Other Search Sources

Other Search Sources: Image, Video, Local, Content Partners

“Connect people with their passions…” “Organize the world’s information…” It’s a tall order! To keep up with their own mission statements and searchers’ appetites, the search engines are increasingly adding results that are more than just links to individual web pages. These include images, videos, news, local listings with maps and reviews, and even entertainment or shopping opportunities from partner companies. It takes a practiced eye to know whether the listing you’re looking at is paid, free, lucky, or impossible to get without a couple mil in your pocket.

Paid Search Ads

Paid Search Ads


No matter how blurred the line between unpaid and paid search gets in the search engine results, you, as the SEO expert, will always know the difference. That’s because, while it’s possible to get listed in robot search engines, meta search engines, and even directories without actually doing anything, you (or someone you delegate) will have to actively implement and carefully manage any paid advertising for your own site. And, of course, there’s that little matter of the checkbook, too.

Pay-per-click (PPC) services are the simplest paid search option. Here’s how it works: You open an account with a PPC engine, such as Google AdWords or Yahoo! Search Marketing. You decide which search terms you want your site to be seen for, and you write your own listing (or often, several different listings) to correspond with your chosen terms. Every time a searcher clicks on your listing, you pay the PPC engine a fee. You control the amount you want to spend for each click (your bid), and this is a major factor in the placement of your listing.

Paid search is the SEO marketing venue over which you have the most control. It offers you a chance to micro-manage your website marketing by being able to target specific messages to specific terms, and even specific geographical locations. It gives you the opportunity to change your message on a whim, and it provides some of the most conclusive tracking around. Therefore, although paid search is by no means a requirement for good SEO, it’s an Eternally Attractive Option to have available to you.

Nonprofit

Nonprofit

Those of you in nonprofit organizations are working with a different sort of bottom line for your websites. Rather than following the corporate mantra of “money, money,and more money,” you fine people are out there trying to change the world, educate, and improve society! And as a thank-you from the world of web search, you have some huge advantages in SEO.

Advantage: Linkability The culture of the Web generally adores noncommercial content—something that your website should be chock-full of. And, let’s face it, giving you a link doesn’t cost a thing. Any webmaster or blogger who supports your cause or at least has no major problem with it—will see adding a link as a cheap and easy way to help out. You will want to adjust your SEO plan accordingly, giving extra effort to link building.

And what is even better than inbound links from other sites? How about some fabulous “site of the day” awards from major web presences like Yahoo! and USAToday.com? “Site of the day” editors are always on the lookout for worthy sites, and nonprofits are in a perfect position to tap into this source of visibility and traffic. It’s helpful—but not necessary—if you have something new on your site to show off. Be sure to include some time in Your SEO Plan for building that “site of the day” potential. Sure, it’s a little like winning the lottery of SEO, but for you, it’s worth a try. Your odds are a lot better than for-profit sites’ odds.

Advantage: Simple Website Structure And there’s more good news: Some of the characteristics that might, at first glance, seem like disadvantages for nonprofits are actually not so bad. Oftentimes, nonprofits are short on cash but have plenty of untrained personnel available. Since many SEO tasks don’t require a great deal of technical skill, using sharp-witted college students or interns might just be the SEO strategy that brings you to the top. Another “problem” that might not be as bad as you think: an old website. That’s right, your cruddy old 1999 website was probably built using no Flash, little JavaScript, and an absence of dynamic bells and whistles. Well, guess what? Those are just the things that can send search engine spiders packing anyway! A “classic” all-text site can be just the ticket for getting noticed by the search engines. Before you make any changes, make sure you aren’t in an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” situation.

Advantage: Less PPC Competition Many nonprofits think that there’s no way that they can survive in the competitive world of paid listings. However, there are a few ways that you can, as a nonprofit, get your foot in the door. For one, it’s possible that the keywords that matter most to you are not the same words that commercial organizations are vying for. After all, nobody’s out there selling “AIDS in China.” Even better, both Google and Yahoo! offer free advertising programs for nonprofits. Be sure to check their websites for current programs and availability.

Challenge: Internal Issues Internal disorganization, an overworked and underpaid workforce, lack of funding, and lack of a clear bottom line could throw hurdles in the way of Your SEO Plan. If you are a small operation, you may not even have a marketing department to manage the website. And without a clearly measurable bottom line, it may be very hard for you to prove the value of your efforts. You will need to do some creative thinking to figure out a way to get that return on investment (ROI) measured. Is there a specific event that you can promote? A campaign or drive that can be earmarked as an SEO testing ground? With any luck, your SEO campaign will be funding itself after a few months of effort. You may be surprised to find that it becomes one of the most important outreach venues your organization will use.