B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®

B2B Marketing views, news and interviews.

Trackbacks and Press Releases

Today PRWeb officially announced the launch of their support of trackback functionality with press releases. While press releases have traditionally been used to announce news to the media, PRWeb has pioneered a direct to consumer model that allows companies to announce news to a broad audience using PRWeb’s distribution channels.

The addition of trackback functionality creates a link between bloggers and press releases in a way that is not found elsewhere. Now when a blog comments and cites a press release distributed via PRWeb, it can send a trackback to the release, which will in turn create a link back to the blog.


Trackbacks and Press Releases

Web 2.0 Press Release Marketing

I just got off a conference call with David McInnis, founder of PRWeb, where he announced several recent and brand new services.

PRWeb has been diligent in creating the leading direct to consumer press release distribution model to-date. Currently, around 1000 press releases are sent out a day.

PRWeb has positioned themselves as the first Web 2.0 press release distribution platform and has hired a new Web 2.0 content manager.

New PRWeb Services:

301url.com launched Dec 2005. Different than other url shortening services because it permanently redirects. Helps to avoid breaking urls. Good for bookmarking by making easy to recall urls. Also, free.


Web 2.0 Press Release Marketing

RSS Feeds and Online PR

Online PR is new territory for most marketers, even traditional public relations practitioners.

I recently had a Q/A with an offline PR agency specialist that I thought would be interesting to post here.

What are the most popular news feeds to subscribe to?

The beauty of RSS is that there are so many niche, quality sources. However, the most popular feeds overall may not be the best for any one individual. In other words, it depends on the interests of the user.

If a journalist is using an aggregator, which news feeds does it draw from?

Whichever feeds they’ve subscribed to. For perspective, your question is sort of like saying: “If a person is using an email program, who will they get emails from?” Most feed aggregators offer pre-selected feeds, but you can also add feeds.


RSS Feeds and Online PR

SES Chicago Day 2 Wrap Up

This is the first SES conference I’ve been to where there were no large scale events sponsored by any of the major search engines. There are smaller, invite-only gatherings, but they only involve a small number of attendees. 

I opted to check out some of the Chicago steak houses recommended to me by Jolina, one our Public Relations rockstars, who is from the area.

On Sunday, Andy from WebCertain and I first checked out Harry Caray’s.  This place is definitely a Chicago tradition in sports bars. Unfortunatley, their interpretation of what "medium" means was very different than what Andy and I had in mind. Service was excellent though.


SES Chicago Day 2 Wrap Up

TopRank Sends 2 Speakers to SES Chicago

Next week Danny Sullivan’s Search Engine Strategies conference comes to Chicago Dec 5-8. A few notes about this conference from today’s Search Engine Update newsletter:

  • Record advance registrations – all your colleagues, clients and competitors will be
    there
  • More sponsors/exhibitors than any prior Chicago event
  • Best conference program ever for Chicago

TopRank Online Marketing will have two speakers at this event: SEO Manager David Temple and myself.

David will present on the Global Search Landscape day 1 along with Nacho Hernandez, Lucas Morea and my good friend Andy Atkins-Kruger who is the Managing Director at UK based SEO/SEM firm, Web Certain and President of the SMA-UK.

I will be on a panel covering News Search SEO on day 2 with Greg Jarboe, Nan Dawkins and Sally Falkow presenting. I will also be blogging several of the sessions day 1, 2 and 3.


TopRank Sends 2 Speakers to SES Chicago

Top PR Firms in Minneapolis – Misukanis Odden

This weekend a local business publication called the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal came out with a ranking of public relations firms in their print version and I’m proud to say that our PR firm, Misukanis & Odden Public Relations was named one of the top Twin Cities Public Relations firms. Hats off to my partner Susan Misukanis, who is a PR guru by any definition, and her team.

Founded in 2001 with just a few staff and fewer clients, Misukanis & Odden has grown into a reputable and trusted public relations agency serving companies in high tech, medical tech and professional services nationwide.

Misukanis & Odden is unique in it’s innovative use of both online and offline public relations tactics and a keen emphasis on accountability for results.


Top PR Firms in Minneapolis – Misukanis Odden

Online Marketing Resources Blog

Just a reminder/announcement that I am posting links to very interesting news bits, stories and blog posts over at Online Marketing Resources Blog, when I do not have time to write a complete review here.

Today there are goodies ranging from a new Google patent that will make personalized search standard for everyone to the new and very cool Yahoo Maps beta. Check it out.

Tags: Online Marketing


Online Marketing Resources Blog

Blog Marketing Tips

Here are a few quick tips we’ve used to rank #1 on Google for targeted terms as well as increase the number of unique visitors to this blog 300% in the past month. However, execution and timing are key.

1. Be sure your blog template is optimized for search engines like you would a web site

2. Submit the blog everywhere you would submit a web site: search engines, directories, linking, etc

3. Submit the blog to blog and RSS search engines, directories and news aggregators

4. Use Technorati tags in your blog posts and bookmark your posts in del.icio.us and even flickr your product images – folksonomies are your future

5. Ping your blog posts to all major blog/RSS aggregators with each post – automate this if you can


Blog Marketing Tips

Online Marketing Resources

I know many companies that want to engage in search or online marketing for the first time and also those that want to step it up a notch are always on the lookout for better resources. You can spend a lot of time lurking in forums, reading blogs and information sites, reading books, attending conferences and networking and still not be sure of what to do next or what’s right for you. There are a few resources that I’ve found to be consistently effective and high quality that I’ll mention here. This is by no means a comprehensive list – it really represents the resources I find myself using often and/or recently:

Books

  • Winning Results with Google AdWords – Andrew Goodman
  • The Virtual Handshake – David Teten & Scott Allen

Online Marketing Resources