Newspapers Get (Even More) Search Savvy
Wilson Tan pointed out this WSJ story to me today: “Google This: U.K. Papers Vie To Buy Search Terms” (subscription required).
We know that newspapers are training their reporters and editors to use keywords in their headlines and copy to improve organic (e.g., free) search results for their content. This article suggests they are taking it one step further by buying Google AdWords campaigns so that links to their websites pop-up first in the paid advertising space when people type in searches.
For instance, The Daily Telegraph bought the phrase “North Korea Nuclear Test” after the country detonated a nuclear device last October. People in the United Kingdom and the U.S. using English-language Google who typed the phrase into the search engine saw an ad for the Telegraph Web site on the top right of their screen. Try it now and you’ll see an ad for The NY Times in that space.
While some brands SEO (search engine optimize) their content, most don’t in my estimation. While many brands buy Google AdWords to drive e-commerce, most don’t consider it to promote brand messages. Considering the volume and importance of search, these are ideas enterprises need to wrap their arms around and figure out how to implement.
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