Using SEO to Get Noticed by the Media

SEO is not only useful for being noticed by the general public; it is also useful for getting noticed by the media. As a matter of fact, it is becoming standard and commonplace. Here are some ways in which you can optimize your online profiles, blogs and websites to pick up valuable media exposure that can help your business.

Be Seen as an ExpertAny website that you build should showcase you as an expert in your chosen industry. The website itself should be technically proficient; however, the information must also be up-to-date and relevant. If you want media attention, you need to stay ahead of the information curve. Media loves people who are on the cutting edge of their industry with an expert opinion on what's happening next. This means syndicated content is a no-no; if you need to hire a content writer to spin your knowledge with the right personality, then do so.

Copyscape every article that you write for your site so that you can be sure that you are not mistakenly copying any other content on your subject matter. Spelling and grammatical errors also make a difference. Believe it or not, search engines are actually bright enough to spot these and punish the website for creating less professional content.

Hang with the Big DogsDon't spend your time on the middle level of your industry if you want to get noticed by the media. Contribute to, associate and compete with the known names in your industry. This is the only way that you can truly make your opinion relevant to media. Don't become embroiled in little social media arguments with others of no consequence — it wastes your time. This is time that could be spent creating a presence within the upper echelon.

In terms of the search engines, the links that you have on your website will definitely affect your search ranking. Be sure that you only "date up" when it comes to linking out from your website. Check the Google PageRank of any site that you associate with, and only link out to or solicit links from websites with a higher ranking than yours.

Become Known Around Your Local AreaYour time is valuable, and yes, you are probably not being paid what you are worth right now. However, exposure is much more important than money when it comes to getting noticed by media. Therefore, don't litter your site with ads. Let the content stand on its own so that it can be found easily and so that it looks completely authentic.

In terms of using the search engines, localize your content so that you rise to the top of the search rankings for your immediate area. This gives the tastemakers who may know you from local business associations the chance to share your content, giving it more legs on a national and international scale.

Be a Volunteer and a MentorAlthough it's great to think of volunteering and mentoring young, up-and-coming students as good karma, there is a much more practical purpose for volunteerism as well. If you volunteer for educational institutions or government entities, you have the opportunity to negotiate a link from a .edu or a .gov website. These links are much more important to a search engine than a .com or a .net – anybody can get links from those types of commercial websites.

Seek out these types of institutions that can use your skill set and expertise for the benefit of others. Instead of asking for money for your efforts, ask for a link to your website from their website.

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