not technical prowess. SEO is just the opposite. |
| Where "link baiting" (and really online promotion in | | | | They're a veritable Yin and Yang, an Odd Couple, |
| general) is concerned, Public Relations firms have a | | | | Bonnie and Clyde, Simon and Garfunkel, Best Buds just |
| distinct advantage. With their preexisting experience, | | | | waiting to find each other out there in the entangled |
| contacts online and off, and other resources already | | | | world of bandwidth, servers and free information that |
| dedicated to building online visibility, PR firms are much | | | | is the internet. |