Using VOCUS/PRWeb to Boost MultiChannel Internet Marketing

The following is a presentation I recently put together to help explain how to use a news release service (PRWeb) to boost multichannel internet marketing. Enjoy.

Big News on News Releases:

 Go Multi-Channel to Maximize Results

Slide 1:

Discussion Points Related to

 News Release Marketing

• News release preparation check list
• Online submission example
• Multi-Channel Integration
• Example: Linking out to social media to increase engagement and following
• Sample results

Slide 2:

News Release Preparation Check List

• Have a social media-friendly logo. Make sure the logo can work in multiple sizes so no matter how the media uses it, it is clear and legible.
• Social sites in your media contact block. It’s where the media looks for your contact info, so include at least your Facebook and Twitter accounts.
• Include a link for every 100 words. Link back to your landing page or relevant campaign content so even if your press release gets edited for space, your readers will have the information they need. Plus your SEO and inbound marketing remains strong.
• Use multimedia. Video, Slideshare links, Pinterest boards – whatever you can conjure up to grab attention and deliver your message.
• Create small chunks of succinct details so that it can translate well to social. This makes it easy if the media wants to Tweet information about you.
• Keep it quick, easy and creative. It’s more likely to be picked up, shared and retweeted that way.

• The title of the press release should act like a news headline and be eye catching, setting up your news story and driving the reader to action.
• To increase the chances of media and bloggers finding your information, use your SEO keyphrases throughout your press release, including the headline.
• Tell a clear story in each and every paragraph you write.
• Use that closing paragraph to make a last chance pitch and reiterate the points.
• Keep your audience groups top of mind. A social media press release targets three different groups: media, bloggers and consumers. It needs to appeal to all of them.
• Be interactive. Use the capability of sites like PRWeb to embed video, upload photo galleries, and make your press release visually compelling.
• A template approach. Create a template you can reuse for each new news release. This will make writing them much faster.

Slide 3:

Online Submission Example

PRWeb

        PRWeb has a nice and easy to use form to follow. Also, the use of video and other images is great. We also like the iFrame at the bottom.

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       This is the second page as it relates to submission. You can use an automatic update feature that will generates notices to your social media platforms announcing your news release.

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      This is the third submission page and as you can see you can preset the date and time for the release, select regions (U.S. cities) to focus on, and choose industry type and/or regional media outlets.

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Multi-Channel Integration

       The above infographic represents a basic understanding of an integrated multichannel internet marketing campaign.  In the diagram we separate inbound marketing from paid direct response and combine Google Analytics, Webmaster Tools, the client's website, and mobile site are positioned at the center of the diagram. Integration means each channel is dependent on or supportive of another channel. For example, a news release might announce a sweepstakes to win an ultimate surf camp trip which is being hosted on a Facebook App page. The Web visitors lands on a Facebook "Fan Gate" page and clicks the "Like" button to gain access to the sweepstakes. Share buttons and send e-mail options a present at each stage of the signup process. The visitor eventually enters their name, e-mail and may answer a question or select from a drop down box  something related that segments them into a specific group. The entered information automatically updates an e-mail marketing program (iContact in this case)  which begins a drip campaign based on segmentation.  Each subsequent e-mail includes optional related articles (Content marketing) for the client to view which then triggers another possible signup or subscription.  PPC re-marketing ads are triggered as the visitors leaves the site. Everything is tracked and reported through Google Analytics. The following slides will provide a more visual example. The Facebook apps are form North Social.

Slide 7:

Link Out to Social Media

• linking out to event and promotional information using a social platform application
•             Sweepstakes (Facebook App)
•             Promotional - digital download(Facebook App)
•             Coupon (Facebook App)

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        The following results are from three of our current clients. Each client is demonstrating different results from various campaigns. 
Slide 17:

Notice the above layout of iWatchLife's news release.
Slide 18:

      Harman's received 101 news outlet pickups within 12 hours of being put on the news wire. 

 Google will immediately index news outlet pickups.

News translates to increased web traffic as shown above.

