How to Keep Your Edge

Here are six keys to staying competitive in search:

• Check your search positions often and use paid search to improve search performance.

• Optimize, optimize, optimize. Even before considering paid advertising, make sure your Web site is optimized for the keywords you’ve identified. Think about adding new keywords as well. If you don’t have one already, find an SEO firm with experience in your industry.

• Add social media to your site. Blogs, podcasts and/or video that can be distributed virally. Include optimized images, press releases and news stories in the content.

• Search the major social sites and Wikipedia to see if and where you and your major competitors appear. If you don’t know where to look, or you’re considerably less visible on these sites than your rivals, ask your online marketing firm to help you establish an appropriate social/shared media presence.

• Monitor online buzz about your organization diligently. Where you find negative information, develop a plan — a complete campaign if necessary — to tell your side of the story. For starters, go to Oneupweb’s library and download the free white paper on crisis communications.

• Integrate efforts. Simple practices — such as offline ads directing readers, viewers or listeners to a URL or a specific online promotion — can make all marketing elements more effective. Using high-resolution online images associated with your company in offline materials increases the effectiveness and reach of both media. Moreover, integrating valuable content in new and diverse forms (blogs, podcasts, videos and press releases) can broaden your audience.