PR professionals have been confronting the digital frontier for years now, but it has yet to become a perfect science. Thus, the best approach is to take challenges one at a
time, individually mastering the communications potential of each facet of the Internet. Blogs, RSS feeds and intranets have already been the focus of much talk within the PR
world. Now, it is time for search engine optimization (SEO) to be in the spotlight.
PR executives are quickly learning that SEO impacts many unexpected angles of their communications portfolio. But perhaps the learning process may need to be sped up a
bit.
According to a new study by HRmarketer.com, a division of the marketing and information services firm Fisher Vista LLC in Capitola, CA, communications professionals
have yet to fully exploit the potential offered by search engine optimization in the realm of HR. Based on research data collected from HR/benefits suppliers in Q4 of 2005, the
results suggest that "PR and search engine optimization enabled leading HR/benefits marketers to take full advantage of the industry trend to align Internet technology, marketing
strategies, public relations and sales objectives to ... generate more leads."
This news comes alongside metrics that 40% of surveyed companies allocate 10% or less of their marketing budget to public relations.
As HRmarketer.com states, because most HR marketers don't have a multi-million dollar media budget, it's important for PR managers to produce, distribute and promote content
via the Internet; search engine optimization will only abet this process for maximum results.
Here are some quick tips of the trade to fuel your search engine endeavors:
- Make sure press releases have a headline that captures the attention of prospective buyers, NOT journalists. Online searches cut out the middlemen, and information has to
be targeted accordingly.
- Create hyperlinks with keywords and phrases from the release that link to the company's Web site.
- Be sure the distribution vehicle allows for embedded hyperlinks.
- If the release is promoting a free download, such as a white paper, create a Web site "data capture form" to intercept requests.
Beyond the tactical practices,
PR professionals should have an understanding of the best search engine options available to them. Then, take a tip from Richard Levick, president and CEO of Levick Strategic
Communications in Washington, D.C., who urges PR professionals to keep SEO in mind when taking action (whether its preemptive or reactive) against a crisis.
Levick notes that journalists and/or consumers searching for crisis-related news should be drawn to the proper source - the company's Web site - for the first and best
information. In these circumstances, the PR executive will have better control of the message.
"[Online optimization]," Levick says, "helps control the dialogue in a critical crisis."
Contact: Richard Levick. 202.973.1302, [email protected].