Slide 19:

      A news release by A+ Vacation Homes produced over 47,000 headline impressions and 652 full page reads from PRWeb. Additionally, new market opportunities were discovered for Canada and Australia. 

Automation Drives Costs of Search Engine Marketing Services Down and Improves Client Results


With our automated WebWorks technology, we offer what some might describe as the most cost-effective search engine marketing services around.

All industries at some point evolve to incorporate automation to gain competitive advantages.  You see it in manufacturing, packaging, distribution and sales. From physical robotics to cyber robotics.  Automation always seems to find its way into any thriving business.

As for the search engine marketing industry, automation has become necessary not only to maintain or reduce company overhead, but also to improve the services being offered to clients. Traditional SEO includes manual functions like keyword research, semantic content writing, page optimization, the solicitation of relevant websites to recognize the importance or value of the site being promoted (link building) and to continually promote through off page channels. Wow what an order! How does all this get done for $100 per month? In most cases it doesn't.

Our automated platform has eliminated the need for expensive manual labor that used to go into tedious search engine optimization tasks. This has in turn lowered operating costs and allowed the us to pass the savings on to the customer.

Traditional search engine optimization (SEO) companies charge for the man hours they spend on manually configuring links, monitoring for uptime, index, and malware, duplicate content checking, inbound one-way linking, and XML sitemap creation, among others. We don’t have to, so our clients pay a lot less. Most companies spend upwards of $1,000 a month on an SEO retainer. With us, you might spend only $100 and get even better results.

Let me clarify that although repetitive tasks are automated, core functions are still done by humans—by our search engine engineers, to be exact. Sensitive tasks such as directory control and monitoring are never left in the hands of automated systems. All linking is human acquired and edited to ensure that all websites listed are determined to be up to standard before they are included. We insist on satisfying the guidelines set by Google, ensuring that the network is never infiltrated by spam and does not devolve into a link farm. Content writing is not automated.  We have in-house SEO writers who are trained to optimize  pages based on factors used in determining keyword viability, such as cost per click, competitors’ profiles, and many others.

We have adapted a pay-as-you-go model without long-term contracts. This gives our clients much needed flexibility and the freedom to quit when they are no longer satisfied. Our turnover rate is very low, maybe 12% annually.  We are currently managing over 38,000 websites and our future outlook is quite favorable.

Automation has enabled us to grow our client base without watering down the quality of the services we offer. We have also been able to maintain a retention rate of approximately 88% percent.

WebWorks Local is the best-seller. It is best for website owners who want to rank for geographically specific keywords and attract visitors from particular states or cities. The price is only $19.99 per keyword.

Meanwhile, larger businesses that want to appeal to a nationwide audience and rank for high-competition phrases can try WebWorks National. Costs start at $29.95 keyword. WebWorks Local and WebWorks National come with ranking reports, inclusion in the directory, regular business logs, and Google Sitemap automation, among many others.

We also offer a Social Media and Press Release (PRWeb) Package costing $399.95 monthly. It entitles clients to a weekly press release plus social media engagement and optimization, among many other tools. The company also recently launched a Digital Marketing package, which integrates weekly news releases, weekly social media blogs, WebWorks access, display advertising, and Google Suite integration. It costs $1,495 monthly. Its latest offering is the Mobile Site and App with Free SEO package, which costs $199.95 a month. It integrates mobile website creation, mobile app development and support, push notifications, and monthly maintenance.

Bottom line is that automation is here to stay and we are expanding out of the traditional SEO role into an integrated multi-channel internet marketing organization.

By Tom Blakeley

Top Search Engine Marketing Firm Survives Algorithm Updates, Gives Advice

Search marketing company Blackwood Productions remains untouched weeks after Google started rolling out the Penguin 2.0 algorithm updates. The company’s WebWorks search engine optimization (SEO) tool has also survived previous Google updates, from Panda to Penguin 1.0. Be sure to see the Company's system "Results" portal to get a feel for the significance of what they are doing.

Blackwood Productions Advanced Client Dashboard

“Our system covers all the bases of what solid long-lasting optimization is about—relevant links, original content, and social media engagement. That is why with us, clients never have to worry about their rankings falling whenever Google rolls out algorithm updates,” explains Robert Bibb, the company’s spokesperson.

