This is another “Publicity Is Everywhere” series.
Why is search engine marketing (SEM) so popular? Because without it, a pr clients web site cannot compete with all the other Internet eCommerce web sites. Whether you have a traditional brick and mortar store and a web site presence, pr clients need to implement a search engine marketing effort that is part of the overall pr marketing strategy campaign.
As I have said many times, “publicity is everywhere”. This includes the web. And it doesn’t matter if you are doing B2B marketing or consumer direct marketing, SEM can improve your web site traffic. Although many companies try to do SEM in-house, it cannot be as productive as those companies who are experts in Search Engine Optimization. SEM is a full time position and requires dedication that continually researches the competition, keywords, and source codes to keep a web site ahead of the competition. The New York Times defines SEM “as the practice of buying paid search listings with the goal of obtaining better free search listings”.
In 2003, a non-profit organization was formed. It is called Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO). The purpose of this organization is to promote search engine marketing and provide educational resources to members and consumers.
Some of the SEM tactics are paid placement and paid inclusion. Both are acceptable forms of getting a pr clients web site ranked high and listed on Yahoo and Google. But other methods should also be included. These are social media, blog sites and a public relations program. The later are more affordable than paid rankings and will add to the branding of any pr clients marketing strategies.
Review some of the other tips and articles I have written about seo, keywords, and optimization to better understand the complexity of developing a solid SEM program. If you are a pr client that wants to jump ahead with a proven pr marketing strategy campaign, then call Carson Marketing Inc. Ask for George Carson. He will show you how to get noticed and build traffic to your web site.