Online campaigns are finding a target with SEO

Friday, 27 March, 2009 

Part 1 in a series on Search Engine Optimisation.

The evolution of the issues campaign pretty much parallels the progression of communications from stone tablet to today’s sophisticated online ‘push’ campaigns. Yet it would seem this most recent move into online campaigning is proving to be a very big step for many public relations practitioners and media people alike.

If we need convincing that it’s finally time to move into this world of infinite promise and opportunity, consider these few facts.

In New Zealand more than 80% of the population enjoys easy access to a web browser – that’s an increase of more than 300% since year 2000, still with little sign of slowing into the future.

News websites, such as Stuff and NZHerald, etc are among the very top ranked traffic websites in New Zealand so it’s easy to assume that much of this growing hunger for online content is heading towards issues and news.

Internet search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN now largely determine the news people are likely to find with clever software programmes that scour the web, analysing and ranking online content. In effect, the software sends out requests to gain new insights into people’s precise searching behaviour, down to the read page. It also models the relationships between the user and websites and the relationships between linking websites.

In crude terms, this means that every time you run a Google search using a set of key words and phrases, Google has a tab on you and the websites your search locates.

So if you’re still doubtful about all this it might be because you regularly go to Stuff (say) to read news stories without the assistance of a search engine. However the truth is that the search-engine ‘bots’ that crawl the web are increasingly influential with most news sites receiving at least 30% of their traffic from funnels like Google. So even if you never use a search engine, the river-of-gold that search engines provide to website traffic volumes creates a popularity which inevitably also leads to direct traffic as well.

In fact when you think about it, popular websites need the power of search engines to gain popularity. The popularity builds traffic and the resources to optimise the website more and more. The popularity also pulls more direct and linking traffic as well...and so it goes on compounding like money in the bank on high interest.

Of course in online newspaper websites, your burning issue or news release is left to the whim of the online editor and may never see the light of day. In Issues.co.nz, issue promoters have certainty that their campaign pages will be exposed and for as long as they wish. However search engine optimisation (SEO) is a key because it also helps to pull the right people from the giant search engine funnels as they select the words and phrases that precisely match your content.

The smart people who are grasping this new phenomenon are experimenting with tweaking their websites for better search engine results. They’re studying the form book and placing their bets for the words and phrases that will lead more people to their door. At the forefront of this revolution is e-business where smart sellers are increasing sales and turnover against their leaden-footed competition.

For those trying to be heard and to recruit supporters to an idea or issue, it is just as compelling.

In Part 2, if you own a website or wish to run a campaign on Issues.co.nz, we’ll provide some insights into how to make SEO work for you.