The Penguin 2.0 iteration has sent many SEO companies on a tailspin. Google is on a mission to reduce the visibility of websites found to be violating its Webmaster Guidelines, particularly those that use black-hat SEO techniques including cloaking, keyword stuffing, link scheme participation, and duplicate content creation. The latest developments have caused many less-experienced search engine marketing firms to lose clients. 

For Blackwood Productions, however, business is booming. 

“To ensure that our clients’ websites are never penalized, we only use optimization methods that comply with Google’s guidelines. As a consequence, our clients have maintained top positions for their respective niches. Some are even seeing drastic rank improvements because the algorithm adjustments are working in our favor,” explains Bibb. 

Search engine marketing firm Blackwood Productions gained recognition in the SEO industry for its revolutionary WebWorks SEO package. Its internet marketing and search optimization platform helps clients identify the most applicable target keywords with the highest return on investment, provides well-written content that converts readers into customers, and develops a creditable and relevant web following in the form of inbound links and social media references. 

The company has been a  top SEO company for more than 10 years and currently manages over 38,000 small-to medium-sized business websites. It has thrived through major algorithm changes and shows no signs of slowing down. 

Asked about what advice he can give website owners who are afraid of the Google slap, Bibb had a few suggestions. 

“The first thing you need to do is to audit your links. You need to remove your website from low-quality directories and link farms, including some blog networks that Google is likely to de-index in the coming months. If you do not want to be caught up in this tidal wave, get out while you can. Start removing links from websites with low authority, especially those whose content is completely irrelevant and unrelated to yours. If you are included in a paid directory with no approval process, request to be removed from it. Last April, Google went after directories whose links are not vetted, and the purging is likely to continue,” said Tom Blakeley the Company's president.  

According to Bibb, it is important for website owners to understand exactly what their SEO provider is doing to their websites. 

“Talk to your SEO provider if you’re already using one. Hold their feet to the fire. Have them explain and defend their links acquisition strategy to you until you are filly satisfied and convinced that it is not in violation of Google’s guidelines.”

He also advises website owners to increase the quality of their content. 

“In order to gain site authority, you need well-written, credible content that people actually enjoy reading. Establish yourself as an author and expert in your field. Make sure that your content is grammatically correct and not just a keyword-stuffed page. The days of writing solely for search engines is long gone. You need to keep your readers engaged,” he explains.  

Finally, the Blackwood Productions spokesperson recommends that site owners review their Google Webmaster Tools account and take care of existing issues right away.

“Check if all your pages are indexed. Make sure that your XML sitemap is working right.  Are there any crawl errors? Ensure that your page load time is acceptable and make HTML improvements whenever necessary. It’s a good idea to have your technical SEO aspects working flawlessly to show Google that you take good care of your website.”

For business owners who do not have the time and the technical knowledge to make their websites Google-worthy, Bibb proposes a simple solution.

“Sign up for one of our SEO packages and leave all the hard work to us,” he says. 

Blackwood Production’s WebWorks takes the headache out of Google compliance for as little as $19.95 per keyword. The introductory package is even free of charge for two months, giving new customers a taste of the revolutionary technology before they sign up for a paid package. 

“Our best-seller is the WebWorks Local package, costing $19.95 per keyword. We designed it for local businesses that want to rank for geographically specific keywords and gain top-quality, one-way links from related websites. We also have a package for bigger businesses called WebWorks National, which is designed for high-competition search. At only $29.95 per keyword, it’s one of the most affordable high-level SEO packages in the market,” Bibb explains.  

The SEO packages already integrate ranking reports, inclusion in a high quality, non-link farm directory, Google Sitemap automation, and even a customizable business log. Blackwood Productions helps its clients determine the keywords will bring them the most traffic and conversion.

"Best of all, our SEO service doesn't require any maintenance or upkeep work from the client. All they need to do is sign up and let us take over,” Bibb explains.

"We’ve been an industry leader for more than 10 years. We know what we’re doing," he adds.