Sydney PR agency launches into search engine space

Network PR claims that to date most Australian marketers have opted for the 'easy approach' - pay-per-click (PPC) search engine marketing - as opposed to seeking 'natural research' listings on search engines using search engine optimisation techniques.

The PR agency has released findings from a Galaxy Research study it commissioned showing that 85 percent of online Australians regularly use search engines, that 85 percent of these click on natural language search with around 90 percent saying they find they trust natural search more or find the information from this source more relevant to their needs than from paid sponsored links.

"For many marketers, getting a high ranking in the natural search listing is the 'gold' they increasingly seek. As content becomes more important to achieving search engine rankings PR is the tool that is best equipped to achieve that result," said Grant Common, managing director, Network PR.

"It's taken us 18 months to get this right, to understand who is offering what, to identify best practice overseas, to then build a better local mousetrap and develop the new knowledge, skills and disciplines among our staff."

Network PR asserts natural search (sometimes called organic search) is coming of age because the web has become more like traditional media. Major search engines are developing distinct editorial and advertising sections which savvy consumers are recognising. And getting listed in the editorial (natural search) section is more based on content - rather than technical factors - than ever before.

Network PR says although its offering is believed to be a first by the PR sector in Australia, and includes features that are in line with what specialist PR agencies overseas provide in the area of search optimisation, it has gone a step further.

"Mirroring overseas experience our concentration is on content. Everything we do is based around keyword research. Based on research of what searchers are looking for we make web sites content rich and more targeted at search engines.

"But it's not enough - websites and their key content still need to be found by searchers. So we create and implement a publishing strategy aimed at web based media. We do this by optimising, and distributing search engine optimised materials for online news sources and aggregators read by search engines, which is like adding a new dimension to traditional PR media work.

"It's all aimed at obtaining high ranking in the internet's 'editorial' pages - the natural or organic listings on search engines", said Common.

However the key difference for PING PR, the name Network PR has given to its new web services, is that it goes further than overseas models by bridging the gap between content and technology with the marketing of a proprietary 'search engine friendly' CMS (content management system). This can be a low cost addition for the many web sites that can't be indexed by search engines.

Alternatively, marketers will be able to attract search engines by publishing and distributing materials in their own livery via a new web-specific distribution vehicle that Network PR has created using its CMS platform.

"The irony is that according to 2005 research more than 13,500 Australian organisations are already spending around $100 million annually on PPC search marketing. However, our research of internet users -which mirrors similar US studies - indicates it's only reaching 15 percent of searchers. The real growth is where 85 percent of searchers go and what they most trust - natural search - and that's where research indicates only $20 million annually is being spent.

"There is no suggestion that PPC won't continue to be the major online marketing tool, but just as PR has emerged from the shadows of advertising in working with traditional media it is poised to do likewise with regard to our fourth mainstream media - the web," said Common.

Network PR says the potency of its web search engine optimisation is supported by the Beta testing it did for itself which resulted in it consistently delivering first page rankings across more than twenty PR-related natural search phrases on Google Australia.

Based on the early disclosure of its PING PR product, Network PR is already in discussions about developing web search engine optimisation strategies for several of its existing PR clients.

Network PR released the following study results in Sydney today :


"Australian Online Search Habits 2006" a research study undertaken by Galaxy Research/Network PR, Sydney

White Paper "Being Found in Web Searches Via Natural Language SEO" written by Network PR, Sydney

The studies can be downloaded free of charge from www.networkpr.com.au