The fact that chancellor of the University of California at Davis Linda P.B. Katehi is still in the news speaks to the power of search engine optimization (SEO). Katehi came under attack two weeks ago when The Sacramento Bee revealed that the UC Davis campus paid consultants at least $175,000 to minimize internet postings of a 2011incident. Those posting were both videos and pictures of a campus police officer pepper-spraying peaceful student protesters.
As a result of all of those posts, prospective students and their parents may have been presented with these images instead of the campus information and the admissions process that they were looking for. According to Katehi, she simply followed the practice that many universities and respected companies are dong by hiring an SEO firm to market the their school. Katehi’s opponents, on the other hand, contend that she was attempting to bury the negative images with paid content about more positive news.
While it may never be possible to understand the UC Davis Chancellor’s intent, the entire story solidifies what the wisest marketing firms know about the impact of SEO services. Clearly, SEO content drives the exposure your company will receive. The fact that the practice of hiring SEO services is somewhat common in higher education and for a variety of non-profits proves that it is integral in today’s advertising, marketing, and public relations work.
How Can a Local SEO Company Help Your Marketing Plan?
What is your company doing to keep its name at the top of the list? If the name of your business does not appear at the top of internet searches you likely are not getting the customer response that you want. Working with a local SEO company may be the best way for you to improve your company’s internet presence.
Did you know, for example, that as many as 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine? Your company may provide the best products or the best service, but if you are not topping those lists of internet experiences you may not get noticed. While word of mouth and customer referrals may have once been enough to keep businesses profitable, it is becoming more and more essential to have a strong internet presence and a user friendly website. In fact, SEO is rated as the most effective lead generation approach. Nearly 35% of marketers indicate that SEO services are ?very effective.?