GREENWICH, Conn., April 6, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Why is the Web like real estate? The answer is inevitably "location, location, location." Today's Web real estate brokers -- online advertising agencies and search engine optimization, or SEO, specialists -- agree that if your product or service does not appear near the top of the first page of search engine results, most buyers may not see it.
But before companies hand over their entire PR budgets to the web marketing specialists, advises Greg Miller, President of MarketcomPR, they should understand these five rules of a fast-evolving communications art:
1. Know what you're buying. Web marketing is a seller's market
right now, with lots of "trust me" promises.
2. Prices are going up. You can buy guaranteed first-page placement
with sponsored listings and "pay-per-click" ads. Prices are
rising, but still a bargain in some cases.
3. "Free" is better, if you can get it. You can optimize the content
of your web pages so that they place high "organically" in the
free listings. This is like getting editorial placement for your
thought leadership piece vs. running it as an advertisement.
Inherently more credible-and economical.
4. Pay attention to the rules! But "bad SEO" -- techniques that
violate the search engines' guidelines for placement, the
algorithms used to rank pages, or the practices banned by search
engines -- can actually cause your content to sink without a
trace on the Web.
5. Great ideas still matter! Optimized content can improve your
search engine ranking, increase your web traffic and generates
sale leads and publicity. But the ideas that drive that
content -- and their utility to the audiences you're
targeting -- are more important in the long run, as they are
what give your company, its products and its services credibility
long after the SEO rules change again.
Miller comments, "In the new world of online search, content can live forever, becoming a source of pride, a magnet for Web traffic -- or a huge embarrassment. Smart companies realize they can bolster their Web presence with a strong PR strategy that recognizes the power of good ideas communicated well -- and a smart SEO strategy to make sure they get maximum exposure."
About MarketcomPR
MarketcomPR designs and implements communications initiatives that combine classic media outreach tools with market-oriented thought leadership vehicles to help clients communicate better with their key audiences. For more information, visit www.marketcomPR.com.