The Buyer Group PR + SEO News

As search engines continue to multiply and evolve, the giant Microsoft has launched its newest search offering, http://www.Bing.com, which for the realm of online PR adds to the list of places to be found and people to be seen.

New user-friendly features by Bing include:
•    A ‘related searches’ column on the left side of the page sorted by categories: news, video, images, and shopping sites
•    Each search result has a ‘preview’ option that pops up when moused-over
•    Clean, user-friendly design
•    Geo-targeted search, pushing local sites to the top of the list
•    Updated SEO guidelines (important for web site owners)

All of the above features are speculated to draw serious eyes to the search tool and many of which are expected to stay put. With a fragmented set of online eyes, online PR experts need to make sure their clients web sites and online reputations are reachable by all – user and search engine-friendly.

Thankfully, Bing is offering a Webmaster Center that allows online PR firms and online reputation managers to authenticate a site, check the value of back links, and see where each site ranks within Bing for various keywords.  Being listed in Bing.com should be at the top of the priority list for every company.  Just how Google maps offers a local business directory, which has recently added a much-appreciated set of analytics, Bing.com’s local directory and maps section may become a go-to source for online directory searches.

Likewise with Google Maps and Yahoo Local, Bing.com has a specific set of SEO (search engine optimization) strategies that will improve the rankings of pages.  Bing.com recommends writing unique, keyword-rich content for readers, rather than web crawlers.  It is also important to use title, meta and H1 tags to help search engines identify what specific content on each page is about.

For information on how The Buyer Group can help you gain greater visibility through search engine optimization, contact Lisa Buyer at lbuyer@thebuyergroup.com today.

Online PR Expert Talks About Twitter, Online Reputation, and Search Results

Deerfield Beach, FL – February 23, 2009 – What happens when employees mix personal Facebook and Twitter accounts with company news and client communications?  Well first comes the drama, then the Google search results you might wish you never had.

Florida online public relations agency CEO, Lisa Buyer, will be speaking on the advantages and pitfalls of social media at PubCon, the executive conference lead by search and Internet marketing gurus in Austin, TX on March 12, 2009 at 2:55 PM.

As part of a panel discussion on Moving Old Brands Into The New Social Media, Buyer will present a case study on “Social Media In the Hands of Irresponsible Employees,” a topic focusing on the PR effects when employees’ personal social media usage ends in negative company search results. The lecture will also cover proactive guidelines to prevent this from happening as well as brand reputation management.

“Today’s online PR and branding strategies need to take into consideration the effects of social media channels and how they can influence a brands online reputation,” said Lisa Buyer, The Buyer Group CEO.

Working from a real world experience where an employee’s personal Twitter posting, a professional blogger, and a client’s search engine results collided, Buyer will explore how to best utilize the power of social media without leaving companies vulnerable to circumstances that can have a negative effect on their online PR.

PubCon Austin takes place March 11 – 13, 2009.  For more information visit: http://www.pubcon.com/.

About The Buyer Group
The Buyer Group is a member of Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization, South Florida Interactive Marketing Association, Agency Management Roundtable, and is recognized as a Google Advertising Professional Company.  For more information about The Buyer Group and its interactive public relations and branding services call Lisa Buyer at 954.354.1411.

Connect with The Buyer Group
Follow Lisa Buyer on Twitter at www.twitter.com/lisabuyer
Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabuyer